After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), was established in 1954 as part of the struggle for independence and has largely dominated politics since. The Government of Algeria in 1988 instituted a multi-party system in response to public unrest, but the surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets, and fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense violence between 1992-98 resulting in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s, and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA, with the backing of the military, won the presidency in 1999 in an election widely viewed as fraudulent. He was reelected to a second term in 2004 and overwhelmingly won a third term in 2009 after the government amended the constitution in 2008 to remove presidential term limits. Longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA, including large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing activities of extremist militants. The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in 2006 merged with al-Qa'ida to form al-Qa'ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, which has launched an ongoing series of kidnappings and bombings targeting the Algerian Government and Western interests. The government in 2011 introduced some political reforms in response to the Arab Spring, including lifting the 19-year, state of emergency restrictions and ending the state's monopoly on broadcast media. Political protest activity in the country remained low in 2011, but small, sometimes violent socioeconomic demonstrations by disparate groups continued to be a common occurence.

Algeria's economy remains dominated by the state, a legacy of the country's socialist post-independence development model. Gradual liberalization since the mid-1990s has opened up more of the economy, but in recent years Algeria has imposed new restrictions on foreign involvement in its economy and largely halted the privatization of state-owned industries. Hydrocarbons have long been the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the eighth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter. It ranks 16th in oil reserves. Thanks to strong hydrocarbon revenues, Algeria has a cushion of $150 billion in foreign currency reserves and a large hydrocarbon stabilization fund. In addition, Algeria's external debt is extremely low at about 1% of GDP. Algeria has struggled to develop industries outside of hydrocarbons in part because of high costs and an inert state bureaucracy. The government's efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector have done little to reduce high poverty and youth unemployment rates. In 2010, Algeria began a five-year, $286 billion development program to update the country's infrastructure and provide jobs. The costly program will boost Algeria's economy in 2011 but worsen the country's budget deficit. Long-term economic challenges include diversification from hydrocarbons, relaxing state control of the economy, and providing adequate jobs for younger Algerians.

Country name:
 
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah
local short form: Al Jaza'ir
 

Government type:

republic
 

Capital:

name: Algiers
geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
 

Administrative divisions:

48 provinces (wilayas, 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, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen
 

Independence:

5 July 1962 (from France)
 

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
 

Constitution:

adopted 8 September 1963; amended several times, last in 2008 (2013)
 

Legal system:

mixed legal system of French civil law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials including several Supreme Court justices
 

International law organization participation:

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
 

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal
 

Executive branch:

hief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Abdelmalek SELLAL (since 28 April 2014)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president; note - on 5 May 2014, a new cabinet was announced
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elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 17 April 2014 (next to be held in April 2019)
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for a fourth term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 81.5%, Ali BENFLIS 12.2%, Abdelaziz ELAID 3.4%, other 2.9%; voter turnout - 51.7%
 

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of the Nation (upper house; 144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote to serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the Council to be renewed every three years) and the National People's Assembly (lower house; 462 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Council of the Nation - last held on 29 December 2012 (next to be held in December 2017); National People's Assembly - last held on 10 May 2012 (next to be held in 2017)
election results: Council of the Nation election of 29 December 2009 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National People's Assembly election of 10 May 2012 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 221, RND 70, AAV 47, FFS 21, PT 17, FNA 9, El Adala 7, MPA 6, PFJ 5, FC 4, PNSD 4, other 32, independents 19
 

Judicial branch:

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 150 judges organized into four divisions: civil and commercial; social security and labor; criminal; and administrative; Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members including the court president)
note - Algeria's judicial system does not include sharia courts
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of Magistracy, an administrative body presided over by the president of the republic, and includes the republic vice-president and several members; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic, 2 each by the two houses of the Parliament, 1 by the Supreme Court, and 1 by the Council of State; Council president and members appointed for single 6-year terms with half of the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: appellate or wilaya courts; first instance or daira tribunals
 

Political parties and leaders:

Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Algerian Popular Movement or MPA [Amara BENYOUNES]; Algerian Rally [Ali ZAGHDOUD]; Algeria's Hope Rally or TAJ [Amar GHOUL]; Dignity or El Karama [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Front for Change or FC [Abdelmadjid MENASRA]; Front for Justice and Development or El Adala [Abdallah DJABALLAH]; Future Front or El Mostakbel [Abdelaziz BELAID]; Green Algeria Alliance or AAV (includes Movement for National Reform, Islamic Renaissance Movement, and Movement of the Society of Peace or Hamas); Islamic Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Mohamed DHOUIBI]; Movement of the Society of Peace or MSP [Abderrazak MOKRI]; National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Bensalah ABDELKADER]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Amar SAIDANI]; National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD; National Reform Movement or Islah [Djahid YOUNSI] (see Green Algeria Alliance); New Dawn Party or PFJ; New Generation or Jil Jadid [Soufiane DJILALI]; New Light Party [Bedreddine BELBAZ]; Oath of 1954 or Ahd 54 [Ali Fawzi REBAINE]; Party of Justice and Liberty [Mohammed SAID]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Mohcine BELABBAS]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Mustafa BOUCHACHI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997
 

