Chapter III: Front Matter (3)

Although Chiefs of State and The World Factbook both appear on the CIA Web site, they are produced and updated by separate staffs. Chiefs of State includes fewer countries but more leaders, and is updated more frequently than The World Factbook, which has a much larger database, and includes all countries.

Some percentage distributions do not add to 100. Why not?

Because of rounding, percentage distributions do not always add precisely to 100%. Rounding of numbers always results in a loss of precision--i.e., error. This error becomes apparent when percentage data are totaled, as the following two examples show:

Original Data Rounded to whole integer

Example 1 43.2 43
30.4 30
26.4 26
---- --
100.0 99

Example 2 42.8 43
31.6 32
25.6 26
---- --
100.0 101

When this occurs, we do not force the numbers to add exactly to 100, because doing so would introduce additional error into the distribution.

What rounding convention does The World Factbook use?

In deciding on the number of digits to present, the Factbook staff assesses the accuracy of the original data and the needs of US Government officials. All of the economic data are processed by computer--either at the source or by the Factbook staff. The economic data presented in The Factbook, therefore, follow the rounding convention used by virtually all numerical software applications, namely, any digit followed by a "5" is rounded up to the next higher digit, no matter whether the original digit is even or odd. Thus, for example, when rounded to the nearest integer, 2.5 becomes 3, rather than 2, as occurred in some pre-computer rounding systems.

Technical

Does The World Factbook comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act regarding accessibility of Web pages?

The World Factbook home page has a link entitled "Text/Low Bandwidth Version." The country data in the text version is fully accessible. We believe The World Factbook is compliant with the Section 508 law in both fact and spirit. If you are experiencing difficulty, please use our comment form to provide us details of the specific problem you are experiencing and the assistive software and/or hardware that you are using so that we can work with our technical support staff to find and implement a solution. We welcome visitors' suggestions to improve accessibility of The World Factbook and the CIA Web site.

I am using the Factbook online and it is not working. What is wrong?

Hundreds of "Factbook" look-alikes exist on the Internet. The Factbook site at: www.cia.gov is the only official site.

When I attempt to download a PDF (Portable Document Format) map file (or some other map) the file has no image. Can you fix this?

Some of the files on The World Factbook Web site are large and could take several minutes to download on a dial-up connection. The screen might be blank during the download process.

When I open a map on The World Factbook site, it is fuzzy or granular, or too big or too small. Why?

Adjusting the resolution setting on your monitor should correct this problem.

Is The World Factbook country data available in machine-readable format? All I can find is HTML, but I'm looking for simple tabular data.

The Factbook Web site now features "Rank Order" pages for selected Factbook entries. "Rank Order" pages are available for those data fields identified with a small bar chart icon located next to the title of the data entry. In addition, all of the "Rank Order" pages can be downloaded as tab-delimited data files that can be opened in other applications such as spreadsheets and databases.

This page was last updated on 11 January, 2005

=====================================================================

@Afghanistan

Introduction Afghanistan

Background:
Afghanistan's recent history is a story of war and civil unrest.
The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to withdraw 10
years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces. The Communist regime
in Kabul collapsed in 1992. Fighting that subsequently erupted among
the various mujahidin factions eventually helped to spawn the
Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that fought to end
the warlordism and civil war which gripped the country. The Taliban
seized Kabul in 1996 and were able to capture most of the country
outside of Northern Alliance srongholds primarily in the northeast.
Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and
Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering
Osama BIN LADIN. In late 2001, a conference in Bonn, Germany,
established a process for political reconstruction that ultimately
resulted in the adoption of a new constitution and presidential
election in 2004. On 9 October 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first
democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The new Afghan
government's next task is to hold National Assembly elections,
tentatively scheduled for April 2005.

Geography Afghanistan

Location:
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Geographic coordinates:
33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 647,500 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 647,500 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 5,529 km
border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km,
Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites,
sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones

Land use:
arable land: 12.13%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 87.65% (2001)

Irrigated land:
23,860 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding;
droughts

Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of
potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of
the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building
materials); desertification; air and water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to
southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the
country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan
Corridor)

People Afghanistan

Population:
28,513,677 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 6,525,929; female 6,222,497)
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 7,733,707; female 7,346,226)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 334,427; female 350,891) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.5 years
male: 17.5 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
4.92%
note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and
its continuing impact (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
47.27 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
21.12 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
23.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 165.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 160.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 170.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 42.46 years
male: 42.27 years
female: 42.66 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
6.78 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.01% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Afghan(s)
adjective: Afghan

Ethnic groups:
Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%,
Baloch 2%, other 4%

Religions:
Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%

Languages:
Pashtu (official) 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages
(primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily
Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 21% (1999 est.)
total population: 36%
male: 51%

People - note:
of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3 million
have returned

Government Afghanistan

Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
conventional short form: Afghanistan
local short form: Afghanestan
former: Republic of Afghanistan
local long form: Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan

Government type:
Islamic republic

Capital:
Kabul

Administrative divisions:
34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis,
Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr,
Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar,
Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan,
Paktia, Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar,
Vardak, and Zabol

Independence:
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Constitution:
new constitution drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004; signed
16 January 2004

Legal system:
according to the new constitution, no law should be "contrary to
Islam"; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and progressive
society based on social justice, protection of human dignity,
protection of human rights, realization of democracy, and to ensure
national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and tribes; the
state shall abide by the UN charter, international treaties,
international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,
Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah
holds the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presides
symbolically over certain occasions, but lacks any governing
authority; the honorific is not hereditary
head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan, Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); note - the
president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet: 27 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers
are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly
elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by
direct vote for a five-year term; if no candidate receives 50% or
more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates
with the most votes will participate in a second round; a president
can only be elected for two terms; election last held 9 October 2004
(next to be held in 2009)
election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote -
Hamid KARZAI - 55.4%, Yunus QANOONI - 16.3%, Mohammad MOHAQEQ -
11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM - 1.4%, Masooda
JALAL - 1.2%

Legislative branch:
nonfunctioning as of January 2004; government is empowered by the
constitution to issue legislation by decree until the new assembly
is seated; under the new constitution, the bicameral National
Assembly will consist of the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no
more than 249 seats), directly elected for a five-year term, and the
Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one third elected from
provincial councils for a four-year term, one third elected from
local district councils for a three-year term, and one third
presidential appointees for a five-year term; the presidential
appointees will include two representatives of Kuchis and two
representatives of the disabled; half of the presidential appointees
will be women)
note: on rare occasions the government may convene the Loya Jirga on
issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial
integrity; it can amend the provisions of the constitution and
prosecute the president; it is made up of members of the National
Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils
elections: scheduled for spring 2005

Judicial branch:
the new constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or
Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by
the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate
High Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a Minister of Justice;
a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by
the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses
and war crimes

Political parties and leaders:
note - includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of
Justice: Afghan Millat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; De Afghanistan De Solay
Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz TANAI]; De Afghanistan De Solay Mili Islami
Gond [Shah Mahmood Polal ZAI]; Harakat-e-Islami Afghanistan
[Mohammad Asif MOHSINEE]; Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan
[Iihaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; Hezb-e-Aazadee Afghanistan [Abdul
MALIK]; Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabeer
MARZBAN]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid [Mohammad Wasil RAHEEMEE];
Hezb-e-Afghan Watan Islami Gond [NA leader]; Hezb-e-Congra-e-Mili
Afghanistan [Lateef PIDRAM]; Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan
[Mohammad ZAREEF]; Hezb-e-Libral-e-Aazadee
Khwa-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SOHAIL]; Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili
Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI];
Hezb-e-Hamnbatagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT];
Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Moahammad Nadir AATASH];
Hezb-e-Harak-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hssain
ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqoq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan
[Baryalai NASRATEE]; Hezb-e-Istiqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Gh. Farooq
NIJZRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahan [Sibghatullah SANJAR];
Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiar OMID]; Hezb-e-Mili
Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed AARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili
Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANEE];
Hezb-e-Nuhzhat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOUD];
Hezb-e-Paiwand-e-Mili Afghanistan [Said Mansoor NADIRI];
Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Said ZAHIR];
Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASEEQ];
Hezb-e-Risalat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEEN];
Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ];
Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Wa Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Usman
SALIGZADA]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul
Qahir SHARYATEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul
Qadir IMAMEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum-e-Wa Democracy Afghanistan [Ahamad
SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim
KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Haji Mohammad
MUHAQIQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed Jalili];
Jamahat-ul-Dahwat ilal Qurhan-wa-Sunat-ul-Afghanistan [Mawlawee
Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Jombesh-e Milli [Abdul Rashjid DOSTUM];
Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Said Ahmad GAILANEE]; Majmah-e-Mili
Fahaleen-e-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shams ul Haq Noor SHAMS];
Nuhzat-e-Aazadee Wa democracy Afghanistan [Abdul Raqeeb Jawid
KUHISTANEE]; Nuhzat-e-Hambastagee Mili Afghanistan [Peer Said Ishaq
GAILANEE]; Sazman-e-Islami Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Siad Jawad
HUSSAINEE]; Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili [Sultan Mahmood DHAZI] (30 Sep
2004)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Jamiat-e Islami (Society of Islam), [former President Burhanuddin
RABBANI]; Ittihad-e Islami (Islamic Union for the Liberation of
Afghanistan), [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; there are also small monarchist,
communist, and democratic groups

