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Compare Western Sahara (2007) - Algeria (2002)

Compare Western Sahara (2007) z Algeria (2002)

 Western Sahara (2007)Algeria (2002)
 Western SaharaAlgeria
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 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: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421)


15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/female 5,075) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 33.5% (male 5,512,369; female 5,311,914)


15-64 years: 62.4% (male 10,175,135; female 9,950,315)


65 years and over: 4.1% (male 610,643; female 717,566) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle
Airports 9 (2007) 136 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007)
total: 54


over 3,047 m: 9


2,438 to 3,047 m: 27


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
total: 82


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 23


914 to 1,523 m: 38


under 914 m: 19 (2002)
Area total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 2,381,740 sq km


land: 2,381,740 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Background Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. 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 the 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 Berber unrest, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, and the need to diversify the petroleum-based economy.
Birth rate NA 22.34 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues: $20.3 billion


expenditures: $18.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8 billion (2001 est.)
Capital none


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Algiers
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew 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 1,110 km 998 km
Constitution - 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
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 - Algerian dinar (DZD)
Death rate NA 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $NA $24.7 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none 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) 691-425/255/186


FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79
Diplomatic representation in the US none 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 Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria part of southeastern region claimed by Libya; Algeria supports exiled West Saharan Polisario Front and rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara
Economic aid - recipient $NA $100 million (1999 est.)
Economy - overview Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006, the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara. 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 14th in oil reserves. 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 and 2001 benefited from the temporary spike in oil prices and the government's tight fiscal policy, leading to a large increase in the trade surplus, record highs in foreign exchange reserves, and reduction in foreign debt. The government's continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector has had little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living standards. In 2001, the government signed an Association Treaty with the European Union that will eventually lower tariffs and increase trade.
Electricity - consumption 79.05 million kWh (2005) 21.847 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 210 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 150 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 85 million kWh (2005) 23.556 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 m
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m


highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land 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: none of the selected agreements


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 Arab, Berber Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002) Algerian dinars per US dollar - 77.889 (January 2002), 77.215 (2001), 75.260 (2000), 66.574 (1999), 58.739 (1998), 57.707 (1997)
Executive branch none 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 NA bbl/day $19.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) Italy 23%, Spain 13%, US 13%, France 11%, Brazil 7%, (2000)
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)
GDP - purchasing power parity - $177 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: 40%
agriculture: 17%


industry: 33%


services: 50% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 3.8% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 28 00 N, 3 00 E
Geography - note the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways - 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%: 4%


highest 10%: 25% (1995) (1995)
Imports NA bbl/day $10.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) France 29%, US 9%, Italy 8%, Germany 6%, Spain 5% (2000)
Independence - 5 July 1962 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 6% (2001 est.)
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
39.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 3% (2001 est.)
International organization participation none 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, 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) - 2 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 5,600 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Labor force 12,000 9.4 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 50%


industry and services: 50%
government 29%, agriculture 25%, construction and public works 15%, industry 11%, other 20% (1996 est.)
Land boundaries total: 2,046 km


border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 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: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2005)
arable land: 3.21%


permanent crops: 0.21%


other: 96.58% (1998 est.)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
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
Legislative branch - bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from 380 seats in the 2002 elections; 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 30 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); 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 - NA%; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 48, MRN 43, MSP 38, PT 21, FNA 8, Nahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; 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: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total population: 70.24 years


male: 68.87 years


female: 71.67 years (2002 est.)
Literacy NA definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 61.6%


male: 73.9%


female: 49% (1995 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 903,944 GRT/1,051,433 DWT


ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 25, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas 10, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 12, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: United Arab Emirates 2 (2002 est.)
Military branches - Peoples National Army (ANP), Algerian National Navy (ANN), Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $1.87 billion (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 4.1% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 9,016,048 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 5,513,317 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 388,939 (2002 est.)
National holiday - Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
Nationality noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun: Algerian(s)


adjective: Algerian
Natural hazards hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
Net migration rate - -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km
Political parties and leaders - Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; 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 Entente Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Boualem BENHAMOUDA, secretary general]; National Reform Movement or MRN [Abdellah DJABALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [leader NA]; 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 law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997
Political pressure groups and leaders none NA
Population 382,617


note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.)
32,277,942 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 23% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate NA 1.68% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)
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 (1999 est.)
Religions Muslim Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Sex ratio NA 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: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: sparse and limited system


domestic: NA


international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main lines 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 about 2,000 (1999 est.) 2.3 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 33,500 (1999)
Television broadcast stations NA 46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Total fertility rate NA 2.63 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 34% (2001 est.)
Waterways - none
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