Introduction
Background
Algeria has known many empires and dynasties, including the ancient Numidians (3rd century B.C.), Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, over a dozen different Arab and Amazigh dynasties, Spaniards, and Ottoman Turks. Under the Turks, the Barbary pirates operated from North Africa and preyed on shipping, from about 1500 until the French captured Algiers in 1830. The French southward conquest of Algeria proceeded throughout the 19th century and was marked by many atrocities. A bloody eight-year struggle culminated in Algerian independence in 1962.
Algeria's long-dominant political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), was established in 1954 as part of the struggle for independence and has since played a large role in politics, though it is falling out of favor with the youth and current President Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE. The Government of Algeria in 1988 instituted a multi-party system in response to public unrest, but the surprising first-round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the 1991 legislative election led the Algerian military to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. An army crackdown on the FIS escalated into an FIS insurgency and intense violence from 1992-98 that resulted in over 100,000 deaths, many of which were attributed to extremist groups massacring villagers. The government gained the upper hand by the late 1990s, and FIS’s armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in 2000. FIS membership is now illegal.
In 1999, Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA won the presidency with the backing of the military, in an election that was boycotted by several candidates protesting alleged fraud. He won subsequent elections in 2004, 2009, and 2014. Widespread protests against his decision to seek a fifth term broke out in early 2019. BOUTEFLIKA resigned in April 2019, and in December 2019, Algerians elected former Prime Minister Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE as the country’s new president. A longtime FLN member, TEBBOUNE ran for president as an independent. In 2020, Algeria held a constitutional referendum on governmental reforms, which TEBBOUNE enacted in 2021. Subsequent reforms to the national electoral law introduced open-list voting to curb corruption. The new law also eliminated gender quotas in Parliament, and the 2021 legislative elections saw female representation plummet. The referendum, parliamentary elections, and local elections saw record-low voter turnout.
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Geography
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates
28 00 N, 3 00 E
Map references
Africa
Land boundaries
total: 6,734 km
border countries (6): Libya 989 km; Mali 1,359 km; Mauritania 460 km; Morocco 1,941 km; Niger 951 km; Tunisia 1,034 km
Coastline
998 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm
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; Atlas Mountains in the far north and Hoggar Mountains in the south; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation
highest point: Tahat 2,908 m
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
mean elevation: 800 m
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
Land use
agricultural land: 17.3% (2022 est.)
arable land: 3.2% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 0.4% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 13.8% (2022 est.)
forest: 0.8% (2022 est.)
other: 81.8% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
13,819 sq km (2019)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Major aquifers
Lullemeden-Irhazer Aquifer System, Murzuk-Djado Basin, North Western Sahara Aquifer, Taoudeni-Tanezrouft Basin
Population distribution
the vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coast
Natural hazards
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season; droughts
Geography - note
largest country in Africa but 80% desert; canyons and caves in the southern Hoggar Mountains and in the barren Tassili n'Ajjer area in the southeast of the country contain numerous examples of prehistoric art -- rock paintings and carvings depicting human activities and wild and domestic animals (elephants, giraffes, cattle) -- that date to the African Humid Period, roughly 5,000 to 11,000 years ago, when the region was completely vegetated
People and Society
Population
total: 47,022,473 (2024 est.)
male: 23,854,821
female: 23,167,652
comparison rankings: total 33; male 32; female 34
Nationality
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian
Ethnic groups
Arab-Amazigh 99%, European less than 1%
note: although almost all Algerians are Amazigh in origin and not Arab, only a minority identify themselves as primarily Amazigh, about 15% of the total population; these people live mostly in the mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers and in several other communities; the Amazigh are also Muslim but identify with their Amazigh rather than Arab cultural heritage; some Amazigh have long agitated, sometimes violently, for autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has officially recognized Amazigh languages and introduced them into public schools
Languages
Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Tamazight (official) (dialects include Kabyle (Taqbaylit), Shawiya (Tacawit), Mzab, Tuareg (Tamahaq))
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Muslim (official; predominantly Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Ahmadi Muslim, Shia Muslim, Ibadi Muslim) <1% (2012 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 30.8% (male 7,411,337/female 7,062,794)
15-64 years: 62.3% (male 14,846,102/female 14,441,034)
65 years and over: 6.9% (2024 est.) (male 1,597,382/female 1,663,824)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 60.6 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 49.4 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 11.1 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 9 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 29.1 years (2024 est.)
male: 28.8 years
female: 29.4 years
comparison ranking: total 146
Population distribution
the vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coast
Urbanization
urban population: 75.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.902 million ALGIERS (capital), 936,000 Oran (2022)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 18.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 19.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 82
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 77.2 years
female: 78.7 years
comparison ranking: total population 85
Gross reproduction rate
1.43 (2024 est.)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 96.1% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 90.4% of population (2022 est.)