International organization participation:
AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
NATO, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] 202-483-6488
telephone: [1] 202-483-6410
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZAD
embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6180
telephone: [00] (2) 230-0436
FAX: [0093] (2) 230-1364

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green, with a
gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem features a
temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right
and by a bold Islamic inscription above

Economy Afghanistan

Economy - overview:
Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved significantly over the
past two years because of the infusion of over $2 billion in
international assistance, dramatic improvements in agricultural
production, and the end of a four-year drought in most of the
country. However, Afghanistan remains extremely poor, landlocked,
and highly dependent on foreign aid, farming, and trade with
neighboring countries. It will probably take the remainder of the
decade and continuing donor aid and attention to raise Afghanistan's
living standards up from its current status among the lowest in the
world. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of
housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, but the
Afghan government and international donors remain committed to
improving access to these basic necessities by prioritizing
infrastructure development, education, housing development, jobs
programs, and economic reform over the next year. Growing political
stability and continued international commitment to Afghan
reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for maintaining
improvements to the Afghan economy in 2004. The replacement of the
opium trade - which may account for one-third of GDP - is one of
several potential spoilers for the economy over the long term.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $20 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
29% (2003 est.)
: note: this high growth rate reflects the extremely low levels of
activity between 1999 and 2002, as well as the end of a four-year
drought and the impact of donor assistance

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 60%
industry: 20%
services: 20% (1990 est.)

Population below poverty line:
23% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.2% (2003)

Labor force:
11.8 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80%, industry 10%, services 10% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate:
NA (2003)

Budget:
revenues: $200 million
expenditures: $550 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2003 plan)

Agriculture - products:
opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins

Industries:
small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes,
fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
334.8 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
511.4 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
200 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
220 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
220 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
49.98 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
$98 million (not including illicit exports) (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and
pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Exports - partners:
US 27%, France 17.5%, India 16.6%, Pakistan 13.3% (2003)

Imports:
$1.007 billion (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
Pakistan 30.1%, South Korea 9.2%, Japan 7.6%, Germany 6.9%,
Turkmenistan 5.4%, Kenya 4.6%, US 4.5%, Russia 4% (2003)

Debt - external:
$8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia; Afghanistan has
$500 million in debt to Multilateral Development Banks (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
international pledges made by more than 60 countries and
international financial institutions at the Tokyo Donors Conference
for Afghan reconstruction in January 2002 reached $4.5 billion
through 2006, with $1.8 billion allocated for 2002; another $1.7
billion was pledged for 2003.

Currency:
afghani (AFA)

Currency code:
AFA

Exchange rates:
afghanis per US dollar - 50 (2003), 50 (2002), 3,000 (2001), 3,000
(2000), 3,000 (1999)
: note: in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the currency
stabilized at about 50 afghanis to the dollar; before 2002, the
market rate varied widely from the official rate

Fiscal year:
21 March - 20 March

Communications Afghanistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
33,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
15,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service
domestic: telephone service is improving with the establishment of
two mobile phone operators by 2003; telephone main lines remain weak
with only .1 line per 10 people
international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,
Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international
and domestic voice and data connectivity

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 21, FM 23, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian
(Dari), Urdu, and English) (2003)

Radios:
167,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
at least 10 (one government-run central television station in Kabul
and regional stations in nine of the 32 provinces; the regional
stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997, there was a
station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern Afghanistan
provinces) (1998)

Televisions:
100,000 (1999)

Internet country code:
.af

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)

Internet users:
1,000 (2002)

Communications - note:
in March 2003 'af' was established as Afghanistan's domain name;
Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public
"telekiosks" in Kabul that are part of a nationwide network proposed
by the Transitional Authority for Internet access (2002)

Transportation Afghanistan

Highways:
total: 21,000 km
paved: 2,793 km
unpaved: 18,207 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
1,200 km
note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 387 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Airports:
47 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 37
under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Heliports:
5 (2003 est.)

