Official Name People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

Population 34,500,650
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 Algiers; 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.

Capital City Algiers (1.7 Million)

Largest Cities Algiers, Oran, Constantine

Currency Algerian Dinar

Latitude/Longitude 36º77 N, 3º04 E

Languages Arabic (official), French and other dialects


National Day 1 November; Revolution Day

Religions Sunni Muslim (99%), Christian, Jewish

Land

Land Area 2,381.740 sq km (919,590 sq miles), slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Landforms Mostly high plateau and the Sahara Desert, including three large sand seas. The Atlas mountains are in the north, and the Ahaggar Massif (Mts.) southeast. There is a hilly and narrow coastal plain along the Mediterranean Sea with a few minor (small) rivers.

Highest Point Mt. Tahat (3,003 meters) (9,850 ft), located in the Ahaggar Mountains

Lowest Point Lk. Chott Melrhir, (-40 meters)

Land Divisions 48 provinces; including 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 and Tlemcen

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

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 eighth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter; it ranks 18th in oil reserves.