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Traveling to a new country can be a challenging experience and because of this it is important that you obtain a wide range of information and advice before you go. We have provided you a general outline of Algeria below. Please be advised that the information contained in this page can change without notice, thus you should consult with an expert for the most relevant and recent information.
Official Name: Known as The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria (locally known as Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah).
Capital city: The capital of Algeria is Algiers. It is the largest and most important city in the country. Algiers is also the second largest city in the Maghreb after Casablanca, Morocco. The name of the country is derived from the city of Algiers. This city has been known as Alger la Blanche (Algiers the White) for its glistening white buildings.
Location: Algeria is located in Northern Africa on the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Mauritania in the West, Tunisia and Libya on the East. Niger and Mali are to the South.
Size: The total land and water area of Algeria is 2,381,741sq km. The total land area is 2,381741sq km and the total water area is 0 sq km. Algeria is the largest country in North Africa and the second largest on the continent.
Climate: The climate in Algeria is arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along the coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on the high plateau; the sirocco is a hot (The highest official temperature was 50.6 degrees Celsius at In Salah), dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer. The desert temperature will drop dramatically at night.
Population: Algeria has a gross population of approximately 34,178,188 million people and the country ranks 37th worldwide in gross population. This is comparable to the population of Canada or Morocco. Most of the population lives along the Northern part of the country and 45% of the population lives in urban areas.
Life expectancy at birth: The total average life expectancy at birth for Algeria is 74.02 years. The life expectancy for males is 72.35 years from birth, while females live a bit longer at an average of 75.77 years. Algeria is ranked 92nd in the world for life expectancy, putting it between Mauritius and Oman.
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Algeria is less than 0.1%, ranking Algeria at 113th globally. There are 43,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the country.
Major Illnesses: Tuberculosis, Trachoma, and venereal infections are the most serious diseases in Algeria and Typhoid Fever, Cholera, Dysentery, and Hepatitis are widespread among all age-groups.
Ethnic Groups: The major ethnic groups in Algeria are; Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%. Arabs in Algeria are chiefly Berbers or a mixture of Berber, Arab, and European.
Languages: Arabic is the official language of Algeria. Over 83% of the population speaks Arabic. About 27% of the population speaks Berber. In 2001 the government agreed to a series of demands by the Berbers, including the official recognition of their language (Berber dialects). French is used in government, media, education, and commerce.
Religion: Algeria is a Muslim country, with 99% of the population following Sunni Islam. Islam is the official religion of the Country. There are 1% of the population following Christianity and Judaism.
Government: Algeria is a Republic. The Algerian parliament is bicameral, consisting of a lower chamber, the National People's Assembly (APN), with 380 members; and an upper chamber, the Council of Nation, with 144 members. The APN is elected every five years. Algeria is a multi-party state. The Ministry of the Interior must approve all parties. To date, Algeria has had more than 40 legal political parties. According to the constitution, no political association may be formed if it is "based on differences in religion, language, race, gender or region."
Head of State: The Head of State in Algeria is The President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The President elected by popular vote for a five-year term but, on November 2008, a constitutional amendment abolished the presidential term limits. The president has the most power, with the prime minister acting with more limited powers. The President is the head of the Council of Ministers and of the High Security Council. He appoints the Prime Minister who is also the head of government. The Prime Minister appoints the Council of Ministers. The commander-in-chief of the military is the president, who is also Minister of National Defense.
Head of Government: The Head of Government in Algeria is The Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia.
Military: The Algerian Armed Forces consist of: The People's National Army (ANP), the Algerian National Navy (MRA), and the Algerian Air Force (QJJ), plus the Territorial Air Defense Force. The Algerian Armed Forces Consists of 455,000 members with some 600,000 reservists. Service in the military is compulsory for men aged 19–30, for a total of eighteen months. Algeria is a leading military power in North Africa and has its force oriented toward its western (Morocco) and eastern (Libya) borders. Its primary military supplier has been the former Soviet Union, which has sold various types of sophisticated equipment under military trade agreements, and the People's Republic of China.
Economy: Before gaining its independence from France, Algeria’s economy was based on agriculture. The cultivation of cereal grains such as: wheat, barley and oats were the principal focus. Algeria had the largest oat market in Africa. Also a variety of vegetables and fruits, especially citrus, figs, and dates were exported. Agriculture is still important to its economy and 25% of the population is employed in this sector. More than 30,000 km2 (7,000,000 acres) are devoted to the cultivation of cereal grains.
After gaining its independence and fighting eight years of civil wars and unrest Algeria's economy became based on petroleum. Petroleum is the major source of Algeria's economy. Algeria has the fourteenth largest oil reserves in the world. Fossil fuels account for 60% of the budget revenues, 30% of the country's GDP and over 95% of the export earnings. Algeria is the world's fourth-largest exporter of natural gas and has the world's eighth-largest natural gas reserves.
Algeria has worked hard to improve its economy, which has attracted more investments from both foreign and domestic sources. Algeria has lowered its tariffs and it has increased its trade with many European countries. Algeria has also worked to lower its international debt. Russia has agreed to forgive over USD$4.74 billion dollars of debt and Algeria has paid off its debt to the Paris Club (a group of rich creditor nations) before schedule.
There are many problems that Algeria will have to face such as; high unemployment, a shortage of housing (Algeria has one of the highest per housing unit occupancy rates, there is a need of over 1.5 million housing units), unreliable electrical and water supply, and the decline of its tourism.
GDP: The purchasing power parity of Algeria is USD$232.9 billion; this ranks Algeria 49th worldwide, putting the country above Bangladesh and just below Portugal. Algeria's GDP has increased 73% during the last decade. In 2000, Algeria was the second largest economy in Africa after South Africa and in 2008 it was the fourth (after South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt).
If you are considering visiting or relocating to Algeria you may have already arranged the necessary accommodations, but you may not have given much thought to what might happen if you needed access to medical treatment once you have arrived. You should seek medical advice before traveling to Algeria and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.
At Globalsurance we are able to advise you on a range of international medical insurance policies. International medical insurance plans that we can offer in Algeria are typically guaranteed renewable for life, globally portable, and will allow you to choose where to receive medical treatment anywhere in the world. Click here for a free customized quote. |
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