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Algeria - GENERAL INFORMATION
 
Population - Local time - Languages - Religion - Political system - Climate - Tourism - Food



Population



Main Cities Population
Algiers   3,800,000  
Oran   800  
Constantine   500  
Annaba   450  
Tlamcen   200  



Total population (millions): 32.4
Source: World Bank 2004

Urban population: 59%
Source: World Bank 2004

Average annual population growth: 1.7%
Source: World Bank 2004

Surface area (km²) : 2,381,740


Population origin

Origin of the population% Of the population
Arab83
Berber17


Local time


It is %T:%M %A in Algiers


GMT+1


Languages


Official language: Arabic
The 17th of December 1996 the law specified the generalisation of Arabic for all activities. It is spoken by the Berbers or Amazigh (25% ; 51% in 1860; 30% in 1952) [kabyle, chaouia, mozabite (the zenatyia dialect), chenoui, targui (Touareg or Tamahaqt in Tamacheq, have kept their berber writting, the Tifinagh)
Other language spoken: French (administrative language taught from the 4th year of primary school to the end of high school studies; French speaking daily newspapers publish 700,000 copies)

Free translation tools in Algeria :
Arjeeb
Free English-Arabic-English translation of texts and web pages

Ectaco
Free Arabic-English-Arabic dictionary



Religion


Religious practises : Sunni Muslims : 99.6%
Catholics 0.2%
Others 0.2%.


Political system


The political system is a presidential regime. Algeria reviewed its constitution in 1996. The President is elected for a 5 year term, with one possible re-election. He is assisted by the Prime Minister. The Parliament is composed of two Chambers, the National Popular Assembly which counts 380 members elected by direct universal suffrage and the Council of the Nation, which counts 144 members elected for 6 years. 48 of them are directly appointed by the President and the others (96) are elected by indirect universal suffrage.
Capital: Algiers
Head of State: President Abdelaziz Bouteflika re-elected on April 8 of 2004.
Prime Minister: M. Ahmed OUYAHIA since may 2003.


Climate

 


Tourism

Number of visitors in Algeria 2002 2003 2004 World rank
Number of visitors (1000) 988   1166   1234   n.a.
Source : World Tourisme Organization, data available in November 2005

 

Tourist sites


-Algiers: National Museum of Antiques (Park of freedom), Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions (Off street Hadj Omar), Museum of History and Museum of Natural History (Park of Freedom), Bardo museum (3 avenue Franklin Roosevelt), Jihad museum and Museum of War, the Martyrs' Monument
-Oran: Demaeght museum (boulevard Zabana).
-Constantine: Constantine museum (Place of the martyrs), the Mosque
-Annaba: Hippo Regius museum
-Little Kabylie: East
-Great Kabylie: the mountainous massifs are edged in the North by the sea; in the West by the Isser oued, of the Palestro mouth; in the South by the Palestro road , Bouira, Maillot, Akbou; in the East by the Soummam valley.
-Saharan Algeria: plains and mountains.

For more information about tourism in Algeria , check out the following web site(s) :
Informations portal on tourism in Algeria


Food


Traditional dishes


Lamb with prunes and almonds - Lahm Lhalou: it is a rich and sweet dish.
The Couscous which can be prepared with a wide variety of vegetables.

Food-related taboos


Eating pork is prohibited in Algeria.

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Last modified in October 2005
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