Algeria is at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Arab and African regions. Algeria ranks as the 10th largest country in the world, and 2nd in Africa. 4/5 of the area are occupied by the Algerian Sahara desert where exist abundant natural resources such as gas, oil, iron, zinc, gold, phosphate and uranium.
Algeria has borders with Morocco, Western Sahara and Mauritania on the west, Tunisia, Libya on the East, and Mali and Niger on the South, while the North stretches over 1200 Km on the Mediterranean Sea.

ALGERIA TODAY

Algerian population is estimated at 32.5 million; 70% are under 30 years of age.

The demographic growth rate has declined from 3.2% in the seventies to 1.6% (2003). Most of the population lives in the northern part of the country.

The major cities are: Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Annaba, Setif, Tlemcen, Skikda, Jijel, Bejaia, Tizi-Ouzou, Tiaret, Saida, M'sila, Chlef, Mostaganem, Tamenrasset, Ouargla, Laghouat ...

Education is free and compulsory for children from 6 to 16 years old through a 9 year curriculum ( 6 years duration in elementary school, and 3 years in secondary school).

In addition to Arabic which is the national and official language, Tamazight has been granted the status of national language through a constitutional amendment which entered into force in 2002. As far as foreign languages are concerned, French is taught in primary school and many Algerians can read and speak it.

English is also increasingly taken into account in the education system.

Islam is the religion of the State, as set out in the Constitution. The overwhelming majority of the population is Muslim "Sunnite" belonging to the Malekite school.

Algiers is the administrative, economic, and cultural capital, which gathers more then 3 million inhabitants.

As regards territorial administration, Algeria is divided into 48 Wilayas (provinces), which are divided into dairas. Each daira comprises several municipalities that are basic units of the territory organization.

The main institutions established by the Constitution are the President of the Republic, the Cabinet, the Council of the Nation, National People's Assembly, High Security Council, Constitutional Council and High Islamic Council.

Algeria enjoys diplomatic relations with the overwhelming majority of countries and is member of a number of international and regional organizations, in particular :

Algeria is also member of all specialized agencies of the United Nations and subsidiary bodies of relevant regional organizations.

Algeria is one of the richest African countries and one of the developing countries who have invested heavily in metallurgy of iron and steel industries, petrochemical, mechanical, electronic and processing industries. 80% of the territory is covered by the electrical grid.

ALGERIA IN FIGURES

Official title of the country : People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

Capital : Algiers (More than 3 million inhabitants)

Main territorial units : 48 Wilayas(provinces), 160dairas, 1541 municipalities.
National Day : November 1st
Political system : Pluralist democracy
President of the Republic : Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA
Main institutions : Council of the National, National People's Assembly,
Constitutional Council, Islamic High Council.
Religion : Islam
Languages : Arabic (official national Language), Tamazight (national language)
Main cities : Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Annaba.
Currency : Algerian Dinar (DA)
Local Time : GMT +1
Total area : 2,381,741 Km²
Borders : Mediterranean sea on the North 1200km of coasts, Morocco on the west Tunisia on the East, Libya on the South East, Mauritania and Western Sahara on South West, Mali and Niger in the south.

Climate : Mediterranean in the North, semi-continental in the High Plateau, desert in the South.

Natural resources : Natural gas, oil, zinc, phosphate, iron, gold, uranium, tungsten, kaolin Population : 32.5 million of inhabitants

Population structure per age groups : 0-9 Years : 50.2% 20-64 years : 45.9% 65 years and more : 3.9%

GDP : 102.4 billion US$ (double the 1999 figure of 44 billion US$) Economic growth : the annual rate has been above 5% in the last years.

Unemployment rate : 15% (a significant decrease from 1999 when the rate was 30%)

Foreign Exchange reserves : reached 78 billion US dollars in April 2007.

External debt : 5 billion US dollars in December 2006 (was above 30 billions in 1999).

Inflation rate : has not surpassed 5% in the last 10 years - Estimated at 2.5% for the current year.

Privatization program : Underway for hundreds of public enterprises. More than 200 enterprises have already been privatized to Algerian and foreign investors.

Housing : The housing shortage has been alleviated through the construction of 800 000 new housing units in the last five years. One million more units will be built in the five year period starting in 2005.
In order to stimulate these positive developments and foster sustained job generating growth, President BOUTEFLIKA launched officially a new five year program (2005-2009) endowed with 60 billion dollars allocated by the government. Under this program, five main priority sectors with the potential of generating and sustaining economic activity will be funded.

The five priority sectors supported by this sizable program aim at:

This program has been complemented with two new programs respectively for the development of the High Plateau Region and for the Development of the South, bringing the total amount of public funding for the period 2005-2009 to 100 billion dollars.

It is expected that over and above these programs, domestic and international investment of about 40 billion dollars will be forthcoming during the same five year period.