Military Afghanistan

Military branches:
Afghan National Army, currently being trained by the US with the
assistance of the international community, is 7,000 strong; note -
the December 2001 Bonn Agreement called for all militia forces to
come under the authority of the central government, but regional
leaders have continued to retain their militias and the formation of
a national army remains a gradual process; Afghanistan's militia
forces continue to be factionalized, largely along ethnic lines

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
22 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,785,414 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,642,659 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 263,406 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$61 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Afghanistan

Disputes - international:
despite largely successful UN efforts at voluntary repatriation,
2-3 million Afghan refugees continue to reside in Iran and Pakistan,
many at their own choosing; Pakistan has sent troops into remote
tribal areas to control the border and stem organized terrorist and
other illegal cross-border activites; regular meetings between
Pakistani and coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of
boundary encroachments; occasional conflicts over water-sharing
arrangements with Amu Darya and Helmand River states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 167,000 - 200,000 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in
south and west due to drought and instability) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
world's largest producer of opium; cultivation of opium poppy
reached unprecedented level of 206,700 hectares in 2004; counterdrug
efforts largely unsuccessful; potential opium production of 4,950
metric tons; potential heroin production of 582 metric tons if all
opium was processed; source of hashish; many narcotics-processing
labs throughout the country; drug trade source of instability and
some antigovernment groups profit from the trade; 80-90% of the
heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium; vulnerable to
narcotics money laundering through informal financial networks

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Akrotiri

Introduction Akrotiri

Background:
By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the
independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovreignty and
jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in
total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these
is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as
the Western Sovereign Base Area.

Geography Akrotiri

Location:
peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Geographic coordinates:
34 37 N, 32 58 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 123 sq km
note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

Area - comparative:
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate:
temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues:
shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead
and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on
the base

Geography - note:
British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small
off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

People Akrotiri

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; note -
there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of
military personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia;
Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Government Akrotiri

Country name:
conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
conventional short form: Akrotiri

Dependency status:
overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is
also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital:
Episkopi; also serves as capital of Dhekelia

Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
appointed by the monarch
head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Tomas Clayton
PEARSON (since 9 May 2003) note - reports to the British Ministry of
Defence

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
the flag of the UK is used

Economy Akrotiri

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military
and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured
goods must be imported.

Military Akrotiri

Military - note:
Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on
Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Albania

Introduction Albania

Background:
Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
transition has proven difficult as successive governments have tried
to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated
infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks with links to high
government officials, and disruptive political opponents.
International observers judged parliamentary elections in 2001 and
local elections in 2003 to be acceptable and a step toward
democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies. Many of
these deficiencies have been addressed through bi-partisan changes
to the electoral code in 2003 and 2005, but implementation of these
changes will not be demonstrated until parliamentary elections in
July 2005.

Geography Albania

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea,
between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 28,748 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and
Montenegro 287 km

Coastline:
362 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers;
interior is cooler and wetter

Terrain:
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore,
nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 21.09%
permanent crops: 4.42%
other: 74.49% (2001)

Irrigated land:
3,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast;
floods; drought

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and
domestic effluents

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to
Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

People Albania

Population:
3,544,808 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 489,363; female 446,586)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 1,184,670; female 1,130,065)
65 years and over: 8.3% (male 135,177; female 158,947) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.2 years
male: 27.6 years
female: 28.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.51% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
15.08 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 23.01 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.06 years
male: 74.37 years
female: 80.02 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian

Ethnic groups:
Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, and
Macedonian or Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from
1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Religions:
Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current
statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were
closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November
1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Languages:
Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach,
Romani, Slavic dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 93.3%
female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

Government Albania

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise

Government type:
emerging democracy

Capital:
Tirana

Administrative divisions:
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i
Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i
Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku
i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores

Independence:
28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Constitution:
a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998

Legal system:
has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International
Criminal Court for its citizens

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24
July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
nominated by the president, and approved by Parliament
elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a
five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held NA
June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly
vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100
are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for
four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 June 2001 with subsequent rounds on 8 July,
22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held July 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and
coalition allies 36.8%, PDR 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH (now
PAA) 2.6%, PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies
46, PDR 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH (now PAA) 3, PAD 3, independents 2;
note - seats by party as of January 2005: PS 65, PD and coalition
allies 46, LSI 9, PDR 6, PSD 3, PBDNJ 3, PASH (now PAA) 3, PAD 3,
PDS 1, independents 1

Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the
People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and
district courts

