Gabon (2002) | Algeria (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem | 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 |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 33.3% (male 205,559; female 204,796)
15-64 years: 60.6% (male 376,103; female 371,422) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 37,220; female 38,253) (2002 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish | wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle |
Airports | 59 (2001) | 135 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 10
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
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.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 47
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 24 (2002) |
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.) |
Area | total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km |
total:
2,381,740 sq km land: 2,381,740 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Colorado | slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas |
Background | Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France in 1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries. | 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. |
Birth rate | 27.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 22.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1.8 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2002 est.) |
revenues:
$15.8 billion expenditures: $16 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.3 billion (2001 est.) |
Capital | Libreville | Algiers |
Climate | tropical; always hot, humid | 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 |
Coastline | 885 km | 998 km |
Constitution | adopted 14 March 1991 | 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 |
Country name | conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise local short form: Gabon |
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 |
Currency | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States | Algerian dinar (DZD) |
Death rate | 17.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 5.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $3.6 billion (2001 est.) | $25 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD
embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92 FAX: [241] 74 55 07 |
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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Jules-Darius OGOUEBANDJA
chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668 consulate(s): New York |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Idriss JAZAIRY chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174 |
Disputes - international | maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay | part of southeastern region claimed by Libya; Algeria supports exiled West Saharan Polisario Front and rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara |
Economic aid - recipient | $331 million (1995) (1995) | $100 million (1999 est.) |
Economy - overview | Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, the economy is hobbled by poor fiscal management. In 1992, the fiscal deficit widened to 2.4% of GDP, and Gabon failed to settle arrears on its bilateral debt, leading to a cancellation of rescheduling agreements with official and private creditors. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50% on 12 January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF targets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December 2001. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 790.5 million kWh (2000) | 21.613 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 307 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 330 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 850 million kWh (2000) | 23.215 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 29%
hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
99.14% hydro: 0.86% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m |
lowest point:
Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point: Tahat 3,003 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; poaching | 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 |
Ethnic groups | Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality | Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% |
Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro | Algerian dinars per US dollar - 74,813 (January 2001), 75.260 (2000), 66.574 (1999), 58.739 (1998), 57.707 (1997), 54.749 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE (since 23 January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4% |
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 |
Exports | $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $19.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | crude oil 81%, timber, manganese, uranium (2000) | petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97% |
Exports - partners | US 51%, France 17%, China 8%, Netherlands Antilles 4% (2000) | Italy 22%, US 15%, France 12%, Spain 11%, Brazil 8%, Netherlands 5% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue | 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) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $6.7 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $171 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 10%
industry: 60% services: 30% (1999 est.) |
agriculture:
11% industry: 37% services: 52% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.5% (2001 est.) | 5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 1 00 S, 11 45 E | 28 00 N, 3 00 E |
Geography - note | a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity | second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan) |
Heliports | - | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total: 8,454 km
paved: 838 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,616 km (2000) |
total:
104,000 km paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km of expressways) unpaved: 32,344 km (1996 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
2.8% highest 10%: 26.8% (1995) |
Imports | $921 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials | capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods |
Imports - partners | France 62%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, US 5%, Belgium 3% (2000) | France 30%, Italy 9%, Germany 7%, Spain 6%, US 5%, Turkey 5% (1999) |
Independence | 17 August 1960 (from France) | 5 July 1962 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | -6.4% (2001 est.) | 7% (1999 est.) |
Industries | food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair | petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | 93.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 40.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (2001 est.) | 2% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | 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) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2001) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 150 sq km (1998 est.) | 5,550 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
Labor force | 600,000 600,000 | 9.1 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15% | government 29%, agriculture 25%, construction and public works 15%, industry 11%, other 20% (1996 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km |
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 |
Land use | arable land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 2% other: 82% (1993 est.) |
Languages | French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi | Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects |
Legal system | based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | 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 |
Legislative branch | bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats); members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms
elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2004) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP 1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9 |
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) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 49.11 years
male: 48.01 years female: 50.25 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
69.95 years male: 68.6 years female: 71.34 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.6% male: 73.9% female: 49% (1995 est.) |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia |
Map references | Africa | Africa |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
32-52 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.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican) Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police | National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $70.8 million (FY01) | $1.87 billion (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2% (FY01) | 4.1% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 284,358 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
8,794,622 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 146,908 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
5,383,770 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2002 est.) | 19 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 11,304 (2002 est.) | males:
388,939 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968) | Revolution Day, 1 November (1954) |
Nationality | noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese |
noun:
Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian |
Natural hazards | NA | mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides |
Natural resources | petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -0.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km | crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km |
Political parties and leaders | African Forum for Reconstruction or FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI]; Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide Bourdes OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA, secretary general]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE, president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU] | 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 pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 1,233,353
note: 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.) |
31,736,053 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 23% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.97% (2002 est.) | 1.71% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil | Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) | AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999) |
Radios | 208,000 (1997) | 7.1 million (1997) |
Railways | total: 649 km
standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge; single-track (2001) |
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) |
Religions | Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% | Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable to be in service in 2002 |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 39,000 (1998) | 2.3 million (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 120,000 (2000) | 33,500 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (plus four low-powered repeaters) (2001) | 46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south | mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain |
Total fertility rate | 3.65 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.72 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 21% (1997 est.) | 30% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | 1,600 km (perennially navigable) | none |