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Compare Algeria (2001) - Lebanon (2003)

Compare Algeria (2001) z Lebanon (2003)

 Algeria (2001)Lebanon (2003)
 AlgeriaLebanon
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, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen 6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye
Age structure 0-14 years:
34.21% (male 5,528,755; female 5,328,083)

15-64 years:
61.72% (male 9,901,319; female 9,687,449)

65 years and over:
4.07% (male 594,973; female 695,474) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 27.1% (male 514,447; female 494,166)


15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,177,773; female 1,286,433)


65 years and over: 6.8% (male 115,693; female 139,191) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats
Airports 135 (2000 est.) 8 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total:
51

over 3,047 m:
9

2,438 to 3,047 m:
24

1,524 to 2,437 m:
12

914 to 1,523 m:
5

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
84

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
23

914 to 1,523 m:
40

under 914 m:
18 (2000 est.)
total: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Area total:
2,381,740 sq km

land:
2,381,740 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 10,400 sq km


land: 10,230 sq km


water: 170 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
Background After a century of rule by France, Algeria became independent in 1962. The surprising first round success of the fundamentalist FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) party in December 1991 balloting caused the army to intervene, crack down on the FIS, and postpone the subsequent elections. The FIS response has resulted in a continuous low-grade civil conflict with the secular state apparatus, which nonetheless has allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties. FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded itself in January 2000 and many armed militants surrendered under an amnesty program designed to promote national reconciliation. Nevertheless, residual fighting continues. Other concerns include large-scale unemployment and the need to diversify the petroleum-based economy. Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 16-year civil war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, the radical Shi'a party, retains its weapons. Syria maintains about 16,000 troops in Lebanon, based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from its security zone in southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, has emboldened some Lebanese Christians and Druze to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well.
Birth rate 22.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 19.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$15.8 billion

expenditures:
$16 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.3 billion (2001 est.)
revenues: $3.1 billion


expenditures: $5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Algiers Beirut
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 Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
Coastline 998 km 225 km
Constitution 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996; note - referendum approving the revisions of 28 November 1996 was signed into law 7 December 1996 23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989
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
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic


conventional short form: Lebanon


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah


local short form: Lubnan
Currency Algerian dinar (DZD) Lebanese pound (LBP)
Death rate 5.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 6.32 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $25 billion (2000 est.) $9.3 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON

embassy:
4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers

mailing address:
B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers

telephone:
[213] (21) 69-11-86, 69-12-55, 69-18-54, 69-38-75

FAX:
[213] (21) 69-39-79
chief of mission: Ambassador Vincent Martin BATTLE


embassy: Awkar, Lebanon


mailing address: P. O. Box 70840, Awkar, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002


telephone: 011-961-4-543-600/542-600


FAX: 011-961-4-544-136
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Idriss JAZAIRY

chancery:
2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 265-2800

FAX:
[1] (202) 667-2174
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD


chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320


FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324


consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles
Disputes - international part of southeastern region claimed by Libya; Algeria supports exiled West Saharan Polisario Front and rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights
Economic aid - recipient $100 million (1999 est.) $3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001) $4.2 billion in pledges November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference
Economy - overview The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second largest gas exporter; it ranks fourteenth for oil reserves. Algiers' efforts to reform one of the most centrally planned economies in the Arab world stalled in 1992 as the country became embroiled in political turmoil. Algeria's financial and economic indicators improved during the mid-1990s, in part because of policy reforms supported by the IMF and debt rescheduling from the Paris Club. Algeria's finances in 2000 benefited from the spike in oil prices and the government's tight fiscal policy, leading to a large increase in the trade surplus, the near tripling of foreign exchange reserves, and reduction in foreign debt. The government continues efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector, but has had little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living standards. The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers. Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange. Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of "Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program. Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% in 1996 and in 1997, but slowed to 1.2% in 1998, -1.6% in 1999, -0.6% in 2000, 0.8% in 2001, and 1.5% in 2002. During the 1990s annual inflation fell to almost 0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. The government nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has funded reconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In order to reduce the ballooning national debt, the re-installed HARIRI government began an economic austerity program to rein in government expenditures, increase revenue collection, and privatize state enterprises. The HARIRI government met with international donors at the Paris II conference in November 2002 to seek bilateral assistance restructuring its domestic debt at lower rates of interest. While privatization of state-owned enterprises had not occurred by the end of 2002, the government had successfully avoided a currency devaluation and debt default in 2002.
Electricity - consumption 21.613 billion kWh (1999) 7.44 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 307 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 330 million kWh (1999) 1.183 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 23.215 billion kWh (1999) 6.728 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
99.14%

hydro:
0.86%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 97.2%


hydro: 2.8%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Chott Melrhir -40 m

highest point:
Tahat 3,003 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
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 deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Nuclear Test Ban
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
Exchange rates Algerian dinars per US dollar - 74,813 (January 2001), 75.260 (2000), 66.574 (1999), 58.739 (1998), 57.707 (1997), 54.749 (1996) Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.84 (1999), 1,516.13 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state:
President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)

head of government:
Prime Minister Ali BENFLIS (since 26 August 2000)

cabinet:
Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 April 1999 (next to be held NA April 2004); prime minister appointed by the president

election results:
Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA elected president; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA over 70%; note - his six opposing candidates withdrew on the eve of the election citing electoral fraud
chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)


head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 23 October 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000); note - HARIRI resigned on 15 April 2003, but was reappointed the next day


cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly


elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; by custom, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim


election results: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions
Exports $19.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97% foodstuffs and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, precious stones, metal products, electrical products, jewelry, paper products
Exports - partners Italy 22%, US 15%, France 12%, Spain 11%, Brazil 8%, Netherlands 5% (1999) Switzerland 10.8%, Saudi Arabia 9%, UAE 8.6%, US 6.7%, Jordan 4.6%, Turkey 4.3% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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 crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion) three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green cedar tree centered in the white band
GDP purchasing power parity - $171 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $17.61 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
11%

industry:
37%

services:
52% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 12%


industry: 21%


services: 67% (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2000 est.) 2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 28 00 N, 3 00 E 33 50 N, 35 50 E
Geography - note second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan) Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity
Heliports 1 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
104,000 km

paved:
71,656 km (including 640 km of expressways)

unpaved:
32,344 km (1996 est.)
total: 7,300 km


paved: 6,198 km


unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
2.8%

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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in 2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to US and European markets
Imports $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods foodstuffs, electrical products, vehicles, minerals, chemicals, textiles, fuels
Imports - partners France 30%, Italy 9%, Germany 7%, Spain 6%, US 5%, Turkey 5% (1999) Italy 11.3%, France 10.7%, Germany 8.4%, US 5.6%, Syria 5.4%, China 4.8%, Belgium 4.5%, UK 4.2% (2002)
Independence 5 July 1962 (from France) 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Industrial production growth rate 7% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal fabricating
Infant mortality rate 40.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 26.43 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 29.22 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 23.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2000 est.) 3.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2000) 22 (2000)
Irrigated land 5,550 sq km (1993 est.) 1,200 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed)
Labor force 9.1 million (2000 est.) 1.5 million


note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation government 29%, agriculture 25%, construction and public works 15%, industry 11%, other 20% (1996 est.) services NA%, industry NA%, agriculture NA%
Land boundaries total:
6,343 km

border countries:
Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km
total: 454 km


border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Land use arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
13%

forests and woodland:
2%

other:
82% (1993 est.)
arable land: 17.6%


permanent crops: 12.51%


other: 69.89% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (380 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three years)

elections:
National People's Assembly - last held 5 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); Council of Nations - last held 30 December 2000 (next to be held NA 2003)

election results:
National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - RND 40.8%, MSP 18.2%, FLN 16.8%, Nahda Movement 8.9%, FFS 5%, RCD 5%, PT 1.1%, Progressive Republican Party 0.8%, Union for Democracy and Liberty 0.3%, Social Liberal Party 0.3%, independents 2.8%; seats by party - RND 155, MSP 69, FLN 64, Nahda Movement 34, FFS 19, RCD 19, PT 4, Progressive Republican Party 3, Union for Democracy and Liberty 1, Social Liberal Party 1, independents 11; Council of Nations - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 79, FLN 12, FFS 4, MSP 1 (remaining 48 seats appointed by the president, party breakdown NA)
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - Muslim 57% (of which Sunni 25%, Sh'ite 25%, Druze 6%, Alawite less than 1%), Christian 43% (of which Maronite 23%); seats by party - Muslim 64 (of which Sunni 27, Sh'ite 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2), Christian 64 (of which Maronite 34)
Life expectancy at birth total population:
69.95 years

male:
68.6 years

female:
71.34 years (2001 est.)
total population: 72.07 years


male: 69.64 years


female: 74.61 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
61.6%

male:
73.9%

female:
49% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 87.4%


male: 93.1%


female: 82.2% (2003 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Map references Africa Middle East
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone:
32-52 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total:
73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 896,911 GRT/1,047,991 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 9, cargo 25, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas 10, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.)
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 230,142 GRT/306,442 DWT


ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 28, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 9, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 3


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1, Greece 10, Netherlands 4, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Spain 1, Syria 2 (2002 est.)
Military branches National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $1.87 billion (FY99) $541 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.1% (FY99) 4.8% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
8,794,622 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 1,025,984 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
5,383,770 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 630,657 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
388,939 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Revolution Day, 1 November (1954) Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Nationality noun:
Algerian(s)

adjective:
Algerian
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Lebanese
Natural hazards mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides dust storms, sandstorms
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land
Net migration rate -0.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km oil 209 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Democratic National Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi MADANI (imprisoned), Rabeh KEBIR (self-exile in Germany)]; Movement of a Peaceful Society or MSP [Mahfoud NAHNAH, chairman]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Boualem BENHAMOUDA, secretary general]; Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SAADI, secretary general]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Lahbib ADAMI]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general (self-exile in Switzerland)]; Union for Democracy and Liberty [Mouley BOUKHALAFA]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN]

note:
a party law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997
political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 31,736,053 (July 2001 est.) 3,727,703 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 23% (1999 est.) 28% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 1.71% (2001 est.) 1.34% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre
Radio broadcast stations AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999) AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios 7.1 million (1997) -
Railways total:
4,820 km

standard gauge:
3,664 km 1.435-m gauge (301 km electrified; 215 km double track)

narrow gauge:
1,156 km 1.055-m gauge (1996)
total: 401 km


standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m


narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m


note: rail system is unusable because of damage in civil war (2002)
Religions Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1% Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Protestant), Jewish NEGL%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.86 male(s)/female

total population:
1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education
Telephone system general assessment:
telephone density in Algeria is very low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main lines has been increased in the last few years to a little more than 2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient

domestic:
good service in north but sparse in south; domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic earth stations are planned)

international:
5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (1998)
general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway


domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables
Telephones - main lines in use 2.3 million (1998) 700,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 33,500 (1999) 580,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995) 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Total fertility rate 2.72 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 30% (1999 est.) 18% (1997 est.)
Waterways none none
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