total: 94.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 9.6% of population (2022 est.)
total: 5.3% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure
5.5% of GDP (2021)
5.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
1.66 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density
1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: 98.3% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 91.7% of population (2022 est.)
total: 96.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
urban: 1.7% of population (2022 est.)
rural: 8.3% of population (2022 est.)
total: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 160
Tobacco use
total: 21.4% (2025 est.)
male: 41.6% (2025 est.)
female: 0.6% (2025 est.)
comparison ranking: total 60
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
56% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 0% (2019)
women married by age 18: 3.8% (2019)
Education expenditure
5.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
14.4% national budget (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 38
Literacy
female: 74.2% (2019 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 15 years (2023 est.)
male: 15 years (2023 est.)
female: 16 years (2023 est.)
Environment
Environmental issues
air pollution in major cities; soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; river and coastal pollution from dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents; pollution in Mediterranean Sea from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate potable water
International environmental agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
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
Land use
agricultural land: 17.3% (2022 est.)
arable land: 3.2% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 0.4% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 13.8% (2022 est.)
forest: 0.8% (2022 est.)
other: 81.8% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 75.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
163.661 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 741,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 57.795 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 105.125 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 34
Particulate matter emissions
22.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions
energy: 2,561.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 256 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 486.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 7.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 12.379 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 3.389 billion cubic meters (2022)
industrial: 181 million cubic meters (2022)
agricultural: 7.391 billion cubic meters (2022)
Total renewable water resources
11.667 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah
local short form: Al Jaza'ir
etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Algiers
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Algiers
geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: name derives from the Arabic al-jazair, meaning "the islands," and refers to the four islands formerly off the coast of the capital but joined to the mainland since 1525
Administrative divisions
58 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger (Algiers), Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Beni Abbes, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Badji Mokhtar, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djanet, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Meghaier, El Meniaa, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, In Guezzam, In Salah, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Ouled Djellal, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Timimoun, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen, Touggourt
Legal system
mixed system of French civil law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials including several Supreme Court justices
Constitution
history: several previous; latest approved by referendum 1 November 2020
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or through the president with the support of three fourths of the members of both houses of Parliament in joint session; passage requires approval by both houses, approval by referendum, and promulgation by the president; the president can forego a referendum if the Constitutional Council determines the proposed amendment does not conflict with basic constitutional principles; articles including the republican form of government, the integrity and unity of the country, and fundamental citizens’ liberties and rights cannot be amended
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the mother must be a citizen of Algeria
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE (since 12 December 2019)
head of government: Prime Minister Sifi GHRIEB (since 28 August 2025)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the president after consultation with the majority party in Parliament
most recent election date: 7 September 2024
election results:
2024: Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE (NLF) 94.7%, Abdelaali Hassani CHERIF (MSP) 3.2%, Youcef AOUCHICHE (FFS) 2.2%
2019: (FLN) 58.1%, Abdelkader BENGRINA (El-Bina) 17.4%, Ali BENFLIS (Talaie El Hurriyet) 10.6%, Azzedine MIHOUBI (RND) 7.3%, Abdelaziz BELAID (Future Front) 6.7%
expected date of next election: 2029
Legislative branch
legislature name: Parliament (Barlaman)
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name: National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Chaabi Al-Watani)
number of seats: 407 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 6/12/2021
parties elected and seats per party: National Liberation Front (FLN) (98); Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) (65); National Democratic Rally (RND) (58); El-Moustakbel Front (Future", FM) (48); El Binaa Movement (39); Independents (84); Other (15)
percentage of women in chamber: 7.9%
expected date of next election: June 2026
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name: Council of the Nation (Majlis al-Oumma)
number of seats: 174 (116 indirectly elected; 58 appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: partial renewal
term in office: 6 years
most recent election date: 3/9/2025
percentage of women in chamber: 2.5%
expected date of next election: January 2028
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Le Cour Suprême, (consists of 150 judges organized into 8 chambers: Civil, Commercial and Maritime, Criminal, House of Offenses and Contraventions, House of Petitions, Land, Personal Status, and Social; Constitutional Council (consists of 12 members including the court chairman and deputy chairman)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of Magistracy, an administrative body presided over by the president of the republic, and includes the republic vice-president and several members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 4 appointed by the president of the republic, 2 each by the 2 houses of Parliament, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 2 by the Council of State; Council president and members appointed for single 6-year terms with half the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: appellate or wilaya courts; first instance or daira tribunals
