AbuZar Ali Khan

Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency. On 7 September 2017, the island suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Irma, particularly to communications and residential and business infrastructure.
Geography
Location
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates
18 15 N, 63 10 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total:91 sq km
land:91 sq km
water:0 sq km
Area - comparative
about one-half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total:0 km
Coastline
61 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea:12 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm
exclusive fishing zone:200 nm
Climate
tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds
Terrain
flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone
Elevation
lowest point:Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point:Crocus Hill 73 m
Natural resources
salt, fish, lobster
Land use
agricultural land:0% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest:61.1% (2018 est.)
other:38.9% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2012)
Natural hazards
frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)
Environment - current issues
supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system
Geography - note
the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles
People and Society
Population
18,403 (July 2021 est.)
Nationality
noun:Anguillan(s)
adjective:Anguillan
Ethnic groups
African/Black 85.3%, Hispanic 4.9%, mixed 3.8%, White 3.2%, East Indian/Indian 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)
note:data represent population by ethnic origin
Languages
English (official)
Religions
Protestant 73.2% (includes Anglican 22.7%, Methodist 19.4%, Pentecostal 10.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.3%, Baptist 7.1%, Church of God 4.9%, Presbyterian 0.2%, Brethren 0.1%), Roman Catholic 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 10.9%, other 3.2%, unspecified 0.3%, none 4.5% (2011 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years:21.63% (male 1,991/female 1,922)
15-24 years:13.9% (male 1,269/female 1,246)
25-54 years:42.27% (male 3,428/female 4,218)
55-64 years:12.42% (male 993/female 1,254)
65 years and over:9.78% (male 874/female 895) (2020 est.)
Median age
total:35.7 years
male:33.7 years
female:37.6 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
1.84% (2021 est.)
Birth rate
12.12 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate
4.62 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate
10.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population distribution
most of the population is concentrated in The Valley in the center of the island; settlmement is fairly uniform in the southwest, but rather sparce in the northeast
Urbanization
urban population:100% of total population (2020)
rate of urbanization:0.9% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1,000 THE VALLEY (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth:1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.02 male(s)/female
25-54 years:0.81 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.79 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.98 male(s)/female
total population:0.9 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total:3.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male:4.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female:2.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population:82 years
male:79.37 years
female:84.7 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.72 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
improved:urban: 97.5% of population
total: 97.5% of population
unimproved:urban: 2.5% of population
total: 2.5% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:urban: 99.1% of population
total: 99.1% of population
unimproved:urban: 0.9% of population
total: 0.9% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Education expenditures
NA
Government
Country name
conventional long form:none
conventional short form:Anguilla
etymology:the name Anguilla means "eel" in various Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French) and likely derives from the island's lengthy shape
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK
Government type
parliamentary democracy (House of Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK
Capital
name:The Valley
geographic coordinates:18 13 N, 63 03 W
time difference:UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology:name derives from the capital's location between several hills
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday
Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967)
Constitution
history:several previous; latest 1 April 1982
amendments:amended 1990
Legal system
common law based on the English model
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state:Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Tim FOY (since August 2017)
head of government:Premier Dr. Ellis WEBSTER (since 30 June 2020); note - starting in 2019, the title of head of government was changed to premier from chief minister of Anguilla
cabinet:Executive Council appointed by the governor from among elected members of the House of Assembly
elections/appointments:the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed premier by the governor
Legislative branch
description:unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 2 appointed by the governor, and 2 ex officio members - the attorney general and deputy governor; members serve five-year terms)
elections:last held on 29 June 2020 (next to be held in 2025)
election results:percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APM 7, AUF 4; composition - NA
Judicial branch
highest courts:the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, though none on Anguilla
judge selection and term of office:Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
subordinate courts:Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court
Political parties and leaders
Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP
Anguilla National Alliance or ANA
Anguilla Progressive Movement or APM [Dr. Ellis WEBSTER]; prior to 2019, it was known as the Anguilla United Movement or AUM
Anguilla United Front or AUF [Victor BANKS] (alliance includes ADP, ANA)
Democracy, Opportunity, Vision, and Empowerment Party or DOVE [Sutcliffe HODGE]
International organization participation
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US
telephone:[1] (246) 227-4000
embassy:none (overseas territory of the UK); alternate contact is the US Embassy in Barbados [1] (246) 227-4000
Flag description
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with a turquoise-blue field below; the white in the background represents peace; the blue base symbolizes the surrounding sea, as well as faith, youth, and hope; the three dolphins stand for endurance, unity, and strength
National anthem
name: God Bless Anguilla
lyrics/music: Alex RICHARDSON
note: local anthem adopted 1981; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Economic overview
Anguilla has few natural resources, is unsuited for agriculture, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism industry has spurred the growth of the construction sector contributing to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector, which is small but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend largely on the recovery of the tourism sector and, therefore, on revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on favorable weather conditions.
Real GDP growth rate
-8.5% (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.3% (2017 est.)
-0.6% (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$175.4 million (2009 est.)
$191.7 million (2008 est.)
$108.9 million (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$175.4 million (2009 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$12,200 (2008 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture:3% (2017 est.)
industry:10.5% (2017 est.)
services:86.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption:74.1% (2017 est.)
government consumption:18.3% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital:26.8% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories:0% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services:48.2% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services:-67.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising
Industries
tourism, boat building, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate
4% (2017 est.)
Labor force
6,049 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture:74.1%
industry:3%
services:18%
agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining:4% (2000 est.)
manufacturing:3% (2000 est.)
construction:18% (2000 est.)
transportation and utilities:10% (2000 est.)
commerce:36% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
8% (2002)
Population below poverty line
23% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%:NA
highest 10%:NA
Budget
revenues:81.92 million (2017 est.)
expenditures:80.32 million (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
46.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt
20.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
20.8% of GDP (2014 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Current account balance
-$23.2 million (2017 est.)
-$25.3 million (2016 est.)
Exports
$7.9 million (2017 est.)
$3.9 million (2016 est.)
Exports - commodities
lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum
Imports
$186.2 million (2017 est.)
$170.1 million (2016 est.)
Imports - commodities
fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$76.38 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$48.14 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Debt - external
$41.04 million (31 December 2013)
$8.8 million (1998)
Exchange rates
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -
2.7 (2017 est.)
2.7 (2016 est.)
2.7 (2015 est.)
2.7 (2014 est.)
2.7 (2013 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions:7,461
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:42.02 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions:32,332
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:182.09 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment:modern internal telephone system with fiber-optic trunk lines; telecom sector provides a relatively high contribution to overall GDP; numerous competitors licensed, but small and localized; major growth sectors include the mobile telephony and data segments (2020)
domestic:fixed-line teledensity is about 42 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 182 per 100 persons (2019)
international:country code - 1-264; landing points for the SSCS, ECFS, GCN and Southern Caribbean Fiber with submarine cable links to Caribbean islands and to the US; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten (2019)
note:the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Broadcast media
1 private TV station; multi-channel cable TV subscription services are available; about 10 radio stations, one of which is government-owned
Internet country code
.ai
Internet users
total:14,211
percent of population:81.57% (July 2018 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers:2 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:4
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
VP-A (2016)
Airports
total:1 (2020)
Airports - with paved runways
total:1 (2020)
1,524 to 2,437 m:1
Roadways
total:175 km (2004)
paved:82 km (2004)
unpaved:93 km (2004)
Merchant marine
total:2
by type:other 2 (2020)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s):Blowing Point, Road Bay
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe .

From the late 14th to the mid 19th century a Kingdom of Kongo stretched across central Africa from present-day northern Angola into the current Congo republics. It traded heavily with the Portuguese who, beginning in the 16th century, established coastal colonies and trading posts and introduced Christianity. By the 19th century, Portuguese settlement had spread to the interior; in 1914, Portugal abolished the last vestiges of the Kongo Kingdom and Angola became a Portuguese colony.
Angola scores low on human development indexes despite using its large oil reserves to rebuild since the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but fighting picked up again in 1993. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - during the more than a quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and cemented the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS stepped down from the presidency in 2017, having led the country since 1979. He pushed through a new constitution in 2010. Joao LOURENCO was elected president in August 2017 and became president of the MPLA in September 2018.
