The 1992 CIA World Factbook | Page 7

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 Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France) Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised February 1989 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 National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954) Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Leaders: Chief of State: President Mohamed BOUDIAF; assassinated 29 June 1992 Head of Government: Interim Prime Minister Sid Ahmed GHOZALI (since 6 June 1991) Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Front (FLN); Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Hocine Ait AHMED, Secretary General; the government established a multiparty system in September 1989, and, as of 31 December 1990, over 30 legal parties existed Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: National People's Assembly: first round held on 26 December 1991 (second round canceled by the military after President BENJEDID resigned 11 January 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (281 total); the fundamentalist FIS won 188 of the 231 seats contested in the first round; note - elections (municipal and wilaya) were held in June 1990, the first in Algerian history; results - FIS 55%, FLN 27.5%, other 17.5%, with 65% of the voters participating President: next election to be held December 1993 Communists: 400 (est.); Communist party banned 1962 Member of: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNAVEM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
:Algeria Government
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Abderrahmane BENSID; Chancery at 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-2800 US: Ambassador Mary Ann CASEY; Embassy at 4 Chemin Cheich Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers (mailing address is B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers); telephone [213] (2) 601-425 or 255, 186; FAX [213] (2) 603979; there is a US Consulate in Oran Flag: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)
:Algeria Economy
Overview: The oil and natural gas sector forms the backbone of the economy. Algeria depends on hydrocarbons for nearly all of its export receipts, about 30% of government revenues, and nearly 25% of GDP. In 1973-74 the sharp increase in oil prices led to a booming economy and helped to finance an ambitious program of industrialization. Plunging oil and gas prices, combined with the mismanagement of Algeria's highly centralized economy, has brought the nation to its most serious social and economic crisis since independence in 1988. The government has promised far-reaching reforms, including privatization of some public- sector companies, encouraging private-sector activity, boosting gas and nonhydrocarbon exports, and proposing a major overhaul of the banking and financial systems, but to date it has made only limited progress. GDP: exchange rate conversion - $54 billion, per capita $2,130; real growth rate 2.5% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 30% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 30% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $16.7 billion; expenditures $17.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $6.6 billion (1990 est.) Exports: $11.7 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: petroleum and natural gas 97% partners: Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Italy, France, US Imports: $9 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: capital goods 29%, consumer goods 30% partners: France 25%, Italy 8%, FRG 8%, US 6-7% External debt: $26.4 billion Industrial production: growth rate --3% (1989 est.); accounts for 30% of GDP, including petroleum Electricity: 6,380,000 kW capacity; 16,700 million kWh produced, 640 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: petroleum, light industries, natural gas, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing Agriculture: accounts for 11% of GDP and employs 24% of labor force; net importer of food - grain, vegetable oil, and sugar; farm production includes wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits, sheep, and cattle Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-85), $1.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $925 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $1.8 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.7 billion; net official disbursements (1985-89), --$375 million Currency: Algerian dinar (plural - dinars); 1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1 - 21.862 (January 1992), 18.473 (1991),