note: Algeria's judicial system does not include sharia courts
Political parties
Algerian National Front or FNA
Algerian Popular Movement or MPA
Algeria's Hope Rally or TAJ
Dignity or El Karama
El-Infitah
El Mostakbal (Future Front)
Ennour El Djazairi Party (Algerian Radiance Party) or PED
Equity and Proclamation Party or PEP
Islamic Renaissance Movement or Ennahda Movement
Justice and Development Front or FJD
Movement for National Reform or El Islah
Movement of Society for Peace or MSP
National Construction Movement or El-Bina (Harakat El-Binaa El-Watani)
National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND
National Front for Social Justice or FNJS
National Liberation Front or FLN
National Militancy Front or FMN
National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD
National Republican Alliance or ANR
New Dawn Party (El-Fajr El-Jadid)
New Generation (Jil Jadid)
Oath of 1954 or Ahd 54
Party of Justice and Liberty or PLJ
Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD
Socialist Forces Front or FFS
Union for Change and Progress or UCP
Union of Democratic and Social Forces or UFDS
Vanguard of Liberties (Talaie El Hurriyet)
Workers Party or PT
Youth Party or PJ
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in 1997
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Sabri BOUKADOUM (since 27 February 2024)
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
FAX: [1] (202) 986-5906
email address and website:
mail@algerianembassy.org
https://www.algerianembassy.org/
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth Moore AUBIN (since 9 February 2022)
embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16030, Alger
mailing address: 6030 Algiers Place, Washington DC 20521-6030
telephone: [213] (0) 770-08-2000
FAX: [213] (0) 770-08-2299
email address and website:
algierspd@state.gov
https://dz.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Independence
5 July 1962 (from France)
National holiday
Independence Day, 5 July (1962); Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
Flag
description: two equal vertical bands of green (left) and white; a red, five-pointed star inside a red crescent, centered over the two-color boundary
meaning: the colors represent Islam (green), purity and peace (white), and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also Islamic symbols, but the crescent is more closed than those of other Muslim countries because Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness
National symbol(s)
five-pointed star between the extended horns of a crescent moon; fennec fox
National color(s)
green, white, red
National anthem(s)
title: "Kassaman" (We Pledge)
lyrics/music: Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI
history: adopted 1962; ZAKARIAH wrote "Kassaman" as a poem while imprisoned in Algiers by French colonial forces
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Beni Hammad Fort (c); Djémila (c); Casbah of Algiers (c); M'zab Valley (c); Tassili n'Ajjer (m); Timgad (c); Tipasa (c)
Economy
Economic overview
suffering oil and gas economy; lack of sector and market diversification; political instability chilling domestic consumption; poor credit access and declines in business confidence; COVID-19 austerity policies; delayed promised socio-economic reforms
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$722.912 billion (2024 est.)
$699.818 billion (2023 est.)
$672.256 billion (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 40
Real GDP growth rate
3.3% (2024 est.)
4.1% (2023 est.)
3.6% (2022 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 108
Real GDP per capita
$15,400 (2024 est.)
$15,200 (2023 est.)
$14,800 (2022 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 124
GDP (official exchange rate)
$263.62 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4% (2024 est.)
9.3% (2023 est.)
9.3% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 123
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 13.1% (2023 est.)
industry: 37.8% (2023 est.)
services: 45.6% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: agriculture 60; industry 25; services 171
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 40.8% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 17.9% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 32.8% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 4.9% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 23.6% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -20.1% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
potatoes, watermelons, wheat, milk, onions, tomatoes, vegetables, oranges, dates, barley (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Industrial production growth rate
3.9% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 63
Labor force
13.294 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 46
Unemployment rate
11.5% (2024 est.)
11.8% (2023 est.)
12.4% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 159
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 29.8% (2024 est.)
male: 26.8% (2024 est.)
female: 45.8% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 23
Average household expenditures
on food: 37.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Remittances
0.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
1% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $55.185 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $64.728 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt
27.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
note: data cover central government debt as well as debt issued by subnational entities and intra-governmental debt
comparison ranking: 171
Current account balance
$6.359 billion (2023 est.)
$19.433 billion (2022 est.)
-$4.513 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 32
Exports
$59.426 billion (2023 est.)
$69.226 billion (2022 est.)
$41.846 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 63
Exports - partners
Italy 29%, France 14%, Spain 13%, USA 6%, Netherlands 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, fertilizers, iron bars (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$51.131 billion (2023 est.)
$46.613 billion (2022 est.)
$44.287 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 66
Imports - partners
China 24%, France 12%, Italy 8%, Turkey 7%, Brazil 6% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
wheat, plastics, cars, milk, corn (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$83.007 billion (2024 est.)
$81.217 billion (2023 est.)