Geography
Location
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates
12 30 S, 18 30 E
Map references
Africa
Area
total:1,246,700 sq km
land:1,246,700 sq km
water:0 sq km
Area - comparative
about eight times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries
total:5,369 km
border countries (4):Democratic Republic of the Congo 2646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 231 km, Namibia 1427 km, Zambia 1065 km
Coastline
1,600 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea:12 nm
contiguous zone:24 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm
Climate
semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)
Terrain
narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau
Elevation
mean elevation:1,112 m
lowest point:Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:Moca 2,620 m
Natural resources
petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium
Land use
agricultural land:45.7% (2018 est.)
arable land: 3.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.)
forest:54.3% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
860 sq km (2014)
Natural hazards
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Environment - current issues
overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements
party to:Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
People and Society
Population
33,642,646 (July 2021 est.)
note: Angola's national statistical agency projects the country's 2017 population to be 28.4 million
Nationality
noun:Angolan(s)
adjective:Angolan
Ethnic groups
Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%
Languages
Portuguese 71.2% (official), Umbundu 23%, Kikongo 8.2%, Kimbundu 7.8%, Chokwe 6.5%, Nhaneca 3.4%, Nganguela 3.1%, Fiote 2.4%, Kwanhama 2.3%, Muhumbi 2.1%, Luvale 1%, other 3.6% (2014 est.)
note: data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census
Religions
Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (2014 est.)
Demographic profile
More than a decade after the end of Angola's 27-year civil war, the country still faces a variety of socioeconomic problems, including poverty, high maternal and child mortality, and illiteracy. Despite the country's rapid post-war economic growth based on oil production, about 40 percent of Angolans live below the poverty line and unemployment is widespread, especially among the large young-adult population. Only about 70% of the population is literate, and the rate drops to around 60% for women. The youthful population - about 45% are under the age of 15 - is expected to continue growing rapidly with a fertility rate of more than 5 children per woman and a low rate of contraceptive use. Fewer than half of women deliver their babies with the assistance of trained health care personnel, which contributes to Angola's high maternal mortality rate.
Of the estimated 550,000 Angolans who fled their homeland during its civil war, most have returned home since 2002. In 2012, the UN assessed that conditions in Angola had been stable for several years and invoked a cessation of refugee status for Angolans. Following the cessation clause, some of those still in exile returned home voluntarily through UN repatriation programs, and others integrated into host countries.
Age structure
0-14 years:47.83% (male 7,758,636/female 7,797,869)
15-24 years:18.64% (male 2,950,999/female 3,109,741)
25-54 years:27.8% (male 4,301,618/female 4,740,463)
55-64 years:3.43% (male 523,517/female 591,249)
65 years and over:2.3% (male 312,197/female 436,050) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio:94.5
youth dependency ratio:90.2
elderly dependency ratio:4.3
potential support ratio:23.5 (2020 est.)
Median age
total:15.9 years
male:15.4 years
female:16.4 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
3.38% (2021 est.)
Birth rate
42.22 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate
8.24 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population distribution
most people live in the western half of the country; urban areas account for the highest concentrations of people, particularly the capital of Luanda as shown in thispopulation distribution map
Urbanization
urban population:66.8% of total population (2020)
rate of urbanization:4.32% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
8.632 million LUANDA (capital), 871,000 Lubango, 819,000 Cabinda (2021)
Sex ratio
at birth:1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years:0.99 male(s)/female
15-24 years:0.95 male(s)/female
25-54 years:0.91 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.72 male(s)/female
total population:0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
241 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total:60.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male:65.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female:55.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population:61.71 years
male:59.66 years
female:63.81 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.9 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
13.7% (2015/16)
Drinking water source
improved:urban: 81.7% of population
rural: 36.6% of population
total: 65.8% of population
unimproved:urban: 18.3% of population
rural: 63.4% of population
total: 34.2% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
2.6% (2018)
Physicians density
0.22 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved:urban: 92.2% of population
rural: 29.2% of population
total: 70.1% of population
unimproved:urban: 7.8% of population
rural: 70.8% of population
total: 29.9% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
1.8% (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
340,000 (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
13,000 (2019 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk:very high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:dengue fever, malaria
water contact diseases:schistosomiasis
animal contact diseases:rabies
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
8.2% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
19% (2016)
Education expenditures
3.4% of GDP (2010)
Literacy
definition:age 15 and over can read and write
total population:71.1%
male:82%
female:60.7% (2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total:10 years
male:12 years
female:7 years (2011)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total:39.4%
male:39%
female:39.8% (2014 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form:Republic of Angola
conventional short form:Angola
local long form:Republica de Angola
local short form:Angola
former:People's Republic of Angola
etymology:name derived by the Portuguese from the title "ngola" held by kings of the Ndongo (Ndongo was a kingdom in what is now northern Angola)
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name:Luanda
geographic coordinates:8 50 S, 13 13 E
time difference:UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:does not observe daylight savings time
etymology:originally named "Sao Paulo da Assuncao de Loanda" (Saint Paul of the Assumption of Loanda), which over time was shortened and corrupted to just Luanda
Administrative divisions
18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza-Norte, Cuanza-Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda-Norte, Lunda-Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire
Independence
11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday
Independence Day, 11 November (1975)
Constitution
history:previous 1975, 1992; latest passed by National Assembly 21 January 2010, adopted 5 February 2010
amendments:proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one third of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly subject to prior Constitutional Court review if requested by the president of the republic
Legal system
civil legal system based on Portuguese civil law; no judicial review of legislation
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth:no
citizenship by descent only:at least one parent must be a citizen of Angola
dual citizenship recognized:no
residency requirement for naturalization:10 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state:President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 26 September 2017); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:President Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (since 26 September 2017); Vice President Bornito De Sousa Baltazar DIOGO (since 26 September 2017)
cabinet:Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections/appointments:the candidate of the winning party or coalition in the last legislative election becomes the president; president serves a 5-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term); last held on 23 August 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
election results:Joao Manuel Goncalves LOURENCO (MPLA) elected president by the winning party following the 23 August 2017 general election
Legislative branch
description:unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members directly elected in a single national constituency and in multi-seat constituencies by closed list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections:last held on 23 August 2017 (next to be held in August 2022)
election results:percent of vote by party - MPLA 61.1%, UNITA 26.7%, CASA-CE 9.5%, PRS 1.4%, FNLA 0.9%, other 0.5%; seats by party - MPLA 150, UNITA 51, CASA-CE 16, PRS 2, FNLA 1; composition - men 136, women 84, percent of women 38.2%
Judicial branch
highest courts:Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of the court president, vice president, and a minimum of 16 judges); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 11 judges)
judge selection and term of office:Supreme Court judges appointed by the president upon recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, an 18-member body chaired by the president; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 4 nominated by the president, 4 elected by National Assembly, 2 elected by Supreme National Council, 1 elected by competitive submission of curricula; judges serve single 7-year terms
subordinate courts:provincial and municipal courts
Political parties and leaders
Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE [Andre Mendes de CARVALHO]
National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA; note - party has two factions; one led by Lucas NGONDA; the other by Ngola KABANGU
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest opposition party)
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Joao LOURENCO]; note - Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS stepped down 8 Sept 2018 ruling party in power since 1975
Social Renewal Party or PRS [Benedito DANIEL]
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission:Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito SANTO (since 16 September 2019)
chancery:2100-2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:[1] (202) 785-1156
FAX:[1] (202) 822-9049
consulate(s) general:Houston, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission:Ambassador Nina Maria FITE (since 14 February 2018)
telephone:[244] 946440977
embassy:32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of Luanda), Luanda, C.P. 6468
mailing address:international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda; pouch: US Embassy Luanda, US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521-2550
FAX:[244] (222) 64-1000
Flag description
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle); red represents liberty and black the African continent; the symbols characterize workers and peasants
National anthem
name: "Angola Avante" (Forward Angola)
lyrics/music: Manuel Rui Alves MONTEIRO/Rui Alberto Vieira Dias MINGAO
note: adopted 1975
Economy
Economic overview
Angola's economy is overwhelmingly driven by its oil sector. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about 50% of GDP, more than 70% of government revenue, and more than 90% of the country's exports; Angola is an OPEC member and subject to its direction regarding oil production levels. Diamonds contribute an additional 5% to exports. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country's food is still imported.
Increased oil production supported growth averaging more than 17% per year from 2004 to 2008. A postwar reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons led to high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Some of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from the 27-year-long civil war (1975-2002). However, the government since 2005 has used billions of dollars in credit from China, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and the EU to help rebuild Angola's public infrastructure. Land mines left from the war still mar the countryside, and as a result, the national military, international partners, and private Angolan firms all continue to remove them.
The global recession that started in 2008 stalled Angola’s economic growth and many construction projects stopped because Luanda accrued billions in arrears to foreign construction companies when government revenue fell. Lower prices for oil and diamonds also resulted in GDP falling 0.7% in 2016. Angola formally abandoned its currency peg in 2009 but reinstituted it in April 2016 and maintains an overvalued exchange rate. In late 2016, Angola lost the last of its correspondent relationships with foreign banks, further exacerbating hard currency problems. Since 2013 the central bank has consistently spent down reserves to defend the kwanza, gradually allowing a 40% depreciation since late 2014. Consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to less than 9% in 2014, before rising again to above 30% from 2015-2017.
