TOTAL AREA: 2,381,740 sq km (918,398 sq mi); LAND AREA: 2,381,740 sq km (918,398 sq mi)
COMPARATIVE AREA: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
LAND BOUNDARIES: 6,343 km (3,941 mi) total; Libya 982 km (610 mi), Mali 1,376 km (855 mi), Mauritania 463 km (287 mi), Morocco 1,559 km (968 mi), Niger 956 km (594 mi), Tunisia 965 km (599 mi), Western Sahara 42 km (26 mi)
COASTLINE: 998 km (620 mi)
MARITIME CLAIM:
TERRITORIAL SEA: 12 nm
DISPUTES: Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in southeastern Algeria
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
LABOR FORCE: 3,700,000; 40% industry and commerce, 30% agriculture, 17% government, 10% services (1984)
ORGANIZED LABOR: 16-19% of labor force claimed; General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA) is the only labor organization and is subordinate to the National Liberation Front
.GOVERNMENT OF ALGERIA
LONG-FORM NAME: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
TYPE: republic
CAPITAL: Algiers
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS: 31 provinces (wilayat, singular--wilaya); Adrar, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bouira, Constantine, Djelfa, El Asnam, Guelma, Jijel, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mostaganem, M'sila, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen; note--there may now be 48 provinces with El Asnam abolished, and the addition of 18 new provinces named Ain Delfa, Ain Temouchent, Bordjbou, Boumerdes, Chlef, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Mila, Naama, Relizane, Souk Ahras, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt
INDEPENDENCE: 5 July 1962 (from France)
CONSTITUTION: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976
LEGAL SYSTEM: socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices; Supreme Court divided into four chambers; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
NATIONAL HOLIDAY: Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)
CHIEF OF STATE: President Chadli BENDJEDID (since 7 February 1979)
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister Mouloud Hamrouche (since NA)
SUFFRAGE: universal at age 18
ELECTIONS: last held--presidential, 22 December 1988; legislative, 26 February 1987
POLITICAL PARTIES AND LEADERS: National Liberation Front (FLN), Col. Chadli Bendjedid, chairman; Abdel Hamid Mehri, secretary general
DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION: Ambassador Mohamed SAHNOUN; Chancery at 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 328-5300
U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE POST: Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS; Embassy at 4 Chemin Cheich Bachir Brahimi, Algiers (mailing address is B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers); telephone [213] (2) 601-425 or 255, 186; there is a US Consulate in Oran
FLAG: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)
.ECONOMY OF ALGERIA
OVERVIEW: The exploitation of oil and natural gas products forms the backbone of the economy. Algeria depends on hydrocarbons for nearly all of its export receipts, about 30% of government revenues, and nearly 25% of GDP. In 1973-74 the sharp increase in oil prices led to a booming economy that helped to finance an ambitious program of industrialization. Plunging oil and gas prices, combined with the mismanagement of Algeria's highly centralized economy, have brought the nation to its most serious social and economic crisis since independence. The government has promised far-reaching reforms, including the privatization of industry.
GDP: $59.0 billion, per capita $2,645; real growth rate 2% (1986)
INFLATION RATE (CONSUMER PRICES): 11% (1988 est.)
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: 19% (1988)
BUDGET: revenues $20.6 billion; expenditures $23.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.6 billion (1987 est.)
EXPORTS: $8.1 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities-- petroleum and natural gas 98%; partners-- Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Italy, France, US
IMPORTS: $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities-- capital goods 35%, consumer goods 36%, food 20%; partners-- France 25%, Italy 8%, FRG 8%, US 6-7%
EXTERNAL DEBT: $32.1 billion (December 1988)
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION: growth rate 5.4% (1986)
ELECTRICITY: 4,196,000 kW capacity; 13,685 million kWh produced, 570 kWh per capita (1988)
AGRICULTURE: accounts for 8% of GDP and employs 24% of labor force; net importer of food--grain, vegetable oil, and sugar; farm production includes wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits, sheep, and cattle
AID: NA
CURRENCY: Algerian dinar (plural--dinars); 1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes
EXCHANGE RATES: Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1--8 (February 1990) 6.8537 (1989), 5.9148 (1988), 4.8497 (1987), 4.7023 (1986), 5.0278 (1985)
FISCAL YEAR: calendar year
.COMMUNICATIONS IN ALGERIA
RAILROADS: 4,146 km (2,574 mi) total; 2,632 km standard gauge (1.435 m), 1,258 km 1.055-meter gauge, 256 km 1.000-meter gauge; 300 km electrified; 215 km double track
HIGHWAYS: 80,000 km (49,680 mi) total; 60,000 km concrete or bituminous, 20,000 km gravel, crushed stone, unimproved earth
PIPELINES: crude oil, 6,612 km (4,106 mi); refined products, 298 km (183 mi); natural gas, 2,948 km (1,832 mi)
PORTS: Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Jijel, Mers el Kebir, Mostaganem, Oran
AIRPORTS: 150 total, 145 usable; 54 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,660 m; 27 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 73 with runways 1,220-2,439 m; 32 with runways under 1,000 m
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: excellent domestic and international service in the north, sparse in the south; 693,000 telephones; stations--25 AM, no FM, 113 TV; 1,550,000 TV sets; 3,500,000 receiver sets; 6 submarine cables; coaxial cable or radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; satellite earth stations--1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Intersputnik, 1 ARABSAT, and 15 domestic
.DEFENSE FORCES OF ALGERIA
BRANCHES: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie
MILITARY MANPOWER: males 15-49, 5,686,588; 3,513,763 fit for military service; 284,436 reach military age (19) annually
MILITARY BUDGET: $1.067 billion, 5.4% of central government budget (1988)
.TRAVEL IN ALGERIA
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Passport and visa required. All Visas valid 3 months, 2 photos, 2 applications, $11.25, money order or certified check only. Proof of onward/return transportation and sufficient funds required. Company letter required for business visa. Obtain visa in advance. Vaccination certificate not required unless arriving from an area infected with yellow fever.
HEALTH: Tetanus, typhoid, polio and cholera inoculations are recommended. Tapwater is not potable. Health requirements change; check latest information.
TOURIST OFFICE: Office National Algerien du Tourisme, 25/27, rue Khelifa Boukhalfa, Algiers.
WEATHER AND CLOTHING: The coastal areas have a mild climate, hot in summer and cool and rainy in winter. Winter clothing November to April; rainwear is advisable. Rooms are not always well heated in winter.
TELEPHONE: When direct dialing to Algeria from the U.S., dial 011 (international access code) + 213 [country code] + local number.
TIME: 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time, and 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
ELECTRIC CURRENT: 220V
IMPORTANT!! All requirements/recommendations are subject to change. Be sure to check latest information.