Political parties and leaders:
Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian
Democratic Party or PDK [Nikolle LESI]; Communist Party of Albania
or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or PAD [Neritan
CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement
Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or PBL [Arjan
STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Adriatik
ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of
National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or
PDR [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social
Democracy Party or PDS [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD
[Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir
META]; Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albanian Party of Labor)
[Fatos NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel DULE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO];
Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI];
Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or
BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

International organization participation:
ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA
FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES
embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place,
Dulles, VA 20189-9510
telephone: [355] (4) 247285
FAX: [355] (4) 374957 and [355] (4) 232222

Flag description:
red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Economy Albania

Economy - overview:
Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the
difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The
government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur
economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances
from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and
Italy; this helps offset the sizable trade deficit. Agriculture,
which accounts for one-half of GDP, is held back because of frequent
drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small
plots of land. Severe energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate
infrastructure make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign
investment. The government plans to boost energy imports to relieve
the shortages and is moving slowly to improve the poor national road
and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic
growth.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $16.13 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 47.5%
industry: 24.6%
services: 27.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.7% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
30% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.4% (2003)

Labor force:
1.35 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 57%, non-agricultural private sector 20%, public sector
23% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
15.8% officially; may be as high as 30% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.36 billion
expenditures: $1.627 billion, including capital expenditures of $406
million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes;
meat, dairy products

Industries:
food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement,
chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Industrial production growth rate:
2.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
5.289 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
5.898 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
221 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
1.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
5,952 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
22,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
185.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
30 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
30 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.316 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$-407 million (2003)

Exports:
$425 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude
oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Exports - partners:
Italy 74.9%, Greece 12.8%, Germany 3.4% (2003)

Imports:
$1.76 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Imports - partners:
Italy 33.6%, Greece 20.2%, Turkey 6.6%, Germany 5.7% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$1.038 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$1.41 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.)

Currency:
lek (ALL)

Currency code:
ALL

Exchange rates:
leke per US dollar - 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002), 143.485
(2001), 143.709 (2000), 137.691 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Albania

Telephones - main lines in use:
255,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.1 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: Despite new investment in fixed lines, the
density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly 8
lines per 100 people. However, cellular telephone use is widespread
and generally effective.
domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile
phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies
were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of
Albania's Balkan neighbors
international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;
adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by
microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
(2003)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
1 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
700,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
.al

Internet hosts:
455 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
10 (2001)

Internet users:
30,000 (2003)

Transportation Albania

Railways:
total: 447 km
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 18,000 km
paved: 5,400 km
unpaved: 12,600 km (2000)

Waterways:
43 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Merchant marine:
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 40,878 GRT/62,676 DWT
registered in other countries: 7 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 1, cargo 19, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Netherlands 1

Airports:
11 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 2
over 3,047 m: 1

Heliports:
1 (2003 est.)

Military Albania

Military branches:
General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval
Forces Command, Air Forces Command, Doctrine and Exercises Command,
Logistics Support Command

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
19 years of age (2004 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 956,107 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 775,422 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 36,584 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$56.5 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.49% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Albania

Disputes - international:
the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of
ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful
resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in
neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea
has little appeal among Albanian nationals

Illicit drugs:
increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian
opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to
a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for
Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production;
ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding
in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional
trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

======================================================================

@Algeria

Introduction Algeria

Background:
After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought
through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's
primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has
dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent
generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the
FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round
success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991
balloting spurred the Algerian army 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. The army
began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin
attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections
featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but
did not appease the activists who progressively widened their
attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw
intense fighting between 1992-1998 and which resulted in over
100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of
villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the
late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army,
disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants
persist in confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and
occasional attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA
in the presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed
neutrality in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. A number of
longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second
term, including the ethnic minority Berbers' ongoing autonomy
campaign, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing,
unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies
and corruption, and the continuing - although significantly degraded
- activities of extremist militants. Algeria must also diversify its
petroleum-based economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but
which has not been used to redress Algeria's many social and
infrastructure problems. Algeria assumed a two-year seat on the UN
Security Council in January 2004.

Geography Algeria

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco
and Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:
28 00 N, 3 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 2,381,740 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 2,381,740 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
total: 6,343 km
border countries: 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
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; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc

Land use:
arable land: 3.22%
permanent crops: 0.25%
other: 96.53% (2001)

Irrigated land:
5,600 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and
floods in rainy season

Environment - current issues:
soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices;
desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes,
and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers
and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming
polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff;
inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

People Algeria

Population:
32,129,324 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.9% (male 4,893,971; female 4,705,933)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 10,593,840; female 10,443,300)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 703,420; female 788,860) (2004 est.)