Continued low oil prices, the depreciation of the kwanza, and slower than expected growth in non-oil GDP have reduced growth prospects, although several major international oil companies remain in Angola. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, is a major long-term challenge that poses an additional threat to the economy.
Real GDP growth rate
-2.5% (2017 est.)
-2.6% (2016 est.)
0.9% (2015 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
17.2% (2019 est.)
20.3% (2018 est.)
32.1% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings
Fitch rating:CCC (2020)
Moody's rating:Caa1 (2020)
Standard & Poors rating:CCC+ (2020)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$212.285 billion (2019 est.)
$213.619 billion (2018 est.)
$217.987 billion (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$97.261 billion (2019 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$6,670 (2019 est.)
$6,934 (2018 est.)
$7,311 (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
Gross national saving
23.3% of GDP (2019 est.)
25.2% of GDP (2018 est.)
23.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture:10.2% (2011 est.)
industry:61.4% (2011 est.)
services:28.4% (2011 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption:80.6% (2017 est.)
government consumption:15.6% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital:10.3% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories:-1.2% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services:25.4% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services:-30.7% (2017 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores
28.1 (2020)
Agricultural products
cassava, bananas, maize, sweet potatoes, pineapples, sugar cane, potatoes, citrus fruit, vegetables, cabbage
Industries
petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing, brewing, tobacco products, sugar; textiles; ship repair
Industrial production growth rate
2.5% (2017 est.)
Labor force
12.51 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture:85%
industry:15% (2015 est.)
industry and services:15% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate
6.6% (2016 est.)
Population below poverty line
36.6% (2008 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
51.3 (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%:0.6%
highest 10%:44.7% (2000)
Budget
revenues:37.02 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures:45.44 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
29.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-6.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt
65% of GDP (2017 est.)
75.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$1.254 billion (2017 est.)
-$4.834 billion (2016 est.)
Exports
$33.07 billion (2017 est.)
$31.03 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - partners
China 62%, India 10%, United Arab Emirates 4%, Portugal 3%, Spain 3% (2019)
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, diamonds, natural gas, refined petroleum, ships (2019)
Imports
$19.5 billion (2017 est.)
$13.04 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - partners
China 22%, Portugal 15%, Nigeria 6%, Belgium 6%, United States 5%, South Africa 5%, Brazil 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, scrap vessels, meat, rice, palm oil (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$17.29 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$23.74 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external
$42.08 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$27.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
kwanza (AOA) per US dollar -
172.6 (2017 est.)
163.656 (2016 est.)
163.656 (2015 est.)
120.061 (2014 est.)
98.303 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity - production
10.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption
9.036 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
2.613 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
34% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
64% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production
1.593 million bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports
1.782 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
9.523 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
53,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption
130,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
30,340 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
111,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production
3.115 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
821.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports
3.993 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
308.1 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
20.95 million Mt (2017 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions:122,566
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:less than 1 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions:14,645,106
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:46.6 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment:progress in opening up the telecom sector to new competitors, while still retaining a 45% govt. portion of the share; slow progress in LTE network development, with only about 12% of the country covered by network infrastructure; regulator offers 4th service license to be issued for competition, cracks down on informal SIM card sales, and auctions 800MHz spectrum; M-commerce services launch pending (2020)
domestic:only about one fixed-line per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity about 47 telephones per 100 persons (2019)
international:country code - 244; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC, WACS, ACE and SACS fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to other countries in west Africa, Brazil, Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 29, Angosat-2 satellite expected by 2021 (2019)
note:the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Broadcast media
state controls all broadcast media with nationwide reach; state-owned Televisao Popular de Angola (TPA) provides terrestrial TV service on 2 channels; a third TPA channel is available via cable and satellite; TV subscription services are available; state-owned Radio Nacional de Angola (RNA) broadcasts on 5 stations; about a half-dozen private radio stations broadcast locally
Internet country code
.ao
Internet users
total:4,353,033
percent of population:14.34% (July 2018 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total:109,561
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:less than 1 (2018 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers:10 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:55
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:1,516,628 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:78.16 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
D2 (2016)
Airports
total:102 (2020)
Airports - with paved runways
total:32 (2020)
over 3,047 m:8
2,438 to 3,047 m:8
1,524 to 2,437 m:10
914 to 1,523 m:6
Airports - with unpaved runways
total:70 (2020)
over 3,047 m:2
2,438 to 3,047 m:2
1,524 to 2,437 m:17
914 to 1,523 m:27
under 914 m:22
Heliports
1 (2013)
Pipelines
352 km gas, 85 km liquid petroleum gas, 1065 km oil, 5 km oil/gas/water (2013)
Railways
total:2,852 km (2014)
narrow gauge:2,729 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)
123 km 0.600-m gauge
Roadways
total:26,000 km (2018)
paved:13,600 km (2018)
unpaved:12,400 km (2018)
Waterways
1,300 km (2011)
Merchant marine
total:54
by type:general cargo 14, oil tanker 8, other 32 (2020)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s):Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Namibe
LNG terminal(s) (export):Angola Soyo
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Angolan Armed Forces (Forcas Armadas Angolanas, FAA): Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra Angola, MGA), Angolan National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional Angolana, FANA; under operational control of the Army); Rapid Reaction Police (paramilitary) (2021)
Military expenditures
1.7% of GDP (2019)
1.8% of GDP (2018)
2.4% of GDP (2017)
3% of GDP (2016)
3.5% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) are comprised of approximately 107,000 active troops (100,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 6,000 Air Force); est. 10,000 Rapid Reaction Police (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
most Angolan military weapons and equipment are of Russian, Soviet, or Warsaw Pact origin; since 2010, Russia has remained the principle supplier of military hardware to Angola (2020)
Military service age and obligation
20-45 years of age for compulsory male and 18-45 years for voluntary male military service (registration at age 18 is mandatory); 20-45 years of age for voluntary female service; 2-year conscript service obligation; Angolan citizenship required; the Navy (MGA) is entirely staffed with volunteers (2019)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Angola of shifting monuments
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin):23,436 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)
Illicit drugs
used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particularly South Africa .

The landlocked Principality of Andorra is one of the smallest states in Europe, nestled high in the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish borders. For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique coprincipality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Bishop of Urgell). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the introduction of a modern constitution; the co-princes remained as titular heads of state, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy.
Andorra has become a popular tourist destination visited by approximately 8 million people each year drawn by the winter sports, summer climate, and duty-free shopping. Andorra has also become a wealthy international commercial center because of its mature banking sector and low taxes. As part of its effort to modernize its economy, Andorra has opened to foreign investment, and engaged in other reforms, such as advancing tax initiatives aimed at supporting a broader infrastructure. Although not a member of the EU, Andorra enjoys a special relationship with the bloc that is governed by various customs and cooperation agreements and uses the euro as its national currency.
Geography
Location
Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the border between France and Spain
Geographic coordinates
42 30 N, 1 30 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total:468 sq km
land:468 sq km
water:0 sq km
Area - comparative
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total:118 km
border countries (2):France 55 km, Spain 63 km
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Climate
temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Terrain
rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Elevation
mean elevation:1,996 m
lowest point:Riu Runer 840 m
highest point:Pic de Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Natural resources
hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Land use
agricultural land:40% (2018 est.)
arable land: 1.7% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 38.3% (2018 est.)
forest:34% (2018 est.)
other:26% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2012)
Natural hazards
avalanches
Environment - current issues
deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements
party to:Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees
People and Society
Population
85,645 (July 2021 est.)
Nationality
noun:Andorran(s)
adjective:Andorran
Ethnic groups
Andorran 48.8%, Spanish 25.1%, Portuguese 12%, French 4.4%, other 9.7% (2017 est.)
note: data represent population by nationality
Languages
Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Religions
Roman Catholic (predominant)
Age structure
0-14 years:13.37% (male 5,901/female 5,551)
15-24 years:10.16% (male 4,474/female 4,227)
25-54 years:43.19% (male 18,857/female 18,131)
55-64 years:15.91% (male 7,184/female 6,443)
65 years and over:17.36% (male 7,544/female 7,323) (2020 est.)
Median age
total:46.2 years
male:46.3 years
female:46.1 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.1% (2021 est.)
