The 1994 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
215 million leke, NA% of GNP (1993 est.); note - conversion of defense
expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could
produce misleading results
@Algeria, Geography
Location:
Northern Africa, along the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and
Tunisia
Map references:
Africa, Europe
Area:
total area:
2,381,740 sq km
land area:
2,381,740 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total 6,343 km, Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,
Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km
Coastline:
998 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
Libya claims part of southeastern Algeria; land boundary dispute with
Tunisia settled in 1993
Climate:
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast;
drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a
hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
Terrain:
mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous
coastal plain
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
Land use:
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
13%
forest and woodland:
2%
other:
82%
Irrigated land:
3,360 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices;
desertification; dumping of untreated sewage, petroleum refining
wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of
rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming
polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; limited
supply of potable water
natural hazards:
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes
international agreements:
party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban
Note:
second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
@Algeria, People
Population:
27,895,068 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.29% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
29.71 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
6.22 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
−0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
52.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
67.68 years
male:
66.63 years
female:
68.77 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.83 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Algerian(s)
adjective:
Algerian
Ethnic divisions:
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
Religions:
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Languages:
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
57%
male:
70%
female:
46%
Labor force:
6.2 million (1992 est.)
by occupation:
government 29.5%, agriculture 22%, construction and public works
16.2%, industry 13.6%, commerce and services 13.5%, transportation and
communication 5.2% (1989)
@Algeria, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
conventional short form:
Algeria
local long form:
Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Shabiyah
local short form:
Al Jaza'ir
Digraph:
AG
Type:
republic
Capital:
Algiers
Administrative divisions:
48 provinces (wilayast, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain
Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bordj
Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa, El
Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela,
Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran,
Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes,
Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza,
Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen
Independence:
5 July 1962 (from France)