Algeria

E

Commerce and Trade

The principal Algerian exports are natural gas, petroleum, iron ore, vegetables, tobacco, phosphates, fruit, cork, and hides. Major imports are machinery, textiles, sugar, cereals, iron and steel, coal, and petrol. The EU is Algeria’s main trading partner, taking nearly two thirds of its exports, including much of its oil. Other major partners are the United States and Japan. In 2004, exports totalled about US$32,083 million and imports about US$18,386 million. Algeria’s trade volume and balance depend heavily on petroleum prices.

F

Labour

The General Union of Algerian Workers, founded in 1956 during the struggle for independence, consists of 1 million members divided by trade into ten sectors. In 1973 a National Union of Algerian Peasants was formed, consisting of about 700,000 farmer members. The labour force consisted of about 13.9 million in 2006, of whom some 26 per cent engaged in industry, 21 per cent in agriculture, and 53 per cent in services in 2004.

G

Transport

The rail and road systems mainly serve the northern third of the country. There were 725,000 passenger cars in 1996, with a ratio of 23 people per car. Five railway lines run to the northern edge of the Sahara, and roads link the Sahara oilfields to the coast. In 2005 Algeria had about 3,572 km (2,220 mi) of railway track and in 2004 about 108,302 km (67,296 mi) of roads, of which 70 per cent was paved in 2004. Algeria’s segment of a trans-Saharan highway, extending from the Mediterranean coast past Tamanrasset to the Niger border, was completed in 1985. Air Algérie, the national airline, provides domestic and international air service. Houari Boumédienne International Airport lies at Algiers.

H

Communications

All news media, including the country’s 17 (2004) daily newspapers, are government controlled. Book publishing and the radio and television networks are under the auspices of government agencies. In 1997 Algeria had around 7.1 million radios, 3.4 million televisions, and in 2005 78 telephones per 1,000 people.

V

Government

Under the constitution adopted in February 1989 and subsequently revised in 1996, Algeria is a socialist republic.