Birth rate
6.91 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate
7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population distribution
population is unevenly distributed and is concentrated in the seven urbanized valleys that make up the country's parishes (political administrative divisions)
Urbanization
urban population:87.9% of total population (2020)
rate of urbanization:-0.31% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
23,000 ANDORRA LA VELLA (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth:1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years:1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years:1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over:1.03 male(s)/female
total population:1.06 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total:3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male:3.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female:3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population:83.23 years
male:80.99 years
female:85.6 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.44 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
improved:urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
6.7% (2018)
Physicians density
3.33 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
Hospital bed density
2.5 beds/1,000 population (2009)
Sanitation facility access
improved:urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
25.6% (2016)
Education expenditures
3.2% of GDP (2019)
Literacy
definition:age 15 and over can read and write
total population:100%
male:100%
female:100% (2016)
Government
Country name
conventional long form:Principality of Andorra
conventional short form:Andorra
local long form:Principat d'Andorra
local short form:Andorra
etymology:the origin of the country's name is obscure; the name may derive from the Arabic "ad-darra" meaning "the forest," a reference to its location as part of the Spanish March (defensive buffer zone) against the invading Moors in the 8th century
Government type
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains its chiefs of state in the form of a co-principality; the two princes are the President of France and Bishop of Seu d'Urgell, Spain
Capital
name:Andorra la Vella
geographic coordinates:42 30 N, 1 31 E
time difference:UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
etymology:translates as "Andorra the Old" in Catalan
Administrative divisions
7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
Independence
1278 (formed under the joint sovereignty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell)
National holiday
Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)
Constitution
history:drafted 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993
amendments:proposed by the coprinces jointly or by the General Council; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the General Council, ratification in a referendum, and sanctioning by the coprinces (2021)
Legal system
mixed legal system of civil and customary law with the influence of canon (religious) law
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth:no
citizenship by descent only:the mother must be an Andorran citizen or the father must have been born in Andorra and both parents maintain permanent residence in Andorra
dual citizenship recognized:no
residency requirement for naturalization:25 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state:Co-prince Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Patrick STROZDA (since 14 May 2017); and Co-prince Archbishop Joan-Enric VIVES i Sicilia (since 12 May 2003); represented by Josep Maria MAURI (since 20 July 2012)
head of government:Head of Government (or Cap de Govern) Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (since 16 May 2019)
cabinet:Executive Council of 12 ministers designated by the head of government
elections/appointments:head of government indirectly elected by the General Council (Andorran parliament), formally appointed by the coprinces for a 4-year term; election last held on 7 April 2019 (next to be held in April 2023); the leader of the majority party in the General Council is usually elected head of government
election results:Xaviar Espot ZAMORA (DA) elected head of government; percent of General Council vote - 60.7%
Legislative branch
description:unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de les Valls (a minimum of 28 seats; 14 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies (parishes) by simple majority vote and 14 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); note - voters cast two separate ballots - one for a national list and one for a parish list
elections:last held on 7 April 2019 (next to be held on April 2023)
election results:percent of vote by party - DA 35.1%, PS 30.6%, L'A 12.5%, Third Way/Lauredian Union 10.4%, other 22.4%; seats by party - DA 11, PS 7, L'A 4, Third Way/Lauredian Union 4, other 2; composition - men 14, women 14, percent of women 50%
Judicial branch
highest courts:Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de la Justicia d'Andorra (consists of the court president and 8 judges organized into civil, criminal, and administrative chambers); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 4 magistrates)
judge selection and term of office:Supreme Court president and judges appointed by the Supreme Council of Justice, a 5-member judicial policy and administrative body appointed 1 each by the coprinces, 1 by the General Council, 1 by the executive council president, and 1 by the courts; judges serve 6-year renewable terms; Constitutional magistrates - 2 appointed by the coprinces and 2 by the General Council; magistrates' appointments limited to 2 consecutive 8-year terms
subordinate courts:Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts
Political parties and leaders
Democrats for Andorra or DA [Xaviar ESPOT ZAMORA]
Social Democratic Party or PS [Vicenc ALFY FERRER]
Liberals of Andorra or L'A [Jordi GALLARDO FERNANDEZ]
Third Way/Lauredian Union [Josep PINTAT FORNE]
Social Democracy and Progress or SDP [Victor NAUDI ZAMORA]
United for the Progress of Andorra or UPA [Alfons CLAVERA ARIZTI]
note: Andorra has several smaller parties at the parish level (one is Lauredian Union)
International organization participation
CE, FAO, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission:Ambassador Elisenda VIVES BALMANA (since 2 March 2016)
chancery:2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017
telephone:[1] (212) 750-8064
FAX:[1] (212) 750-6630
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy:the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the US Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93) 280-6175
Flag description
three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red, with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the latter band is slightly wider than the other 2 so that the ratio of band widths is 8:9:8; the coat of arms features a quartered shield with the emblems of (starting in the upper left and proceeding clockwise): Urgell, Foix, Bearn, and Catalonia; the motto reads VIRTUS UNITA FORTIOR (Strength United is Stronger); the flag combines the blue and red French colors with the red and yellow of Spain to show Franco-Spanish protection
note: similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem
National anthem
name: "El Gran Carlemany" (The Great Charlemagne)
lyrics/music: Joan BENLLOCH i VIVO/Enric MARFANY BONS
note: adopted 1921; the anthem provides a brief history of Andorra in a first person narrative
Economy
Economic overview
Andorra has a developed economy and a free market, with per capita income above the European average and above the level of its neighbors, Spain and France. The country has developed a sophisticated infrastructure including a one-of-a-kind micro-fiber-optic network for the entire country. Tourism, retail sales, and finance comprise more than three-quarters of GDP. Duty-free shopping for some products and the country’s summer and winter resorts attract millions of visitors annually. Andorra uses the euro and is effectively subject to the monetary policy of the European Central Bank. Andorra's comparative advantage as a tax haven eroded when the borders of neighboring France and Spain opened and the government eased bank secrecy laws under pressure from the EU and OECD.
Agricultural production is limited - only about 5% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported, making the economy vulnerable to changes in fuel and food prices. The principal livestock is sheep. Manufacturing output and exports consist mainly of perfumes and cosmetic products, products of the printing industry, electrical machinery and equipment, clothing, tobacco products, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.
To provide incentives for growth and diversification in the economy, the Andorran government began sweeping economic reforms in 2006. The Parliament approved three laws to complement the first phase of economic openness: on companies (October 2007), on business accounting (December 2007), and on foreign investment (April 2008 and June 2012). From 2011 to 2015, the Parliament also approved direct taxes in the form of taxes on corporations, on individual incomes of residents and non-residents, and on capital gains, savings, and economic activities. These regulations aim to establish a transparent, modern, and internationally comparable regulatory framework, in order to attract foreign investment and businesses that offer higher value added.
Real GDP growth rate
-1.1% (2015 est.)
1.4% (2014 est.)
-0.1% (2013 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-0.9% (2015 est.)
-0.1% (2014 est.)
Credit ratings
Fitch rating:BBB+ (2018)
Standard & Poors rating:BBB (2017)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$3.327 billion (2015 est.)
$3.363 billion (2014 est.)
$3.273 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.712 billion (2016 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$49,900 (2015 est.)
$51,300 (2014 est.)
$50,300 (2013 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture:11.9% (2015 est.)
industry:33.6% (2015 est.)
services:54.5% (2015 est.)
Agricultural products
small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables, tobacco; sheep, cattle
Industries
tourism (particularly skiing), banking, timber, furniture
Industrial production growth rate
NA
Labor force
39,750 (2016)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture:0.5%
industry:4.4%
services:95.1% (2015)
Unemployment rate
3.7% (2016 est.)
4.1% (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%:NA
highest 10%:NA
Budget
revenues:1.872 billion (2016)
expenditures:2.06 billion (2016)
Taxes and other revenues
69% (of GDP) (2016)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-6.9% (of GDP) (2016)
Public debt
41% of GDP (2014 est.)
41.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Exports
$78.71 million (2015 est.)
$79.57 million (2014 est.)
Exports - partners
Spain 40%, France 19%, United States 11%, Mauritania 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
integrated circuits, medical supplies, essential oils, cars, tanned hides (2019)
Imports
$1.257 billion (2015 est.)
$1.264 billion (2014 est.)
Imports - partners
Spain 71%, France 17% (2019)
Imports - commodities
cars, refined petroleum, perfumes, shaving products, liquors (2019)
Debt - external
$0 (2016)
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.885 (2017 est.)
0.903 (2016 est.)
