30,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
748.9 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
24,860 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
199.1 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
30 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
30 million cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
849.5 million cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.202 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$1.076 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil;
vegetables, fruits, tobacco
Exports - partners:
Italy 72%, Greece 8.8%, China 2.7% (2007)
Imports:
$3.999 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Italy 27.6%, Greece 14.8%, Turkey 7.4%, China 6.8%, Germany 5.6%,
Switzerland 5%, Russia 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA: $318.7 million
note: top donors were Italy, EU, Germany (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.162 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.55 billion (2004)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
lek (ALL)
note: the plural of lek is leke
Currency code:
ALL
Exchange rates:
leke (ALL) per US dollar - 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649
(2005), 102.78 (2004), 121.863 (2003)
Communications
Albania
Telephones - main lines in use:
353,600 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.3 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the
density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100
people; cellular telephone use is widespread and generally
effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is
approximately 75 telephones per 100 persons
domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile
phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003, two companies
were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of
Albania's neighbors; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005;
Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread
outside the capital
international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a
combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides
additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey;
international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when
necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to
Italy and Greece (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 46, shortwave 1 (2005)
Radios:
1 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
65 (3 national, 62 local); 2 cable networks (2005)
Televisions:
700,000 (2001)
Internet country code:
.al
Internet hosts:
10,162 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2001)
Internet users:
471,200 (2006)
Transportation
Albania
Airports:
11 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 447 km
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 18,000 km
paved: 7,020 km
unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)
Waterways:
43 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 24
by type: cargo 22, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1)
registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
Military
Albania
Military branches:
Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense
Command, General Staff Headquarters (includes Logistics Command,
Training and Doctrine Command) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
19 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 944,592
females age 16-49: 908,527 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 798,454
females age 16-49: 767,143 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 36,340
female: 33,077 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.49% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Albania
Disputes - international:
the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of
ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful
resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in
neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea
has little appeal among Albanian nationals; the mass emigration of
unemployed Albanians remains a problem for developed countries,
chiefly Greece and Italy
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Albania is a source country for women and girls
trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and
forced labor; it is no longer considered a major country of transit;
Albanian victims are trafficked to Greece, Italy, Macedonia, and
Kosovo, with many trafficked onward to Western European countries;
children were also trafficked to Greece for begging and other forms
of child labor; approximately half of all Albanian trafficking
victims are under age 18; internal sex trafficking of women and
children is on the rise
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Albania is on the Tier 2 Watch List
for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat
trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of victim
protection; the government did not appropriately identify
trafficking victims during 2007, and has not demonstrated that it is
vigorously investigating or prosecuting complicit officials (2008)
Illicit drugs:
increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates,
hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a lesser
extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe;
limited opium and growing cannabis production; ethnic Albanian
narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding in Europe;
vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking
in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Algeria
Introduction
Algeria
Background:
After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought
through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's
primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has
dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent
generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the
FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round
success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991
balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the
second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared
would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army
began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin
attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections
featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but
did not appease the activists who progressively widened their
attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw
intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted in over 100,000
deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by
extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s
and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in
January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants persist in
confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and occasional
attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the
presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality
in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding problems
continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic
minority Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale
unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water
supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the
continuing activities of extremist militants. The 2006 merger of the
Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) with al-Qaida
(followed by a name change to al-Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic
Maghreb) signaled an increase in bombings, including high-profile,
mass-casualty suicide attacks targeted against the Algerian
government and Western interests. Algeria must also diversify its
petroleum-based economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but
which has not been used to redress Algeria's many social and
infrastructure problems.
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
land: 2,381,740 sq km
water: 0 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 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: 3.17%
permanent crops: 0.28%
other: 96.55% (2005)
Irrigated land:
5,690 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
14.3 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 6.07 cu km/yr (22%/13%/65%)
per capita: 185 cu m/yr (2000)
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, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
People
Algeria
Population:
33,769,668 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.3% (male 4,528,919/female 4,349,746)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,699,701/female 11,509,619)
65 years and over: 5% (male 779,467/female 902,217) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 26 years
male: 25.8 years
female: 26.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.209% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
17.03 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.62 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 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: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 28.75 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 31.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.77 years
male: 72.13 years
female: 75.49 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.82 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,100 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian
Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the
minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the
mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers; the Berbers are also
Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural
heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for
autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has
offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools
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: 69.9%
male: 79.6%
female: 60.1% (2002 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (1999)
Government
Algeria
Country name:
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
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Algiers
geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
48 provinces (wilayat, 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:
8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976, effective 22 November
1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, 28 November 1996,
and 12 November 2008
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 Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 23 June 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a third term under 2008 amendment to constitution);
election last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for
second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS
6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or
Al-Majlis Al-Shabi Al-Watani (389 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (Senate)
(144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president,
two-thirds elected by indirect vote; to serve six-year terms; the
constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three
years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 17 May 2007 (next
to be held in 2012); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 28
December 2006 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - FLN 136, RND 61, MSP 52, PT 26, RCD 19,
FNA 13, other 49, independents 33; Council of Nations - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 29, RND 12, MSP 3, RCD 1,
independents 3, presidential appointees (unknown affiliation) 24;
note - Council seating reflects the number of replaced council
members rather than the whole Council
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Ahd 54 [Ali Fauzi REBAINE]; Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa
TOUATI]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali
BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR]; National Democratic Rally
(Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA];
National Entente Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National
Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general];
National Reform Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Mohamed BOULAHIA];
National Renewal Party or PRA [Mohamed BENSMAIL]; Rally for Culture
and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda
Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait
AHMED]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Society of Peace
Movement or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa
HANOUNE]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
in March 1997
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE]; SOS
Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah BAALI
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David D. PEARCE
embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El-Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16000 Algiers
mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
telephone: [213] 770-08-2000
FAX: [213] 21-60-7355
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
note: the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of
Islam (the state religion)
Economy
Algeria
Economy - overview:
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 eighth-largest reserves of natural
gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter; it ranks
14th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent years have
helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic indicators.
Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and building up
record foreign exchange reserves. Algeria has decreased its external
debt to less than 10% of GDP after repaying its Paris Club and
London Club debt in 2006. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil
output and increased government spending. The government's continued
efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic
investment outside the energy sector, however, has had little
success in reducing high unemployment and improving living
standards. Structural reform within the economy, such as development
of the banking sector and the construction of infrastructure, moves
ahead slowly hampered by corruption and bureaucratic resistance.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$222.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$131.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.2%
industry: 61.5%
services: 30.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
9.38 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public works 10%,
trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:
11.8% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
25% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.3 (1995)
Investment (gross fixed):
24.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $57.03 billion
expenditures: $40.53 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
18% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
4% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$55.43 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$28.59 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
NA
Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle
Industries:
petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical,
petrochemical, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
33.12 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
26.91 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
300 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
382 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.7%
hydro: 0.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
2.173 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
279,800 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.844 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
13,110 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
85.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
26.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
59.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
4.502 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$32.05 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$60.51 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
Exports - partners:
US 29.4%, Italy 13.8%, Spain 9.6%, Canada 8.4%, France 7.4%,
Netherlands 5% (2007)
Imports:
$26.25 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:
France 18.7%, China 9%, Italy 8.5%, Spain 6%, US 5.5%, Germany 5.3%,
Russia 4.6%, Turkey 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$370.6 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$110.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.957 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$12.04 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$851 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
Algerian dinar (DZD)
Currency code:
DZD
Exchange rates:
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006),
73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004), 77.395 (2003)
Communications
Algeria
Telephones - main lines in use:
3.068 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
27.563 million (2007)
Telephone system: