The 2002 CIA World Factbook | Page 9

diversify the petroleum-based economy.
Geography Algeria
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 3 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 2,381,740 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 2,381,740 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

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
Coastline: 998 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 NM territorial sea: 12
NM
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
Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point:
Tahat 3,003 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates,
uranium, lead, zinc
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% other: 97% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,600 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes;
mudslides and floods in rainy season
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
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:
Geography - note: second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
People Algeria
Population: 32,277,942 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 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.)
Population growth rate: 1.68% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 22.34 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
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:
0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 39.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 71.67 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.63 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population:
61.6% male: 73.9% female: 49% (1995 est.)
Government Algeria
Country name: conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic
of Algeria conventional short form: Algeria local short form: Al Jaza'ir
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Sha'biyah
Government type: republic
Capital: Algiers
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
Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)
National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised
3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA
(since 28 April 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Ali
BENFLIS (since 26 August 2000) Cabinet of Ministers appointed by
the president elections: 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
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 -