$71.852 billion (2022 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
comparison ranking: 32
Debt - external
$4.764 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 73
Exchange rates
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
134.053 (2024 est.)
135.843 (2023 est.)
141.995 (2022 est.)
135.064 (2021 est.)
126.777 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 99.3%
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 22.591 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 85.687 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 2.753 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 475.8 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 9.237 billion kWh (2023 est.)
comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 47; consumption 37; exports 51; imports 95; transmission/distribution losses 180
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 98.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
consumption: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 241,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 223 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 1.443 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 446,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 12.2 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 104.896 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 52.831 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 51.566 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 4.504 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 6.324 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 25
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 51.5 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 35
Broadcast media
Radio Algérienne is the state-run radio broadcast; the National Company of Television (Entreprise Nationale de Télévision (ENTV)) is the primary state-run public TV station (2024)
Internet users
percent of population: 77% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 5.54 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total 34
Transportation
Railways
total: 4,020 km (2019)
Merchant marine
total: 119 (2022)
by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 4, general cargo 11, oil tanker 14, other 89
comparison ranking: total 83
Ports
total ports: 17 (2024)
large: 2
medium: 1
small: 6
very small: 8
ports with oil terminals: 3
key ports: Alger, Annaba, Arzew, Arzew El Djedid, Bejaia, Mers El Kebir, Oran, Port Methanier, Skikda
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Algerian People's National Army (ANP): Land Forces, Naval Forces (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces, Territorial Air Defense Forces, Republican Guard, National Gendarmerie
Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of National Security (national police) (2025)
note: the Republican Guard is subordinate to the ANP, but responsible to the President; the National Gendarmerie performs police functions outside urban areas under the auspices of the Ministry of National Defense and shares responsibility with the General Directorate of National Security for maintaining law and order; it is comprised of territorial, intervention/mobile, border guard, railway, riot control, and air support units
Military expenditures
8% of GDP (2024 est.)
8% of GDP (2023 est.)
4.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
5.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
6.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; estimated 200,000 active ANP, including the National Gendarmerie (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Algerian military has traditionally been armed mostly with Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems and equipment; over the past decade, it has made large investments in acquiring more modern armored vehicles, air defense systems, fighter aircraft, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and warships, largely from Russia, its traditional supplier, but also China and Western European suppliers such as Germany (2024)
Military service age and obligation
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service for men and women; 19-30 years of age for mandatory national service for men (all Algerian men must register at age 17); service obligation reduced from 18 to 12 months in 2014 (2024)
note: conscripts comprise an estimated 70% of the military
Military - note
the ANP is responsible for external defense but also has some internal security responsibilities; key areas of concern include border and maritime security, terrorism, regional instability, and tensions with Morocco; Algeria supports the pro-independence Polisario Front in Western Sahara and accuses Morocco of supporting the Algerian separatist Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylie (MAK); border security and counterterrorism have received additional focus since the Arab Spring events of 2011 and the rise of terrorist threats emanating from Libya and the Sahel; the Army and Ministry of Defense (MND) paramilitary forces of the Gendarmerie and the border guards have beefed up their presence along the frontiers with Tunisia, Libya, Niger, and Mali to interdict and deter cross-border attacks by Islamist militant groups; the ANP and MND paramilitary forces have also increased counterterrorism cooperation with some neighboring countries, particularly Tunisia, including joint operations
the ANP has also played a large role in the country’s politics since independence in 1962, including coups in 1965 and 1991; it was a key backer of BOUTEFLIKA’s election in 1999 and remained a center of power during his 20-year rule; the military was instrumental in BOUTEFLIKA’s resignation in 2019, when it withdrew support and called for him to be removed from office (2024)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Algerian Space Agency (Agence Spatiale Algérienne, ASAL; established 2002) (2025)
Space launch site(s)
none; note - in 1947, Algeria began hosting a French military rocket test site known as the Centre Interarmées d’Essais d’Engins Spéciaux (CIEES or Interarmy Special Vehicles Test Center); it was the continent of Africa's first rocket launch site and was in service until 1967
Space program overview
has a national space policy and space research program with stated goals of supporting internal development, managing resources, mastering space technology, and reinforcing national sovereignty; builds and operates communications and remote sensing (RS) satellites; researching and developing a range of space-related capabilities, including satellites and satellite payloads, communications, RS, instrumentation, satellite image processing, and geo-spatial information; has bilateral relationships with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Argentina, China, France, Germany, India, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine, the UK, and other African countries; member of the African Space Agency and the Arab Space Coordination Group (2025)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) – Algeria; al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees: 188,206 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 25 (2024 est.)
Trafficking in persons
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Algeria did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Algeria remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/algeria/