3 GeoFroggy

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

Administrative Divisions

48 provinces (wilayat, 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

8 September 1963; revised 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

International Law Organization Participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)

Head of government: Prime Minister Abdelaziz BELKHADEM

Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held in 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%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%

Legislative Branch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats; 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; to serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three years)

Elections: National People's Assembly - last held 17 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 28 December 2006 (next to be held in 2009)

Election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - FLN 23%, RND 10.3%, MSP 9.6%, PT 5.1%, RCD 3.4%, FNA 4.2%, other 34.6%, independents 9.8%; seats by party - FLN 136, RND 61, MSP 52, PT 26, RCD 19, FNA 13, other 49, independents 33; Council of Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 29, RND 12, MSP 3, RCD 1, independents 3, presidential appointees (unknown affiliation) 24; note - Council seating reflects the number of replaced council members rather than the whole Council

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court

Political Parties and Leaders

Array

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]

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)

National Anthem

Year

Government Type

  • 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)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Amine KHERBI
  • Chancery
    2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 265-2800
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 667-2174

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Robert S. FORD
  • Embassy
    04 Chemin Cheikh Bachir Ibrahimi El-Biar 16030, Algiers
  • Mailing Address
    B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
  • Telephone
    [213] (021) 69-12-55
  • FAX
    [213] (021) 69-39-79

International Organization Participation

  • ABEDA
  • AfDB
  • AFESD
  • AMF
  • AMU
  • AU
  • BIS
  • FAO
  • G-15
  • G-24
  • G-77
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICC
  • ICCt (signatory)
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IDB
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • IHO
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • IMSO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • IPU
  • ISO
  • ITSO
  • ITU
  • ITUC
  • LAS
  • MIGA
  • MONUC
  • NAM
  • OAPEC
  • OAS (observer)
  • OIC
  • ONUB
  • OPCW
  • OPEC
  • OSCE (partner)
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNHCR
  • UNIDO
  • UNMEE
  • UNWTO
  • UPU
  • WCO
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO (observer)