Political pressure groups and leaders:

The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Noureddine BENISSAD]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Youth Action Rally or RAJ
 

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
 

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah BAALI (since 5 November 2008)
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
FAX: [1] (202) 986-5906
consulate(s) general: New York
 

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Henry S. ENSHER (since July 2011)
embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El-Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16030 Algiers
mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
telephone: [213] 770-08-2000
FAX: [213] 770-08-2064
 

Flag description:

two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color boundary; the colors represent Islam (green), purity and peace (white), and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also Islamic symbols, but the crescent is more closed than those of other Muslim countries because the Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness
 

National symbol(s):

star and crescent; fennec fox
 

National anthem:

name: 'Kassaman' (We Pledge)

lyrics/music: Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI
note: adopted 1962; ZAKARIAH wrote 'Kassaman' as a poem while imprisoned in Algiers by French colonial forces

Location:
 
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:

28 00 N, 3 00 E
Map references:

Africa
Area:

total: 2,381,741 sq km
country comparison to the world: 10
land: 2,381,741 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:

slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:

total: 6,734 km
border countries: Libya 989 km, Mali 1,359 km, Mauritania 460 km, Morocco 1,900 km, Niger 951 km, Tunisia 1,034 km, Western Sahara 41 km
Coastline:

998 km
 

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm
 

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
 

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
 

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
 

Land use:

arable land: 3.15%
permanent crops: 0.38%
other: 96.46% (2011)
 

Irrigated land:

5,694 sq km (2003)
 

Total renewable water resources:

11.67 cu km (2011)
 

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 5.72 cu km/yr (26%/16%/58%)
per capita: 182 cu m/yr (2005)
 

Natural hazards:

mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season
 

Environment - current issues:

soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; dumping of raw 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; inadequate supplies of potable water
 

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
 

Geography - note:

largest country in Africa

Nationality:
 
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian
 

Ethnic groups:

Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
note: although almost all Algerians are Berber in origin (not Arab), only a minority identify themselves as Berber, about 15% of the total population; these people live mostly in the mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers; the Berbers are also Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools
 

Languages:

Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Berber dialects: Kabylie Berber (Tamazight), Chaouia Berber (Tachawit), Mzab Berber, Tuareg Berber (Tamahaq)
 

Religions:

Muslim (official; predominantly Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian and Jewish) <1% (2012 est.)
 

Population:

38,813,722 (July 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
 

Age structure:

0-14 years: 28.4% (male 5,641,148/female 5,378,207)
15-24 years: 17.4% (male 3,451,069/female 3,291,166)
25-54 years: 42.8% (male 8,398,770/female 8,209,634)
55-64 years: 6.2% (male 1,230,865/female 1,186,832)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 931,769/female 1,094,262) (2014 est.)
population pyramid:  
 

Dependency ratios:

total dependency ratio: 48.5 %
youth dependency ratio: 41.6 %
elderly dependency ratio: 6.8 %
potential support ratio: 14.6 (2014 est.)
 

Median age:

total: 27.3 years
male: 27 years
female: 27.5 years (2014 est.)
 

Population growth rate:

1.88% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
 

Birth rate:

23.99 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
 

Death rate:

4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
 

Net migration rate:

-0.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
 

Urbanization:

urban population: 73% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 2.49% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
 

Major urban areas - population:

ALGIERS (capital) 2.916 million; Oran 783,000 (2011)
 

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2014 est.)
 

Maternal mortality rate:

97 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 75
 

Infant mortality rate:

total: 21.76 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 82
male: 23.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)
 

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.39 years
country comparison to the world: 80
male: 75.12 years
female: 77.72 years (2014 est.)
 

Total fertility rate:

2.78 children born/woman (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Contraceptive prevalence rate:

61.4% (2006)
 

Health expenditures:

3.9% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 166
 

Physicians density:

1.21 physicians/1,000 population (2007)
 

Hospital bed density:

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2004)
 

Drinking water source:

improved: 
urban: 85.5% of population
rural: 79.5% of population
total: 83.9% of population
unimproved: 
urban: 14.5% of population
rural: 20.5% of population
total: 16.1% of population (2012 est.)
 

Sanitation facility access:

improved: 
urban: 97.6% of population
rural: 88.4% of population
total: 95.2% of population
unimproved: 
urban: 2.4% of population
rural: 11.6% of population
total: 4.8% of population (2012 est.)
 