Median age:
total: 23.8 years
male: 23.7 years
female: 24 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.28% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:
17.76 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:
4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 32.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 28.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 36.06 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.74 years
male: 71.22 years
female: 74.34 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian

Ethnic groups:
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the
minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the
mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algeirs; the Berbers are also
Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural
heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for
autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has
offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools

Religions:
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

Languages:
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70%
male: 78.8%
female: 61% (2003 est.)

Government Algeria

Country name:
conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria
local short form: Al Jaza'ir
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
Sha'biyah

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Algiers

Administrative divisions:
48 provinces (wilayas, 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)

National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

Constitution:
19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November
1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 9 May 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held NA April 2009);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for
second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS
6.4%, Abdallah DJABALLAH 5%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or
Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from 380 seats
in the 2002 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats;
one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds
elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; the
constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three
years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next
to be held NA 2007); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 30
December 2003 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 48, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT
21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of
Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party NA

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Court Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Democratic National
Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic Salvation Front or
FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh
KEBIR (self-exiled in Germany)]; National Entente Movement or MEN
[Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz
BELKHADEM, secretary general (also serves as Foreign Minister)];
National Reform Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Abdellah
DJABALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [Yacine TERKMANE];
Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for Culture and
Democracy or RCD [Said SAADI, secretary general]; Renaissance
Movement or EnNahda Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Social Liberal Party or
PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED,
secretary general (self-exiled in Switzerland)]; Society of Peace
Movement or MSP [Boujerra SOLTANI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa
HANOUN]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
in March 1997

Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Algerian Human Rights League or LADH or LADDH [Yahia Ali
ABDENOUR]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]

International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner),
UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2137 Wyoming Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. ERDMAN
embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
telephone: [213] (21) 691-425/255/186
FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79

Flag description:
two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red,
five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color
boundary; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional
symbols of Islam (the state religion)

Economy Algeria

Economy - overview:
The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting
for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of
export earnings. Algeria has the seventh-largest reserves of natural
gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it ranks
14th in oil reserves. Economic policy reforms supported by the IMF
and debt rescheduling from the Paris Club in the past decade have
helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic indicators.
Because of sustained high oil prices in the past three years,
Algeria's finances have further benefited from substantial trade
surpluses and record foreign exchange reserves. Real GDP has risen
due to higher oil output and increased government spending. The
government's continued efforts to diversify the economy by
attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy
sector, however, has had little success in reducing high
unemployment and improving living standards. Structural reform
within the economy moves ahead slowly.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $196 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
7.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10.2%
industry: 56.5%
services: 33.4% (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
23% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
9.6 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public works 10%,
trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
26.2% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $25.49 billion
expenditures: $22.87 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8
billion (2003 est.)

Public debt:
41.5% of GDP (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle

Industries:
petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical,
petrochemical, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
6% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
24.69 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
22.9 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
340 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
275 million kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
1.52 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
209,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
13.1 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
80.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
22.32 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
57.98 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
4.739 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$7.836 billion (2003)

Exports:
$24.96 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

Exports - partners:
Italy 19.5%, US 18.5%, France 13.6%, Spain 11.2%, Canada 6.2%,
Belgium 5.1%, Brazil 4.9% (2003)

Imports:
$12.42 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
France 30.9%, Italy 9.6%, Spain 6.1%, Germany 5.5%, China 4.6%,
Turkey 4.1% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
$33.42 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
$22.71 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$182 million (2001 est.)

Currency:
Algerian dinar (DZD)

Currency code:
DZD

Exchange rates:
Algerian dinars per US dollar - 77.395 (2003), 79.6819 (2002),
77.215 (2001), 75.2598 (2000), 66.5739 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Algeria

Telephones - main lines in use:
2,199,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,447,310 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very low, not
exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main
lines increased in the last few years to a little more than
2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers; much
of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
earth stations are planned)
international: country code - 213; 5 submarine cables; microwave
radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial
cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

Radios:
7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.dz

Internet hosts:
897 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
500,000 (2002)

Transportation Algeria

Railways:
total: 3,973 km
standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 104,000 km
paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,344 km (1999)

Pipelines:
condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,213 km;
oil 6,496 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene,
Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes

Merchant marine:
total: 59 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 837,676 GRT/929,847 DWT
by type: bulk 9, cargo 16, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas 10,
petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea/passenger 4,
specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: United Kingdom 4
registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports:
137 (2003 est.)