2. General Info
Officially known as People’s Democratic
Republic of Algeria
Where on Earth? North Africa, on the
Mediterranean coast.
It is the largest country in Africa and the Arab
world
Neighbors: Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, Western
Sahara, Mauritania, Mali and Niger.
3. History
Arabs conquered the current territory of Algeria in the mid-7th
century and mixed with the indigenous Berber people, who
converted to Islam.
From 16th
to 19th
century it was part of the Ottoman Empire.
In 1830 the French invaded the country. It belonged to the
French colonial empire up until 1962.
1954-1962 was the period of the Algerian War of
Independence from France.
During the 1990’s a Civil War between the government and
various Islamist rebel groups wreaked havoc.
In 2010 the Arab Spring reached Algeria and the government
promised further constitutional and political reform –human
rights groups are still waiting for this to happen.
4. Politics
It is a semi-presidential republic (president +
prime minister, French model)
Abdelaziz Bouteflika has been President since
1999. He is the longest-serving president of
Algeria. He’s been re-elected 3 times (last time in
2014)
According to the Democracy Index 2014, it is an
authoritarian regime. The Freedom of the Press
2015 report gives it a rating of “Not Free”.
Political power is held by the President and
military decision makers.
5. Demographics
2013 population was an estimated 37.9 million.
The capital city is Algiers, with an estimated population of
3,574,000 in 2010.
About 90% of the population live in the northern, coastal
area, where the capital is located.
Official language is Algerian Arabic, although Berber and
French are also spoken.
Due to Algeria’s colonial history, French is widely used
making it the second-largest Francophone country in the
world in terms of speakers.
Islam is the predominant religion with 99% of the
population.
6. Economy
Algeria’s currency is the dinar (1USD=108DZD)
In 2014, the Algerian economy expanded by 4%, up from 2.8% in 2013.
GDP is $551.8 billion (2014 est.)
The country has enjoyed several years of strong economic
performance.
The economy is dominated by the State. It is based on petroleum and
natural gas exports.
It holds high foreign exchange
reserves (US$178 billion) but
it is vulnerable to the risk of
prolonged lower
hydrocarbon revenues.
7. Debt and IMF
Algerian external debt is extremely low at 2% of GDP.
The country's foreign debt has fallen from a high of $28
billion in 1999 to its current level.
By 2005 Algeria had repaid the total amount credited
by the IMF from 1989. In that period the country was
burdened with a heavy foreign debt, but it improved
from 1995 onwards.
In 2006 Russia erased $4.74 billion of Algeria’s debt. In
return Algeria agreed to buy $7.5 billion worth of
combat planes, air-defense systems and other arms
from Russia.
Mohammed Laksaci, Governor of the Bank of Argelia,
has released several statements for the IMF on behalf
of MENAP (Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and
Pakistan) during the last decade.