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
 

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

18,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
 

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
 

Obesity - adult prevalence rate:

16% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 116
 

Children under the age of 5 years underweight:

3.7% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 101
 

Education expenditures:

4.3% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 97
 

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 72.6%
male: 81.3%
female: 63.9% (2006 est.)
 

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years
male: 12 years
female: 14 years (2011)
 

Child labor - children ages 5-14:

total number: 304,358
percentage: 5 % (2006 est.)
 

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:

total: 28.4%
country comparison to the world: 30
male: 19.1%
female: 38.2% (2011)

Economy - overview:
 
Algeria's economy remains dominated by the state, a legacy of the country's socialist postindependence development model. In recent years the Algerian Government has halted the privatization of state-owned industries and imposed restrictions on imports and foreign involvement in its economy. Hydrocarbons have long been the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the 10th-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the sixth-largest gas exporter. It ranks 16th in oil reserves. Strong revenues from hydrocarbon exports have brought Algeria relative macroeconomic stability, with foreign currency reserves approaching $200 billion and a large budget stabilization fund available for tapping. In addition, Algeria's external debt is extremely low at about 2% of GDP. However, Algeria has struggled to develop non-hydrocarbon industries because of heavy regulation and an emphasis on state-driven growth. The government's efforts have done little to reduce high youth unemployment rates or to address housing shortages. A wave of economic protests in February and March 2011 prompted the Algerian Government to offer more than $23 billion in public grants and retroactive salary and benefit increases, moves which continue to weigh on public finances. Long-term economic challenges include diversifying the economy away from its reliance on hydrocarbon exports, bolstering the private sector, attracting foreign investment, and providing adequate jobs for younger Algerians.
 

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$284.7 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
$276.2 billion (2012 est.)
$267.4 billion (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
 

GDP (official exchange rate):

$215.7 billion (2013 est.)
 

GDP - real growth rate:

3.1% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
3.3% (2012 est.)
2.6% (2011 est.)
 

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,500 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
$7,400 (2012 est.)
$7,300 (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
 

Gross national saving:

45.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
44.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
47.7% of GDP (2011 est.)
 

GDP - composition, by end use:

household consumption: 33.7%
government consumption: 20.6%
investment in fixed capital: 32.9%
investment in inventories: 8.2%
exports of goods and services: 33.3%
imports of goods and services: -28.7%
(2013 est.)
 

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:

agriculture: 9.4%
industry: 62.6%
services: 28% (2013 est.)
 

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle
 

Industries:

petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing
 

Industrial production growth rate:

2.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
 

Labor force:

11.15 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
 

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 14%
industry: 13.4%
construction and public works: 10%
trade: 14.6%
government: 32%
other: 16% (2003 est.)
 

Unemployment rate:

10.3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
10.7% (2012 est.)
 

Population below poverty line:

23% (2006 est.)
 

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)
 

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

35.3 (1995)
country comparison to the world: 89
 

Budget:

revenues: $80.55 billion
expenditures: $85.58 billion (2013 est.)
 

Taxes and other revenues:

37.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
 

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):

-2.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
 

Public debt:

13.2% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
8.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
note: data cover central government debt; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt
 

Fiscal year:

calendar year
 

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
8.9% (2012 est.)
 

Central bank discount rate:

4% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
4% (31 December 2009 est.)
 

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
8% (31 December 2012 est.)
 

Stock of narrow money:

$92.91 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
$98.36 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
 

Stock of broad money:

$140.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
$141 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
 

Stock of domestic credit:

$-4.337 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
$-4.363 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
 

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA
 

Current account balance:

$6.697 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
$12.3 billion (2012 est.)
 

Exports:

$68.25 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
$71.74 billion (2012 est.)
 

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
 

Exports - partners:

Italy 16%, US 15%, Spain 10.9%, France 8.5%, Netherlands 7.3%, Canada 7.1%, UK 5.1%, Brazil 4.7% (2012)
 

Imports:

$55.02 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
$51.57 billion (2012 est.)
 

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
 

Imports - partners:

France 12.8%, China 11.8%, Italy 10.3%, Spain 8.6%, Germany 5.2% (2012)
 

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$192.5 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
$191.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
 

Debt - external:

$5.278 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
$5.639 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
 

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$25.02 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
$23.26 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
 

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$2.433 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
$2.133 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
 

Exchange rates:

Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar -
78.77 (2013 est.)
77.536 (2012 est.)
74.386 (2010 est.)
72.65 (2009)
63.25 (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use:
 
3.2 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 49
 

Telephones - mobile cellular:

