Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/2.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 10.8 KB | 371 lines

@node Geography (Algeria)
@section Geography (Algeria)

@display

Location:
  Northern Africa, along the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Map references:
  Africa, Europe
Area:
 total area:
  2,381,740 km2
 land area:
  2,381,740 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
  total 6,343 km, 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
International disputes:
  Libya claims part of southeastern Algeria; land boundary disputes with
  Tunisia under discussion
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
Natural resources:   petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
Land use:
 arable land:
  3%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  13%
 forest and woodland:
  2%
 other:
  82%
Irrigated land:
  3,360 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; desertification
Note:
  second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)



@end display

@node People (Algeria)
@section People (Algeria)

@display

Population:
  27,256,252 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  2.34% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  30.38 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  6.41 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  54 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  67.35 years
 male:
  66.32 years
 female:
  68.41 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  3.96 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Algerian(s)
 adjective:
  Algerian
Ethnic divisions:
  Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
Religions:
  Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Languages:
  Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:   57%
 male:
  70%
 female:
  46%
Labor force:
  6.2 million (1992 est.)
 by occupation:
  government 29.5%, agriculture 22%, construction and public works 16.2%,
  industry 13.6%, commerce and services 13.5%, transportation and
  communication 5.2% (1989)



@end display

@node Government (Algeria)
@section Government (Algeria)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
 conventional short form:
  Algeria
 local long form:
  Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Shabiyah
 local short form:
  Al Jaza'ir
Digraph:
  AG
Type:
  republic
Capital:
  Algiers
Administrative divisions:
  48 provinces (wilayast, 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)
Constitution:
  19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised February 1989
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
National holiday:
  Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)
Political parties and leaders:
  Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Abdelkader
  HACHANI (all under arrest), Rabeh KEBIR; National Liberation Front (FLN),
  Abdelhamid MEHRI, Secretary General; Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Hocine
  Ait AHMED, Secretary General
 note:   the government established a multiparty system in September 1989 and, as of
  31 December 1990, over 30 legal parties existed
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 National People's Assembly:
  first round held on 26 December 1991 (second round canceled by the military
  after President BENDJEDID resigned 11 January 1992); results - percent of
  vote by party NA; seats - (281 total); the fundamentalist FIS won 188 of the
  231 seats contested in the first round; note - elections (municipal and
  wilaya) were held in June 1990, the first in Algerian history; results - FIS
  55%, FLN 27.5%, other 17.5%, with 65% of the voters participating
 President of the High State Committee:
  next election to be held December 1993
Executive branch:
  President of the High State Committee, prime minister, Council of Ministers
  (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
  unicameral National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani)



@end display

@node Government (Algeria 2. usage)
@section Government (Algeria 2. usage)

@display

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
 Chief of State:
  High State Committee President Ali KAFI (since 2 July 1992)
 Head of Government:
  Prime Minister Belaid ABDESSELAM (since 8 July 1992)
Member of:
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
  INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPEC,
  UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Mohamed ZARHOUNI
 chancery:
  2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:
  [phone]
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Mary Ann CASEY
 embassy:
  4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
 mailing address:
  B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers
 telephone:
  [213] (2) 601-425 or 255, 186
 FAX:
  [213] (2) 603979
 consulate:   Oran
Flag:
  two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red
  five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green
  are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)



@end display

@node Economy (Algeria)
@section Economy (Algeria)

@display

Overview:
  The oil and natural gas sector forms the backbone of the economy,
  hydrocarbons accounting for nearly all export receipts, about 30% of
  government revenues, and nearly 25% of GDP. In 1973-74 the sharp increase in
  oil prices led to a booming economy and helped to finance an ambitious
  program of industrialization. Plunging oil and gas prices, combined with the
  mismanagement of Algeria's highly centralized economy, has brought the
  nation to its most serious social and economic crisis since full
  independence in 1988. The current government has put reform, including
  privatization of some public sector companies and an overhaul of the banking
  and financial system, on hold, but has continued efforts to admit private
  enterprise to the hydrocarbon industry.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $42 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  2.8% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
  $1,570 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  55% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  35% (1992 est.)
Budget:
  revenues $14.4 billion; expenditures $14.6 billion, including capital
  expenditures of $3.5 billion (1992 est.)
Exports:
  $11.6 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  petroleum and natural gas 97%
 partners:
  Italy, France, US, Germany, Spain
Imports:
  $8.2 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
 commodities:
  capital goods 39.7%, food and beverages 21.7%, consumer goods 11.8% (1990)
 partners:
  France, Italy, Germany, US, Spain
External debt:
  $26 billion (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate NA%
Electricity:
  6,380,000 kW capacity; 16,834 million kWh produced, 630 kWh per capita
  (1992)
Industries:
  petroleum, light industries, natural gas, mining, electrical, petrochemical,
  food processing
Agriculture:
  accounts for 10.8% of GDP (1991) and employs 22% of labor force; products-
  wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits, sheep, cattle; net
  importer of food - grain, vegetable oil, sugar
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-85), $1.4 billion; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $925 million; OPEC
  bilateral aid (1979-89), $1.8 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.7
  billion; net official disbursements (1985-89), -$375 million
Currency:
  1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes



@end display

@node Economy (Algeria 2. usage)
@section Economy (Algeria 2. usage)

@display

Exchange rates:
  Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1 - 22.787 (January 1993), 21.836 (1992), 18.473
  (1991), 8.958 (1990), 7.6086 (1989), 5.9148 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Algeria)
@section Communications (Algeria)

@display

Railroads:
  4,060 km total; 2,616 km standard gauge (1.435 m), 1,188 km 1.055-meter
  gauge, 256 km 1.000-meter gauge; 300 km electrified; 215 km double track
Highways:
  90,031 km total; 58,868 km concrete or bituminous, 31,163 km gravel, crushed
  stone, unimproved earth (1990)
Pipelines:
  crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km
Ports:
  Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mers el Kebir,
  Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda
Merchant marine:
  75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 903,179 GRT/1,064,211 DWT; includes 5
  short-sea passenger, 27 cargo, 12 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 5 oil tanker, 9
  liquefied gas, 7 chemical tanker, 9 bulk, 1 specialized tanker
Airports:
 total:
  141
 usable:
  124
 with permanent-surface runways:
  53
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  2
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  32
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  65
Telecommunications:   excellent domestic and international service in the north, sparse in the
  south; 822,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 26 AM, no FM, 18 TV;
  1,600,000 TV sets; 5,200,000 radios; 5 submarine cables; microwave radio
  relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to
  Morocco and Tunisia; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1
  Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Intersputnik, l ARABSAT, and 12 domestic; 20
  additional satellite earth stations are planned



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Algeria)
@section Defense Forces (Algeria)

@display

Branches:
  National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Air Defense
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 6,610,342; fit for military service 4,063,261; reach
  military age (19) annually 291,685 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $1.36 billion, 2.5% of GDP (1993 est.)



@end display