0.9214 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity - production
99.48 million kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - consumption
221.6 million kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - exports
6,000 kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - imports
471.3 million kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
520,000 kW (2010 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
61% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
23% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
15% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Crude oil - production
0 bbl/day (2016)
Crude oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2016) (2016)
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2016) (2016)
Crude oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (2016) (2016)
Refined petroleum products - production
0 bbl/day (2016)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2016) (2016)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2016) (2016)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2016) (2016)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2016) (2016)
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (2016)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions:44,050
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:51.41 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions:97,645
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:113.96 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment:modern automatic telephone system; broadband Internet and LTE mobile lines for both consumer and enterprise customers available (2019)
domestic:51 per 100 fixed-line, 113 per 100 mobile-cellular (2019)
international:country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain; modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges (2019)
note:the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Broadcast media
1 public TV station and 2 public radio stations; about 10 commercial radio stations; good reception of radio and TV broadcasts from stations in France and Spain; upgraded to terrestrial digital TV broadcasting in 2007; roughly 25 international TV channels available (2019)
Internet country code
.ad
Internet users
total:78,483
percent of population:91.57% (July 2018 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total:35,663
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:42 (2018 est.)
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
C3 (2016)
Roadways
total:320 km (2019)
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Police Corps of Andorra (2021)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none

Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was not reached by European explorers until the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.
Geography
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates
14 20 S, 170 00 W
Map references
Oceania
Area
total: 224 sq km
land: 224 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total:0 km
Coastline
116 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea:12 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm
Climate
tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Elevation
lowest point:Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:Lata Mountain 964 m
Natural resources
pumice, pumicite
Land use
agricultural land:24.5% (2018 est.)
arable land: 15% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 9.5% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest:75.5% (2018 est.)
other:0% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2012)
Natural hazards
cyclones common from December to March
volcanism: limited volcanic activity on the Ofu and Olosega Islands; neither has erupted since the 19th century
Environment - current issues
limited supply of drinking water; pollution; waste disposal; coastal and stream alteration; soil erosion
Geography - note
Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
People and Society
Population
46,366 (July 2021 est.)
Nationality
noun:American Samoan(s) (US nationals)
adjective:American Samoan
Ethnic groups
Pacific Islander 92.6% (includes Samoan 88.9%, Tongan 2.9%, other .8%), Asian 3.6% (includes Filipino 2.2%, other 1.4%), mixed 2.7%, other 1.2% (2010 est.)
note:data represent population by ethnic origin or race
Languages
Samoan 88.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 3.9%, Tongan 2.7%, other Pacific islander 3%, other 1.8% (2010 est.)
note: most people are bilingual
Religions
Christian 98.3%, other 1%, unaffiliated 0.7% (2010 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years:27.76% (male 7,063/female 6,662)
15-24 years:18.16% (male 4,521/female 4,458)
25-54 years:37.49% (male 9,164/female 9,370)
55-64 years:9.69% (male 2,341/female 2,447)
65 years and over:6.9% (male 1,580/female 1,831) (2020 est.)
Median age
total:27.2 years
male:26.7 years
female:27.7 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
-2.1% (2021 est.)
Birth rate
17.19 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate
6 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate
-32.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Urbanization
urban population:87.2% of total population (2020)
rate of urbanization:0.07% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth:1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years:0.98 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.86 male(s)/female
total population:1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total:10.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male:12.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female:8 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population:75.06 years
male:72.55 years
female:77.72 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.28 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
improved:total: 100% of population
unimproved:total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:total: 99% of population
unimproved:total: 1% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Education expenditures
NA
Government
Country name
conventional long form:American Samoa
conventional short form:American Samoa
abbreviation:AS
etymology:the meaning of Samoa is disputed; some modern explanations are that the "sa" connotes "sacred" and "moa" indicates "center," so the name can mean "Holy Center"; alternatively, some assertions state that it can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology; the name, however, may go back to Proto-Polynesian (PPn) times (before 1000 B.C.); a plausible PPn reconstruction has the first syllable as "sa'a" meaning "tribe or people" and "moa" meaning "deep sea or ocean" to convey the meaning "people of the deep sea"
Dependency status
unincorporated unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type
republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches; unincorporated unorganized territory of the US with local self-government
Capital
name:Pago Pago
geographic coordinates:14 16 S, 170 42 W
time difference:UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
note:pronounced pahn-go pahn-go
Administrative divisions
none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts and 2 islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western
Independence
none (territory of the US)
National holiday
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Constitution
history:adopted 17 October 1960; revised 1 July 1967
amendments:proposed by either house of the Legislative Assembly; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by the membership of each house, approval in a referendum, and approval by the US Secretary of the Interior; amended 1971, 1977, 1979
Legal system
mixed legal system of US common law and customary law
Citizenship
see United States
Note: in accordance with US Code Title 8, Section 1408, persons born in American Samoa are US nationals but not US citizens
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state:President Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. (since 20 January 2021); Vice President Kamala D. HARRIS (since 20 January 2021)
head of government:Governor Lemanu Peleti MAUGA (since 3 January 2021)
cabinet:Cabinet consists of 12 department directors appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature or Fono
elections/appointments:president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024)
election results:Lemanu Peleti MAUGA elected governor in first round; percent of vote - Lemanu Peleti MAUGA (independent) 60.3%, Gaoteote Palaie TOFAU (independent) 21.9%, I'aulualo Fa'afetai TALIA (independent) 12.3%
Legislative branch
description:bicameral Legislature or Fono consists of:
Senate (18 seats; members indirectly selected by regional governing councils to serve 4-year terms)
House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members directly elected by simple majority vote and 1 decided by public meeting on Swains Island; members serve 2-year terms)
elections:
Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020)
House of Representatives - last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)
election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 18; composition - men 17, women 1, percent of women 9.5%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 14, women 7, percent of women 33.3%; note - total percent of women in Legislature 20.5%
note:American Samoa elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as a delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegate last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)
Judicial branch
highest courts:High Court of American Samoa (consists of the chief justice, associate chief justice, and 6 Samoan associate judges and organized into trial, family, drug, and appellate divisions); note - American Samoa has no US federal courts
judge selection and term of office:chief justice and associate chief justice appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior to serve for life; Samoan associate judges appointed by the governor to serve for life
subordinate courts:district and village courts
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Party [Fagafaga Daniel LANGKILDE, chairman]
Republican Party [William SWORD, chairman]
International organization participation
AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy:none (territory of the US)
Flag description
blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying 2 traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a war club known as a "fa'alaufa'i" (upper; left talon), and a coconut-fiber fly whisk known as a "fue" (lower; right talon); the combination of symbols broadly mimics that seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the US and American Samoa
National anthem
name: "Amerika Samoa" (American Samoa)
lyrics/music: Mariota Tiumalu TUIASOSOPO/Napoleon Andrew TUITELELEAPAGA
note: local anthem adopted 1950; as a territory of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is official (see United States)
Economy
Economic overview
American Samoa s a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its commerce. Tuna fishing and processing are the backbone of the private sector with processed fish products as the primary exports. The fish processing business accounted for 15.5% of employment in 2015.
In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami devastated American Samoa and nearby Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency oversaw a relief program of nearly $25 million. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being.
Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism has some potential as a source of income and jobs.
Real GDP growth rate
-2.5% (2016 est.)
1.2% (2015 est.)
1% (2014 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-0.5% (2015 est.)
1.4% (2014 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$658 million (2016 est.)
$674.9 million (2015 est.)
$666.9 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$658 million (2016 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$11,200 (2016 est.)
$11,300 (2015 est.)
$11,200 (2014 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture:27.4% (2012)
industry:12.4% (2012)
services:60.2% (2012)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption:66.4% (2016 est.)
government consumption:49.7% (2016 est.)
investment in fixed capital:7.3% (2016 est.)
investment in inventories:5.1% (2016 est.)
exports of goods and services:65% (2016 est.)
imports of goods and services:-93.5% (2016 est.)
Agricultural products
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Industries
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate
NA
Labor force
17,850 (2015 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture:NA
industry:15.5%
services:46.4% (2015 est.)
Unemployment rate
29.8% (2005)
Population below poverty line
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%:NA
highest 10%:NA
Budget
revenues:249 million (2016 est.)
expenditures:262.5 million (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
37.8% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-2.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
Public debt
12.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
Exports
$428 million (2016 est.)
$427 million (2015 est.)
Exports - partners
Australia 25%, Ghana 19%, Indonesia 15.6%, Burma 10.4%, Portugal 5.1% (2017)
Exports - commodities
canned tuna
Imports
$615 million (2016 est.)
$657 million (2015 est.)
