I-General information on Algeria
-Territory, population and indicators: Land area: 2,381,000 km2; population: 39.21 million
(2013); official language: Arabic; national languages: Arabic, Tamazight; religion: Islam;
currency: Algerian dinar; GDP: US$ 206.5 billion (2012)/per capita income: US$ 5,659 (2012);
gross external debt: US$ 3.9 billion (2012); unemployment rate: 9.7 % (2012); average life
expectancy (2011): 76.7 years (77.3 years for women and 76 years for men); child mortality rate
(2010): average of 23.7 per 1,000 births (boys: 25.5 per 1,000 births and girls: 21.8 per 1,000
births); maternal mortality rate: 76.9 maternal deaths per 100,000 births (2010); economic
growth rate: 2.6 % (2012); inflation: 8.89 % (2012); school enrolment rate: 98 % (2010); age
structure in % (RGPH- 2008): below 5 years: 10.0, below 20 years: 38.7, the youth 15-24 years:
21.8, 25-59 years: 53.8, 60 years and above: 7.4. Human development index (in 2014): 0.717
(Algeria is ranked high in HDI)
- Institutional framework
- The institutional framework provides for constitutional and non-constitutional mechanisms.
- Constitutional mechanisms
- Constitutional mechanisms are based on political bodies and judicial institutions.
- The Constitution of 1989, amended in 1996 and in 2008, institutes the separation of powers
between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. The country has a presidential system.
- Legislative power is vested in Parliament, a forum for democratic and pluralistic expression.
Parliament oversees the work of the Government and votes laws. Human rights issues are
handled by the relevant standing committees.
- Following the constitutional amendment of 28 November 1996 establishing a bicameral
Parliament, the People’s National Assembly (ANP) is now the first chamber of Parliament, with
462 Members of Parliament representing the various political groups, elected by direct universal
suffrage. The Council of the Nation is the second chamber of Parliament with 144 members.
Two-thirds of its members are elected by indirect suffrage by the college of members of the
Communal and Departmental People’s Assemblies, and one-third, comprising 48 members, is
appointed by the President of the Republic.
- An organic law to increase women’s representation in elected local and national assemblies
was promulgated in January 2012. The law guarantees the gradual process of female
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