Economy overview: Hydrocarbon production is the foundation of the economy, accounting for, according to rough estimates, 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP and more than 95% of export earnings. Algeria ranks fifth among the countries of the world in terms of natural gas reserves and is the second largest exporter of gas; is in the fourteenth place in terms of oil reserves. Efforts to reform one of the most centrally planned economies in the Arab world stalled in 1992 as the country entered a period of political instability. Algeria’s financial and economic performance improved in the mid-1990s, partly due to ongoing reforms supported by the IMF, but also due to debt relief provided by the Paris Club. Algeria’s financial situation improved in 2000 thanks to high oil prices and the government’s tight tax policy, which led to a significant increase in the trade surplus, a threefold increase in foreign exchange reserves and a reduction in external debt. The government continues to try to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment to the non-energy sector, but progress in reducing unemployment and improving living standards has been limited. See businesscarriers.com to know more about Algeria Economics and Business. GDP: Purchasing Power Parity $171 billion (2000 est.) Real GDP growth rate: 5% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: PPP $5,500 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 11%; industry: 37%; services: 52% (1999 est.). Proportion of population below the poverty line: 23% (1999 est.). Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 2.8%; by the top 10% of families: 26.8% (1995). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 2% (2000 OTs.). Labor force: 9.1 million people (2000 est.). Employment structure: civil service 29%, agriculture 25%, construction and public works 15%, industry 11%, other 20% (1989). Unemployment rate: 30% (1999 est.). Budget: revenues: $15.8 billion; expenses: $16 billion; including capital investments – $ 5.3 billion (2001 est.). Spheres of economy: oil and natural gas production, light industry, mining, petrochemistry, food industry. Growth in industrial production: 7% (1999 OC). Electricity generation: 23.215 billion kWh (1999) Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 99.14%; hydropower: 0.86%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 0% (1999). Electricity consumption: 21.613 billion kWh (1999). Electricity export: 307 million kWh (1999). Electricity import: 330 million kWh (1999). Agricultural products: wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus fruits, fruits; sheep, cattle. Exports: $19.6 billion (free on board, 2000 est.) Export items: crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products 97%. Export partners: Italy 22%, USA 15%, France 12%, Spain 11%, Brazil 8%, Netherlands 5% (1999). Imports: $9.2 billion (free on board, 2000 est.) Imports: capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods. Import partners: France 30%, Italy 9%, Germany 7%, Spain 6%, USA 5%, Turkey 5% (1999). External debt: $25 billion (2000 est.) Economic aid recipient: $100 million (1999) Economic aid donor: Currency: Algerian dinar. Currency code: DZD. Exchange rate: DZD/USD – 74.813 (January 2001), 75.260 (2000), 66.574 (1999), 58.739 (1998), 57.707 (1997), 54.749 (1996). Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 2.3 million (1998). Mobile cellular telephones: 33,500 (1999). Phone system: the level of telephony is very low, does not exceed 5 telephones per 100 people; the number of permanent lines has increased over the past few years and exceeded 2 million, but only two thirds of them are in demand by consumers and are used; much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient; internal: good level of services in the north, extremely low telephony density in the south; domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations (planned to build 20 additional domestic earth stations); international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio communication with Italy, France, Spain, Morocco and Tunisia; Algeria is a member of the Medarabtel project; satellite ground stations – 2 Intelsat (1 region of the Atlantic and 1 region of the Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik and 1 Arabsat (1998). Broadcast stations: AM -25, FM -1, shortwave -8 (1999). Radio receivers: 7.1 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 46 (and 216 repeaters) (1995). Televisions: 3.1 million (1997) Internet country code: dz Internet service providers: 2 (2000). Number of users: 20,000 (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total length: 4,820 km; with standard gauge: 3,664 km; 1.435 m gauge (301 km electrified; 215 km dual gauge); narrow gauge: 1,156 km; gauge 1.055 m (1996). Roads: total length: 104,000 km; paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km of motorways); unpaved: 32,344 km (1996 est.) Pipelines: for crude oil -6,612 km; for oil products – 298 km; for natural gas -2,948 km. Ports and harbours: Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellis, Jendzhene, Ghazouet, Jidzhep, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes. Merchant navy: total: 73 vessels (displacement 1,000 tons or more) with a total displacement of 896,911 gross register tons / 1,047,991 long tons of gross tonnage; ships of various types: bulk carriers – 9, cargo ships – 25, chemical tankers – 7, liquefied gas tankers – 10, oil tankers – 4, ferries – 13, coastal passenger ships – 4, specialized tankers – 1 (2000 est..). Airports: 135 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 51; over 3,047 m: 9; from 2433 to Z047 m: 24; from 1524 to 2437: 12; FROM 914 TO 1523 m:5; less than 914 m: 1 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 84; from 2438 to 3047 m:3; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23; from 914 to 1523 m:40; less than 914 m: 18 (2000 est.). Helipads: 1 (2000 est.).
Armed Forces
Branches of the armed forces: national people’s army, navy, air force, territorial air defense, national gendarmerie. Enlistment age: 19 years old. Total military manpower: men 15 to 49 pets: 8,794,622 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: men aged 15 to 49: 5,383,770 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: male: 388,939 (2001 est.). Military spending in dollar terms: $1.87 billion (1999) Military spending as part of GDP: 4.1% (1999).
International Issues
International issues International disputes: Libya claims part of Algeria’s southeastern region; Algeria supports the Polisario Front (Western Sahara) operating in exile and does not recognize Moroccan authority over Western Sahara.