Imports - partners
Fiji 10.7%, Singapore 10.4%, NZ 10.4%, South Korea 9.3%, Samoa 8.2%, Kenya 6.4%, Australia 5.2% (2017)
Imports - commodities
raw materials for canneries, food, petroleum products, machinery and parts
Debt - external
NA
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Energy
Electricity - production
169 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption
157.2 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
43,000 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
98% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production
0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption
2,375 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
2,346 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
361,100 Mt (2017 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions:8,984
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:17.92 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment:good telex, telegraph, facsimile, and cellular telephone services; one of the most complete and modern telecommunications systems in the South Pacific Islands; all inhabited islands have telephone connectivity
domestic:18 per 100 fixed-line teledensity, domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station (2019)
international:country code - 1-684; landing points for the ASH, Southern Cross NEXT and Hawaiki providing connectivity to New Zealand, Australia, American Samoa, Hawaii, California, and SAS connecting American Samoa with Samoa; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean) (2019)
note:the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Broadcast media
3 TV stations; multi-channel pay TV services are available; about a dozen radio stations, some of which are repeater stations
Internet country code
.as
Internet users
total:17,000
percent of population:31.3% (July 2016 est.)
Transportation
Airports
total:3 (2020)
Airports - with paved runways
total:3 (2019)
over 3,047 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:1
under 914 m:1
Roadways
total:241 km (2016)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s):Pago Pago
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olosega) in its 2006 draft independence constitution .
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Algeria has known many empires and dynasties starting with the ancient Numidians (3rd century B.C.), Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, over a dozen different Arab and Berber dynasties, Spaniards, and Ottoman Turks. It was under the latter that the Barbary pirates operated from North Africa and preyed on shipping beginning in roughly 1500, peaking in the early to mid-17th century, until finally subdued by the French capture of Algiers in 1830. The French southward conquest of the entirety of Algeria proceeded throughout the 19th century and was marked by many atrocities. The country was heavily colonized by the French in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A bloody eight-year struggle culminated in Algerian independence in 1962.
Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), was established in 1954 as part of the struggle for independence and has since largely dominated politics. The Government of Algeria in 1988 instituted a multi-party system in response to public unrest, but the surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 legislative elections led the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. Fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense violence from 1992-98, resulting in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s, and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000.
Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA, with the backing of the military, won the presidency in 1999 in an election that was boycotted by several candidates protesting alleged fraud, and won subsequent elections in 2004, 2009, and 2014. The government in 2011 introduced some political reforms in response to the Arab Spring, including lifting the 19-year-old state of emergency restrictions and increasing women's quotas for elected assemblies, while also increasing subsidies to the populace. Since 2014, Algeria’s reliance on hydrocarbon revenues to fund the government and finance the large subsidies for the population has fallen under stress because of declining oil prices. Protests broke out across the country in late February 2019 against President BOUTEFLIKA’s decision to seek a fifth term. BOUTEFLIKA resigned on 2 April 2019, and the speaker of the upper house of parliament, Abdelkader BENSALAH, became interim head of state on 9 April. BENSALAH remained in office beyond the 90-day constitutional limit until Algerians elected former Prime Minister Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE as the country's new president in December 2019.
Geography
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates
28 00 N, 3 00 E
Map references
Africa
Area
total:2,381,740 sq km
land:2,381,740 sq km
water:0 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundaries
total:6,734 km
border countries (6):Libya 989 km, Mali 1359 km, Mauritania 460 km, Morocco 1941 km, Niger 951 km, Tunisia 1034 km
Coastline
998 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea:12 nm
contiguous zone:24 nm
exclusive fishing zone:32-52 nm
Climate
arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer
Terrain
mostly high plateau and desert; Atlas Mountains in the far north and Hoggar Mountains in the south; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Elevation
mean elevation:800 m
lowest point:Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point:Tahat 2,908 m
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
Land use
agricultural land:17.4% (2018 est.)
arable land: 3.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 13.8% (2018 est.)
forest:0.8% (2018 est.)
other:81.8% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
13,600 sq km (2014)
Natural hazards
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season; droughts
Environment - current issues
air pollution in major cities; soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements
party to:Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
largest country in Africa but 80% desert; canyons and caves in the southern Hoggar Mountains and in the barren Tassili n'Ajjer area in the southeast of the country contain numerous examples of prehistoric art - rock paintings and carvings depicting human activities and wild and domestic animals (elephants, giraffes, cattle) - that date to the African Humid Period, roughly 11,000 to 5,000 years ago, when the region was completely vegetated
People and Society
Population
43,576,691 (July 2021 est.)
Nationality
noun:Algerian(s)
adjective:Algerian
Ethnic groups
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
note: although almost all Algerians are Berber in origin (not Arab), only a minority identify themselves as primarily Berber, about 15% of the total population; these people live mostly in the mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers and several other communities; 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 officially recognized Berber languages and introduced them into public schools
Languages
Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Berber or Tamazight (official); dialects include Kabyle Berber (Taqbaylit), Shawiya Berber (Tacawit), Mzab Berber, Tuareg Berber (Tamahaq)
Religions
Muslim (official; predominantly Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian and Jewish) <1% (2012 est.)
Demographic profile
For the first two thirds of the 20th century, Algeria's high fertility rate caused its population to grow rapidly. However, about a decade after independence from France in 1962, the total fertility rate fell dramatically from 7 children per woman in the 1970s to about 2.4 in 2000, slowing Algeria's population growth rate by the late 1980s. The lower fertility rate was mainly the result of women's rising age at first marriage (virtually all Algerian children being born in wedlock) and to a lesser extent the wider use of contraceptives. Later marriages and a preference for smaller families are attributed to increases in women's education and participation in the labor market; higher unemployment; and a shortage of housing forcing multiple generations to live together. The average woman's age at first marriage increased from about 19 in the mid-1950s to 24 in the mid-1970s to 30.5 in the late 1990s.
Algeria's fertility rate experienced an unexpected upturn in the early 2000s, as the average woman's age at first marriage dropped slightly. The reversal in fertility could represent a temporary fluctuation in marriage age or, less likely, a decrease in the steady rate of contraceptive use.
Thousands of Algerian peasants - mainly Berber men from the Kabylia region - faced with land dispossession and economic hardship under French rule migrated temporarily to France to work in manufacturing and mining during the first half of the 20th century. This movement accelerated during World War I, when Algerians filled in for French factory workers or served as soldiers. In the years following independence, low-skilled Algerian workers and Algerians who had supported the French (known as Harkis) emigrated en masse to France. Tighter French immigration rules and Algiers' decision to cease managing labor migration to France in the 1970s limited legal emigration largely to family reunification.
Not until Algeria's civil war in the 1990s did the country again experience substantial outmigration. Many Algerians legally entered Tunisia without visas claiming to be tourists and then stayed as workers. Other Algerians headed to Europe seeking asylum, although France imposed restrictions. Sub-Saharan African migrants came to Algeria after its civil war to work in agriculture and mining. In the 2000s, a wave of educated Algerians went abroad seeking skilled jobs in a wider range of destinations, increasing their presence in North America and Spain. At the same time, legal foreign workers principally from China and Egypt came to work in Algeria's construction and oil sectors. Illegal migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Malians, Nigeriens, and Gambians, continue to come to Algeria in search of work or to use it as a stepping stone to Libya and Europe.
Since 1975, Algeria also has been the main recipient of Sahrawi refugees from the ongoing conflict in Western Sahara (today part of Morocco). More than 1000,000 Sahrawis are estimated to be living in five refugee camps in southwestern Algeria near Tindouf.
Age structure
0-14 years:29.58% (male 6,509,490/female 6,201,450)
15-24 years:13.93% (male 3,063,972/female 2,922,368)
25-54 years:42.91% (male 9,345,997/female 9,091,558)
55-64 years:7.41% (male 1,599,369/female 1,585,233)
65 years and over:6.17% (male 1,252,084/female 1,401,357) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio:60.1
youth dependency ratio:49.3
elderly dependency ratio:10.8
potential support ratio:9.3 (2020 est.)
Median age
total:28.9 years
male:28.6 years
female:29.3 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
1.41% (2021 est.)
Birth rate
19.24 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate
4.32 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population distribution
the vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coast as shown in this[population distribution map](undefined)
Urbanization
urban population:73.7% of total population (2020)
rate of urbanization:2.46% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.809 million ALGIERS (capital), 910,000 Oran (2021)
Sex ratio
at birth:1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years:1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years:1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.89 male(s)/female
total population:1.03 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
112 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total:20.23 deaths/1,000 live births
male:22.36 deaths/1,000 live births
female:17.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population:77.79 years
male:76.32 years
female:79.33 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.55 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
57.1% (2012/13)
Drinking water source
improved:urban: 99.2% of population
rural: 97.4% of population
total: 98.7% of population
unimproved:urban: 0.8% of population
rural: 2.1% of population
total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
6.2% (2018)
Physicians density
1.72 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
1.9 beds/1,000 population (2015)
Sanitation facility access
improved:urban: 96.9% of population
rural: 93.4% of population
total: 96% of population
unimproved:urban: 3.1% of population
rural: 6.6% of population
total: 4% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
<.1 est.="">
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
22,000 (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
<200 (2019 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
27.4% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
3% (2012)
Education expenditures
NA
Literacy
definition:age 15 and over can read and write
total population:81.4%
male:87.4%
female:75.3% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total:14 years
male:14 years
female:15 years (2011)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total:39.3%
male:33.1%
female:82% (2017 est.)
