Greece (2002) | Algeria (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos | 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: 14.8% (male 814,605; female 765,613)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 3,579,945; female 3,564,068) 65 years and over: 18.1% (male 851,087; female 1,070,025) (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 | wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products | wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle |
Airports | 79 (note - new Athens airport at Spata opened in March 2001) (2001) | 135 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 66
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 9 (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: 13 14
914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 10 (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: 131,940 sq km
land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km |
total:
2,381,740 sq km land: 2,381,740 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Alabama | slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas |
Background | Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories with Greek-speaking populations. Following the defeat of Communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992). | 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 | 9.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 22.76 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $45 billion
expenditures: $47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues:
$15.8 billion expenditures: $16 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.3 billion (2001 est.) |
Capital | Athens | Algiers |
Climate | temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers | 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 | 13,676 km | 998 km |
Constitution | 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001 | 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: Hellenic Republic
conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece |
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 | euro (EUR); drachma (GRD)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries |
Algerian dinar (DZD) |
Death rate | 9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 5.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $63.4 billion (2002 est.) | $25 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas J. MILLER
embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 101 60 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 725-3025 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki |
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 Yeoryious SAVVAIDES
chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans |
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 | Greece and Turkey have resumed discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name | part of southeastern region claimed by Libya; Algeria supports exiled West Saharan Polisario Front and rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara |
Economic aid - recipient | $5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.) | $100 million (1999 est.) |
Economy - overview | Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the Big Four European economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as the government tightened policy in the run-up to Greece's entry into the EU's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2001. Major challenges remaining include the reduction of unemployment and further restructuring of the economy, including privatizing several state enterprises, undertaking social security reforms, overhauling the tax system, and minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies. Economic growth is forecast at roughly 4% in 2003. | 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 | 46.099 billion kWh (2000) | 21.613 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 1.74 billion kWh (2000) | 307 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 1.729 billion kWh (2000) | 330 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 49.581 billion kWh (2000) | 23.215 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 92%
hydro: 7% nuclear: 0% other: 2% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
99.14% hydro: 0.86% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m |
lowest point:
Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point: Tahat 3,003 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution; water pollution | 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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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 | Greek 98%, other 2%
note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece |
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001); drachmae per US dollar - 380.21 (December 2000), 365.40 (2000), 305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997)
note: in January 2001, the drachma became a participating currency within the Eurosystem, and the euro market rate became applicable to all transactions |
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 Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA February 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90% |
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 | $12.6 billion f.o.b. (2002) | $19.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles | petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97% |
Exports - partners | EU 51.6% (Germany 15.9%, Italy 13.5%, UK 6.4%), US 5.7% (1999) | Italy 22%, US 15%, France 12%, Spain 11%, Brazil 8%, Netherlands 5% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country | 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 - $201.1 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $171 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 9%
industry: 22% services: 70% (2000) (2000) |
agriculture:
11% industry: 37% services: 52% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.5% (2002 est.) | 5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 39 00 N, 22 00 E | 28 00 N, 3 00 E |
Geography - note | strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands | second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan) |
Heliports | 7 (2002) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total: 117,000 km
paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,594 km (1996) |
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%: 3%
highest 10%: 25% (1993 est.) |
lowest 10%:
2.8% highest 10%: 26.8% (1995) |
Illicit drugs | a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime | - |
Imports | $31.4 billion f.o.b. (2002) | $9.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals | capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods |
Imports - partners | EU 66.2% (Italy 15.6%, Germany 15%, France 9.2%, Netherlands 6.4%) (1999) | France 30%, Italy 9%, Germany 7%, Spain 6%, US 5%, Turkey 5% (1999) |
Independence | 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire) | 5 July 1962 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 7% (2000 est.) | 7% (1999 est.) |
Industries | tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum | petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | 6.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 40.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.6% (2002) | 2% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC | 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) | 27 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 14,220 sq km (1998 est.) | 5,550 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
Labor force | 4.32 million (1999 est.) | 9.1 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 21%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.) | government 29%, agriculture 25%, construction and public works 15%, industry 11%, other 20% (1996 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 1,228 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 246 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: 22.12%
permanent crops: 8.47% other: 69.41% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 2% other: 82% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Greek 99% (official), English, French | Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects |
Legal system | based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts | 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 | unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: elections last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA April 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%, KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party - PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6; note - seats by party as of January 2002 - PASOK 156, ND 122, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6, independents 5 |
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: 78.74 years
male: 76.17 years female: 81.48 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: 97% male: 98.5% female: 96% (1999) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.6% male: 73.9% female: 49% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 6 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
32-52 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 802 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,998,523 GRT/49,458,125 DWT
ships by type: bulk 294, cargo 54, chemical tanker 25, combination bulk 7, combination ore/oil 5, container 45, liquefied gas 7, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 13, petroleum tanker 265, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 23, short-sea passenger 54, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Ireland 1, Japan 1, Liberia 1, Norway 1, Panama 2, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) |
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 | Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, Police, National Guard | National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.) | $1.87 billion (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4.91% (FY99/00 est.) | 4.1% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 2,668,872 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
8,794,622 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 2,034,192 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
5,383,770 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 21 years of age (2002 est.) | 19 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 77,976 (2002 est.) | males:
388,939 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 25 March (1821) | Revolution Day, 1 November (1954) |
Nationality | noun: Greek(s)
adjective: Greek |
noun:
Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian |
Natural hazards | severe earthquakes | mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides |
Natural resources | bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc |
Net migration rate | 1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -0.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 km | crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km |
Political parties and leaders | Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS] | 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 | 10,645,343 (July 2002 est.) | 31,736,053 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 23% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.2% (2002 est.) | 1.71% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos | Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999) |
Radios | 5.02 million (1997) | 7.1 million (1997) |
Railways | total: 2,571 km
standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack-type railway for steep grades) dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2001 est.) |
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 | Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% | Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 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 | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service
domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands international: tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) |
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 | 5.431 million (1997) | 2.3 million (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 937,700 (1997) | 33,500 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995) | 46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands | mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain |
Total fertility rate | 1.34 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.72 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10.3% (2002 est.) | 30% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | 80 km
note: system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also three unconnected rivers |
none |