# The World Factbook (1982)/Algeria
## ALGERIAALGERIA

* (See reference map VII)

### LANDLAND

2,460,500 km$^2$; 3% cultivated, 16% pasture and meadows, 1% forested, 80% desert, waste, or urban
Land boundaries: 6,260 km

### WATERWATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm
Coastline: 1,183 km

### PEOPLEPEOPLE

Population: 20,030,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 3.1%
Nationality: noun—Algerian(s); adjective—Algerian
Ethnic divisions: 99% Arab-Berbers, less than 1% Europeans
Religion: 99% Muslim; 1% Christian and Hebrew
Language: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Literacy: 25% (5% Arabic, 9% French, 11% both)
Labor force: 4.0 million; 19% agriculture, 17% industry, 64% other (military, police, civil service, transportation workers, teachers, merchants, construction workers); at least 19% of urban labor unemployed
Organized labor: 25% of labor force claimed; General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA) is the only labor organization and is subordinate to the National Liberation Front

### GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Official name: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
Type: republic
Capital: Algiers
Political subdivisions: 31 Wilayas (departments or provinces)
Legal system: based on French and Islamic law, with socialist principles; new constitution adopted by referendum November 1976; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices; Supreme Court divided into four chambers; legal education at Universities of Algiers, Oran, and Constantine; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: 1 November
Branches: executive dominant; unicameral legislature; judiciary
Government leader: President, Col. Chadli BENDJEDID, elected 7 February 1979 as successor to deceased President Boumediene
Suffrage: universal over age 19
Elections (latest): presidential 7 February 1979; departmental assemblies 2 June 1974; local assemblies 30 March 1975; legislative elections held 25 February 1977
Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Front (FLN), Secretary General Chadli Bendjedid
Communists: 400 (est.); Communist Party illegal (banned 1962)
Member of: AFDB, AlOEC, Arab League, ASSIMER, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, International Lead and Zinc Study Group, IMCO, IMF, IOOC, ISCON, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

### ECONOMYECONOMY

GDP: $41.0 billion (1981 est.), $1,720 per capita; 6.2% real growth in 1981
Agriculture: main crops—wheat, barley, grapes, citrus fruits
Major industries: petroleum, light industries, natural gas, mining, petrochemical, electrical, and automotive plants under construction
Electric power: 1,780,000 kW capacity (1980); 6,400 million kWh produced (1980), 336 kWh per capita
Exports: $14.0 billion (f.o.b., 1981 est.); major items—petroleum and gas 98.0%; US 52.0%, France 23.0%
Imports: $11.0 billion (f.o.b., 1981 est.); major items—capital goods 32.0%, semifinished goods 25.0%, foodstuffs 19.0%; France 23.0%, US 7.4%
Major trade partners: US, West Germany, France, Italy
Monetary conversion rate: 1 Algerian dinar (DA)=US$0.23
Fiscal year: calendar year

### COMMUNICATIONSCOMMUNICATIONS

Railroads: 3,950 km total; 2,690 km standard gauge (1.435 m), 1,140 km 1.055-meter gauge, 120 km meter gauge (1.000 m); 302 km electrified; 193 km double track
Highways: 78,410 km total; 45,070 km concrete or bituminous, 33,340 km gravel, crushed stone, unimproved earth Ports: 9 major, 8 minor Pipelines: crude oil, 6,612 km; refined products, 298 km; natural gas, 2,398 km
Civil air: 35 major transport aircraft, including 4 leased in
Airfields: 185 total, 172 usable; 52 with permanent-surface runways; 27 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 85 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

### DEFENSE FORCESDEFENSE FORCES

Military manpower: males 15-49, 4,159,000; 2,568,000 fit for military service; 218,000 reach military age (19) annually
Military budget: for fiscal year ending 31 December 1981, $1,779 million; 11% of central government budget