Government
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
etymology:the country name derives from the capital city of Algiers
Government type
presidential 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)
etymology:name derives from the Arabic "al-Jazair" meaning "the islands" and refers to the four islands formerly off the coast but joined to the mainland since 1525
Administrative divisions
48 provinces (wilayas, 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, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen
Independence
5 July 1962 (from France)
National holiday
Independence Day, 5 July (1962); Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
Constitution
history:several previous; latest approved by referendum 23 February 1989
amendments:proposed by the president of the republic or through the president with the support of three fourths of the members of both houses of Parliament in joint session; passage requires approval by both houses, approval by referendum, and promulgation by the president; the president can forego a referendum if the Constitutional Council determines the proposed amendment does not conflict with basic constitutional principles; articles including the republican form of government, the integrity and unity of the country, and fundamental citizens’ liberties and rights cannot be amended; amended 2002, 2008, 2016; last in 2020 (2021)
Legal system
mixed legal system of French civil law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials including several Supreme Court justices
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth:no
citizenship by descent only:the mother must be a citizen of Algeria
dual citizenship recognized:no
residency requirement for naturalization:7 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state:President Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE (since 12 December 2019)
head of government:Abdelaziz DJERAD (since 28 December 2019)
cabinet:Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections/appointments:president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 December 2019 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister nominated by the president after consultation with the majority party in Parliament
election results:Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE (NLF) 58.1%, Abdelkader BENGRINA (Movement of National Construction) 17.4%, Ali BENFLIS (Vanguard of Freedoms) 10.6%, Azzedine MIHOUBI (RND) 7.3%, Abdelaziz BELAID (Future Front) 6.7%
Legislative branch
description:bicameral Parliament consists of:
Council of the Nation (upper house with 144 seats; one-third of members appointed by the president, two-thirds indirectly elected by simple majority vote by an electoral college composed of local council members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years)
National People's Assembly (lower house with 462 seats including 8 seats for Algerians living abroad); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections:
Council of the Nation - last held on 29 December 2018 (next to be held in December 2021)
National People's Assembly - last held on 4 May 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
election results:
Council of the Nation - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 137, women 7, percent of women 5%
National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 164, RND 97, MSP-FC 33, TAJ 19, Ennahda-FJD 15, FFS 14, El Mostakbel 14, MPA 13, PT 11, RCD 9, ANR 8, MEN 4, other 33, independent 28; composition - men 343, women 119, percent of women 25.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.8%
Judicial branch
highest courts:Supreme Court or Cour Suprême, (consists of 150 judges organized into 8 chambers: Civil, Commercial and Maritime, Criminal, House of Offenses and Contraventions, House of Petitions, Land, Personal Status, and Social; Constitutional Council (consists of 12 members including the court chairman and deputy chairman); note - Algeria's judicial system does not include sharia courts
judge selection and term of office:Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of Magistracy, an administrative body presided over by the president of the republic, and includes the republic vice-president and several members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 4 appointed by the president of the republic, 2 each by the 2 houses of Parliament, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 2 by the Council of State; Council president and members appointed for single 6-year terms with half the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts:appellate or wilaya courts; first instance or daira tribunals
Political parties and leaders
Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]
Algerian Popular Movement or MPA [Amara BENYOUNES]
Algerian Rally or RA [Ali ZAGHDOUD]
Algeria's Hope Rally or TAJ [Amar GHOUL]
Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Hamid FERHI]
Dignity or El Karama [Aymene HARKATI]
Ennour El Djazairi Party (Algerian Radiance Party) or PED [Badreddine BELBAZ]
Front for Justice and Development or El Adala [Abdallah DJABALLAH]
Future Front or El Mostakbel [Abdelaziz BELAID]
Islamic Renaissance Movement or Ennahda Movement [Mohamed DOUIBI]
Justice and Development Front or FJD [Abdellah DJABALLAH]
Movement of National Construction (Harakat El-Binaa El-Watani) [Abdelkader BENGRINA]
Movement of National Understanding or MEN
Movement for National Reform or Islah [Filali GHOUINI]
Movement of Society for Peace or MSP [Abderrazak MOKRI]
National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA]
National Front for Social Justice or FNJS [Khaled BOUNEDJEMA]
National Liberation Front or FLN [Mohamed DJEMAI]
National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD [Dalila YALAQUI]
National Reform Movement or Islah [Djahid YOUNSI]
National Republican Alliance or ANR [Belkacem SAHLI]
New Dawn Party or PFJ [Tahar BENBAIBECHE]
New Generation or Jil Jadid [Soufiane DJILALI]
Oath of 1954 or Ahd 54 [Ali Fawzi REBAINE]
Party of Justice and Liberty [Mohammed SAID]
Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Mohcine BELABBAS]
Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hakim BELAHCEL]
Union for Change and Progress or UCP [Zoubida Assoul]
Union of Democratic and Social Forces or UFDS [Noureddine BAHBOUH]
Vanguard of Freedoms (Talaie El Houriat) [Ali BENFLIS]
Youth Party or PJ [Hamana BOUCHARMA]
Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997
International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission:Ambassador Madjid BOUGUERRA (since 23 February 2015)
chancery:2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:[1] (202) 265-2800
FAX:[1] (202) 986-5906
consulate(s) general:New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission:Ambassador John P. DESROCHER (since 5 September 2017)
telephone:[213] (0) 770-08-2000
embassy:05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16030, Alger
mailing address:B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
FAX:[213] (0) 770-08-2064
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 colors represent Islam (green), purity and peace (white), and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also Islamic symbols, but the crescent is more closed than those of other Muslim countries because Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness
National anthem
name: "Kassaman" (We Pledge)
lyrics/music: Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI
note: adopted 1962; ZAKARIAH wrote "Kassaman" as a poem while imprisoned in Algiers by French colonial forces
Economy
Economic overview
Algeria's economy remains dominated by the state, a legacy of the country's socialist post-independence development model. In recent years the Algerian Government has halted the privatization of state-owned industries and imposed restrictions on imports and foreign involvement in its economy, pursuing an explicit import substitution policy.
Hydrocarbons have long been the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 30% of GDP, 60% of budget revenues, and nearly 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the 10th-largest reserves of natural gas in the world - including the 3rd-largest reserves of shale gas - and is the 6th-largest gas exporter. It ranks 16th in proven oil reserves. Hydrocarbon exports enabled Algeria to maintain macroeconomic stability, amass large foreign currency reserves, and maintain low external debt while global oil prices were high. With lower oil prices since 2014, Algeria’s foreign exchange reserves have declined by more than half and its oil stabilization fund has decreased from about $20 billion at the end of 2013 to about $7 billion in 2017, which is the statutory minimum.
Declining oil prices have also reduced the government’s ability to use state-driven growth to distribute rents and fund generous public subsidies, and the government has been under pressure to reduce spending. Over the past three years, the government has enacted incremental increases in some taxes, resulting in modest increases in prices for gasoline, cigarettes, alcohol, and certain imported goods, but it has refrained from reducing subsidies, particularly for education, healthcare, and housing programs.
Algiers has increased protectionist measures since 2015 to limit its import bill and encourage domestic production of non-oil and gas industries. Since 2015, the government has imposed additional restrictions on access to foreign exchange for imports, and import quotas for specific products, such as cars. In January 2018 the government imposed an indefinite suspension on the importation of roughly 850 products, subject to periodic review.
President BOUTEFLIKA announced in fall 2017 that Algeria intends to develop its non-conventional energy resources. Algeria has struggled to develop non-hydrocarbon industries because of heavy regulation and an emphasis on state-driven growth. Algeria has not increased non-hydrocarbon exports, and hydrocarbon exports have declined because of field depletion and increased domestic demand.
Real GDP growth rate
1.4% (2017 est.)
3.2% (2016 est.)
3.7% (2015 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.9% (2019 est.)
4.2% (2018 est.)
5.6% (2017 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$495.564 billion (2019 est.)
$491.631 billion (2018 est.)
$485.801 billion (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$169.912 billion (2019 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$11,511 (2019 est.)
$11,642 (2018 est.)