37.692 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 32
 

Telephone system:

general assessment: privatization of Algeria's telecommunications sector began in 2000; three mobile cellular licenses have been issued and, in 2005, a consortium led by Egypt's Orascom Telecom won a 15-year license to build and operate a fixed-line network in Algeria; the license will allow Orascom to develop high-speed data and other specialized services and contribute to meeting the large unfulfilled demand for basic residential telephony; Internet broadband services began in 2003
domestic: a limited network of fixed lines with a teledensity of less than 10 telephones per 100 persons has been offset by the rapid increase in mobile-cellular subscribership; in 2011, mobile-cellular teledensity was roughly 100 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 213; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 51 (Intelsat, Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2011)
 

Broadcast media:

state-run Radio-Television Algerienne operates the broadcast media and carries programming in Arabic, Berber dialects, and French; use of satellite dishes is widespread, providing easy access to European and Arab satellite stations; state-run radio operates several national networks and roughly 40 regional radio stations (2007)
 

Internet country code:

.dz
 

Internet hosts:

676 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 178
 

Internet users:

4.7 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 49

Airports:
 
157 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 36
 

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 64
over 3,047 m: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 29
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
 

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 93
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 39
under 914 m: 
34 (2013)
 

Heliports:

3 (2013)
 

Pipelines:

condensate 2,600 km; gas 16,415 km; liquid petroleum gas 3,447 km; oil 7,036 km; refined products 144 km (2013)
 

Railways:

total: 3,973 km
country comparison to the world: 45
standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2008)
 

Roadways:

total: 113,655 km
country comparison to the world: 42
paved: 87,605 km (includes 645 km of expressways)
unpaved: 26,050 km (2010)
 

Merchant marine:

total: 38
country comparison to the world: 77
by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 15 (UK, 15) (2010)
 

Ports and terminals:

major seaport(s): Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda
LNG terminal(s) (export): Bethioua, Skikida

Electricity - production:
 
46.25 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
 

Electricity - consumption:

33.68 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
 

Electricity - exports:

803 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
 

Electricity - imports:

736 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
 

Electricity - installed generating capacity:

11.33 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
 

Electricity - from fossil fuels:

97.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
 

Electricity - from nuclear fuels:

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
 

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:

2.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
 

Electricity - from other renewable sources:

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
 

Crude oil - production:

1.875 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
 

Crude oil - exports:

1.097 million bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
 

Crude oil - imports:

6,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
 

Crude oil - proved reserves:

12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
 

Refined petroleum products - production:

571,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
 

Refined petroleum products - consumption:

316,400 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
 

Refined petroleum products - exports:

471,900 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
 

Refined petroleum products - imports:

17,270 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
 

Natural gas - production:

82.76 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
 

Natural gas - consumption:

28.82 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
 

Natural gas - exports:

52.02 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
 

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
 

Natural gas - proved reserves:

4.504 trillion cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
 

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:

117.2 million Mt (2011 est.)

A total of 77 Realistic Export Opportunities (REOs) from South Africa to Algeria are identified based on the North-West University’s (South Africa) TRADE Decision Support Model (DSM).

The methodology is a very useful instrument to identify market opportunities globally for one’s product and also provides a good reference for one to be able to prioritise marketing efforts based on the value and size of these opportunities.

The TRADE-DSM Navigator provides sound information that companies are able to use in developing their export marketing strategy and forms the basis and guidance for further research should this be required.

In total 77 of the products associated with import demand are identified as realistic export opportunities. The relative 'untapped' potential of the market opportunity is shown in the chart below:

A total 'untapped' potential from South Africa's perspective of approximately 0.39 (in million US dollar terms) based on the average value of the top 6 supplying countries (excluding South Africa) are associated with these specific product export opportunities.

The highest number of identified opportunities are associated with the economic sector of

Basic iron & steel (351) .

Not all sectors will be present, as not all economic sectors (some of which are based on economic activity while the REOs are based on traded products) are relevant for all products. However, various other sectors also do exhibit potential.

While the above examples are based on high level economic sectors, the information is available at a much more granular level on the HS 6-digit tariff code level. To demonstrate the following example of a product description is provided:

HS CHAPTER 84:
NUCLEAR REACTORS, BOILERS, MACHINERY AND MECHANICAL APPLIANCES; PARTS THEREOF
Sub-heading 84.27:
Fork-lift trucks; other works trucks fitted with lifting or handling equipment:
HS 6-digit product code 8427.10:
Self-propelled trucks powered by an electric motor.

Research reports containing more detailed information related to these realistic export opportunities (down to product level as illustrated with the above product description) for each country are available from TIKZN.

Please contact us if you are interested in more detail by clicking here.

For an example of a more detailed country report please click here.

Please note that a more up-to-date version for the specific country report used in this example is available from TIKZN. This report is provided for demonstration purposes only and should not be used for any decision-making.

For more in-depth research you can also contact our NWU knowledge partners at
TRADE Research Advisory.

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