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Compare Algeria (2001) - South Africa (2002)

Compare Algeria (2001) z South Africa (2002)

 Algeria (2001)South Africa (2002)
 AlgeriaSouth Africa
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 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape
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: 31.6% (male 6,943,761; female 6,849,745)


15-64 years: 63.4% (male 13,377,011; female 14,300,850)


65 years and over: 5% (male 816,222; female 1,360,069) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Airports 135 (2000 est.) 740 (2001)
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: 143


over 3,047 m: 10


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 50


914 to 1,523 m: 67


under 914 m: 11 (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: 584


1,524 to 2,437 m: 34


914 to 1,523 m: 298


under 914 m: 252 (2002)
Area total:
2,381,740 sq km

land:
2,381,740 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 1,219,912 sq km


land: 1,219,912 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Area - comparative slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.
Birth rate 22.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 20.63 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$15.8 billion

expenditures:
$16 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.3 billion (2001 est.)
revenues: $22.6 billion


expenditures: $24.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY02/03 )
Capital Algiers Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
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 mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Coastline 998 km 2,798 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 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
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: Republic of South Africa


conventional short form: South Africa


former: Union of South Africa


abbreviation: RSA
Currency Algerian dinar (DZD) rand (ZAR)
Death rate 5.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $25 billion (2000 est.) $25.5 billion (2001 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 Cameron H. HUME


embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria


mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001


telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048


FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244


consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
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 Makate Sheila SISULU


chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400


FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international part of southeastern region claimed by Libya; Algeria supports exiled West Saharan Polisario Front and rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara Swaziland continues to press South Africa into ceding ethnic Swazi lands in Kangwane region of KwaZulu-Natal province, that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Economic aid - recipient $100 million (1999 est.) $539 million (1999)
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. South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into high unemployment, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. Other problems are crime, corruption, and HIV/AIDS. At the start of 2000, President MBEKI vowed to promote economic growth and foreign investment, and to reduce poverty by relaxing restrictive labor laws, stepping up the pace of privatization, and cutting unneeded governmental spending. The economy slowed in 2001, largely the result of the slowing of the international economy.
Electricity - consumption 21.613 billion kWh (1999) 181.52 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 307 million kWh (1999) 4.549 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 330 million kWh (1999) 5.294 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 23.215 billion kWh (1999) 194.38 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
99.14%

hydro:
0.86%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 93%


hydro: 1%


nuclear: 7%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Chott Melrhir -40 m

highest point:
Tahat 3,003 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 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 lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
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: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
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) rand per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997)
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 Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president


elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for sometime between May and July 2004)


election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)


note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition
Exports $19.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $32.3 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97% gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
Exports - partners Italy 22%, US 15%, France 12%, Spain 11%, Brazil 8%, Netherlands 5% (1999) EU 33%, US 20%, Japan 6%, Mozambique 2.5% (2001 est.)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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) two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes


note: prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one - three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which had three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags were a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side
GDP purchasing power parity - $171 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $412 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
11%

industry:
37%

services:
52% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 31%


services: 66% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $9,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2000 est.) 2.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 28 00 N, 3 00 E 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Geography - note second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan) South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
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: 358,596 km


paved: 59,753 km (including 1,927 km of expressways)


unpaved: 298,843 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
2.8%

highest 10%:
26.8% (1995)
lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 46% (1994) (1994)
Illicit drugs - transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and possibly cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region
Imports $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $28.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments
Imports - partners France 30%, Italy 9%, Germany 7%, Spain 6%, US 5%, Turkey 5% (1999) EU 41%, US 11.4%, Saudi Arabia 7.3%, Japan 7% (2001 est.)
Independence 5 July 1962 (from France) 31 May 1910 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 7% (1999 est.) 7% (2001 est.)
Industries petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Infant mortality rate 40.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 61.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2000 est.) 5.8% (2001 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) ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2000) 150 (2001)
Irrigated land 5,550 sq km (1993 est.) 13,500 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Labor force 9.1 million (2000 est.) 17 million economically active (2000)
Labor force - by occupation government 29%, agriculture 25%, construction and public works 15%, industry 11%, other 20% (1996 est.) agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)
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: 4,862 km


border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Land use arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
13%

forests and woodland:
2%

other:
82% (1993 est.)
arable land: 12.13%


permanent crops: 0.77%


other: 87.1% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
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 based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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)
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution


elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held by 2 August 2004)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%, other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NP 28, UDM 14, ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3
Life expectancy at birth total population:
69.95 years

male:
68.6 years

female:
71.34 years (2001 est.)
total population: 45.43 years


male: 45.19 years


female: 45.68 years (2002 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: 85%


male: 86%


female: 85% (2000 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone:
32-52 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 271,650 GRT/268,604 DWT


ships by type: container 6, petroleum tanker 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 3, Netherlands 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note - the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
Military branches National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie South African National Defense Force (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service
Military expenditures - dollar figure $1.87 billion (FY99) $1.79 billion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.1% (FY99) 1.6% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
8,794,622 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 11,557,242 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
5,383,770 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 7,031,337 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
388,939 (2001 est.)
males: 466,399 (2002 est.)
National holiday Revolution Day, 1 November (1954) Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Nationality noun:
Algerian(s)

adjective:
Algerian
noun: South African(s)


adjective: South African
Natural hazards mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides prolonged droughts
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Net migration rate -0.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km
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
African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the merger of the Democratic Party or DP and the New National Party or NP; note - NP split from DP in 2001) [Anthony LEON]; Freedom Front or FF [Dr. Pieter MULDER, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; New National Party or NP [Marthinus VAN SCHALKWYK]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
Population 31,736,053 (July 2001 est.) 43,647,658


note: South Africa took a census October 1996 that showed a population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8% underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 23% (1999 est.) 50% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 1.71% (2001 est.) 0.02% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Radio broadcast stations AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999) AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 7.1 million (1997) 17 million (2001)
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: 20,384 km


narrow gauge: 20,070 km 1.067-m gauge (9,090 km electrified); 314 km 0.610-m gauge


note: in addition, South Africa has an electrified 1.065-m gauge commuter rail system, with a total length of 1,254 km, which serves Johannesburg-Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, East London, and Port Elizabeth (2001)
Religions Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1% Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%
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: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
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: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa


domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria


international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 2.3 million (1998) more than 5 million (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 33,500 (1999) 7.06 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations 46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995) 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Total fertility rate 2.72 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.38 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 30% (1999 est.) 37% (2001 est.)
Waterways none NA
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