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North Africa
Algeria acquired independence from France on July 5, 1962, becoming the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria.
Algeria has a bicameral parliament - a senate called the Council of Nations, and the lower house, called the People's Assembly. It has a president who serves as chief of state and is elected by popular vote every five years. A prime minister runs the government for the president and heads a cabinet.
Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.
Estimated per capita GDP:
2007 $8,100 (Ranks 108th)
2006 $7,700
2005 $7,200
2004 $6,600
2003 $6,000
1999 $5,500
GDP annual growth rate estimated for 2007: 4.6 percent.
(Ranks 121st)
GDP growth for 2004: 6.1 percent.
According to the CIA Factbook of 2004, "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 seventh-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it ranks 14th in oil reserves." It's export/import ration is favorably wide at 25/12.4. The U.S. is its second largest customer, at 18.5 percent of its exports, just behind Italy, at 19.5 percent. France, Algeria's former ruler, is less dependent on foreign energy sources and buys only 13.6 percent of its exports - as of 2003.
Unemployment in 2003 is described as having been 26.2 percent.
Military expenditures as a percentage of GDP: 3.3 (estimated for 2006)
For 2008: deaths 4.62; births 17.03.
Estimated for July 2008: 33.77 million, up from 32.5 million in 2005. Growth rate estimated for 2008: 1.209 percent per year.
More leaving than arriving, a net loss of 0.31 persons for every 1,000 population
Infant mortality estimated for 2008: 28.75, down from 31 in 2005 (deaths before the age of one year, per 1,000 live births).
Average life expectancy estimated for 2008: 73.77 up from 71.45 in 2005
Algerians are described as 99 percent Arab-Berber. The Arabs invaded the land of the Berbers in the 7th century and by now, apparently, no longer constitute a seperate ethnicity. The Islam that the Arabs brought with them stuck. The Algerians are described also as 99 percent Sunni Muslim.
SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Copyright © 2008 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.