$11,737 (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Gross national saving
38.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
37.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
36.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture:13.3% (2017 est.)
industry:39.3% (2017 est.)
services:47.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption:42.7% (2017 est.)
government consumption:20.2% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital:38.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories:11.2% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services:23.6% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services:-35.8% (2017 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores
54.8 (2020)
Agricultural products
potatoes, wheat, milk, watermelons, barley, onions, tomatoes, oranges, dates, vegetables
Industries
petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Industrial production growth rate
0.6% (2017 est.)
Labor force
10.859 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture:10.8%
industry:30.9%
services:58.4% (2011 est.)
Unemployment rate
11.7% (2017 est.)
10.5% (2016 est.)
Population below poverty line
23% (2006 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
27.6 (2011 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%:2.8%
highest 10%:26.8% (1995)
Budget
revenues:54.15 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures:70.2 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
32.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-9.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt
27.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
20.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: data cover central government debt as well as debt issued by subnational entities and intra-governmental debt
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$22.1 billion (2017 est.)
-$26.47 billion (2016 est.)
Exports
$34.37 billion (2017 est.)
$29.06 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - partners
Italy 13%, France 13%, Spain 12%, United States 7%, United Kingdom 7%, India 5%, South Korea 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, fertilizers, ammonia (2019)
Imports
$48.54 billion (2017 est.)
$49.43 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - partners
China 18%, France 14%, Italy 8%, Spain 8%, Germany 5%, Turkey 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, wheat, packaged medical supplies, milk, vehicle parts (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$97.89 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$114.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external
$5.574 billion (2019 est.)
$5.666 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar -
131.085 (2020 est.)
119.775 (2019 est.)
118.4617 (2018 est.)
100.691 (2014 est.)
80.579 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity - production
66.89 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption
55.96 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports
641 million kWh (2015 est.)
Electricity - imports
257 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
19.27 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
96% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production
1.259 million bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports
756,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports
5,340 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
627,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption
405,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
578,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
82,930 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production
93.5 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
41.28 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports
53.88 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
4.504 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
135.9 million Mt (2017 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions:4,558,502
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:10.77 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions:46,287,629
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:109.36 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment:improved international connectivity and privatization of Algeria's telecommunications sector began in 2000; three mobile-cellular licenses have been issued; LTE service growth in additional provinces and rural areas; upgrade to LTE infrastructure and migration to 5G; LTE subscriber rate up 82% in 2018; Chinese company Huawei opens smart phone assembly plant in Algeria; the end of monopolies have made broadband services more affordable; Algeria and Tunisia end roaming charges for travelers (2020)
domestic:a limited network of fixed-lines with a teledensity of less than 11 telephones per 100 persons has been offset by the rapid increase in mobile-cellular subscribership; mobile-cellular teledensity was roughly 109 telephones per 100 persons (2019)
international:country code - 213; ALPAL-2 is a submarine telecommunications cable system in the Mediterranean Sea linking Algeria and the Spanish Balearic island of Majorca; ORVAL is a submarine cable to Spain; landing points for the TE North/TGN-Eurasia/SEACOM/SeaMeWe-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; MED cable connecting Algeria with France; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; Algeria part of the 4,500 Km terrestrial Trans Sahara Backbone network which connects to other fiber networks in the region; Alcomstat-1 satellite offering telemedicine network (2020)
note:the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Broadcast media
state-run Radio-Television Algerienne operates the broadcast media and carries programming in Arabic, Berber dialects, and French; use of satellite dishes is widespread, providing easy access to European and Arab satellite stations; state-run radio operates several national networks and roughly 40 regional radio stations
Internet country code
.dz
Internet users
total:24,819,531
percent of population:59.58% (July 2018 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total:3,067,022
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:7 (2018 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers:3 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:87
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:6,442,442 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:28.28 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
7T (2016)
Airports
total:149 (2020)
Airports - with paved runways
total:67 (2020)
over 3,047 m:14
2,438 to 3,047 m:27
1,524 to 2,437 m:18
914 to 1,523 m:6
under 914 m:2
Airports - with unpaved runways
total:82 (2020)
2,438 to 3,047 m:2
1,524 to 2,437 m:16
914 to 1,523 m:36
under 914 m:28
Heliports
3 (2013)
Pipelines
2600 km condensate, 16415 km gas, 3447 km liquid petroleum gas, 7036 km oil, 144 km refined products (2013)
Railways
total:3,973 km (2014)
standard gauge:2,888 km 1.432-m gauge (283 km electrified) (2014)
narrow gauge:1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2014)
Roadways
total:104,000 km (2015)
paved:71,656 km (2015)
unpaved:32,344 km (2015)
Merchant marine
total:114
by type:bulk carrier 1, container ship 2, general cargo 11, oil tanker 11, other 89 (2020)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s):Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda
LNG terminal(s) (export):Arzew, Bethioua, Skikda
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Algerian People's National Army (ANP): Land Forces, Naval Forces (includes coast guard), Air Forces, Territorial Air Defense Forces, Republican Guard; Ministry of National Defense: National Gendarmerie, Municipal Guard; Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of National Security (2020)
Military expenditures
6% of GDP (2019)
5.5% of GDP (2018)
5.8% of GDP (2017)
6.6% of GDP (2016)
6.3% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Algerian People's National Army (ANP) has approximately 130,000 total active personnel (110,000 Army; 6,000 Navy; 14,000 Air Force); est. 50,000 Gendarmerie; est. 90,000 Municipal Guard (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the ANP's inventory includes mostly Russian-sourced equipment; since 2010, Russia is by far the leading supplier of armaments to Algeria, followed by China and Germany (2020)
Military service age and obligation
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 19-30 years of age for compulsory service; conscript service obligation reduced from 18 to 12 months in 2014 (2019)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Algeria and many other states reject Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; the Polisario Front, exiled in Algeria, represents the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" which Algeria recognizes; the Algerian-Moroccan land border remains closed; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km of southeastern Algeria and the National Liberation Front's (FLN) assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco.
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin):more than 100,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf) (2018); 7,757 (Syria) (2019)
Trafficking in persons
current situation:Algeria is a transit and, to a lesser extent, a destination and source country for women subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and, to a lesser extent, men subjected to forced labor; criminal networks, sometimes extending to Sub-Saharan Africa and to Europe, are involved in human smuggling and trafficking in Algeria; Sub-Saharan adults enter Algeria voluntarily but illegally, often with the aid of smugglers, for onward travel to Europe, but some of the women are forced into prostitution, domestic service, and begging; some Sub-Saharan men, mostly from Mali, are forced into domestic servitude; some Algerian women and children are also forced into prostitution domestically
tier rating:Tier 3 – Algeria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so: some officials denied the existence of human trafficking, hindering law enforcement efforts; the government reported its first conviction under its anti-trafficking law; one potential trafficking case was investigated in 2014, but no suspected offenders were arrested; no progress was made in identifying victims among vulnerable groups or referring them to NGO-run protection service, which left trafficking victims subject to arrest and detention; no anti-trafficking public awareness or educational campaigns were conducted (2015) .

(3 May)
The power of words has always been stronger than the sword. The pen has accomplished things that even great armies could not achieve. Journalism serves as the eyes, ears, and voice of society. It acts as a strong bridge between the public and the rulers. When journalism is free, the truth comes to light, the voice of the oppressed is raised, and the faces of oppressors are exposed. But when journalism is chained by restrictions, threats, and personal interests, darkness spreads throughout society. To highlight this importance, World Press Freedom Day is observed every year on 3 May across the world.
This day was initiated by the United Nations and UNESCO. In 1991, African journalists issued a declaration in the city of Windhoek in Namibia, emphasizing the need for free and independent journalism. Based on this declaration, the United Nations General Assembly declared 3 May as World Press Freedom Day in 1993. The purpose of this day is to protect journalists' rights, highlight the importance of freedom of expression, and pay tribute to journalists who sacrifice their lives for the truth.
Journalism is considered a fundamental pillar of any democratic society. If the media is free, it becomes possible to criticize wrong government decisions, expose corruption, provide accurate information to the public, and ensure that state institutions perform their responsibilities better. Free journalism creates awareness among people and helps them distinguish between right and wrong.
Unfortunately, journalists in many countries today face serious dangers. They are threatened, kidnapped, falsely accused, and sometimes even killed. In conflict zones such as Palestine, Kashmir, Syria, and Yemen, journalists risk their lives to bring facts to the world. Many journalists are targeted simply because they speak the truth.
In the age of social media, journalism has gained more opportunities, but challenges have also increased. Fake news, propaganda, fake accounts, and misinformation are becoming major threats to society. At such a time, the importance of responsible journalism has become greater than ever. Journalists should verify facts before publishing news and provide truthful information to the public.
In Pakistan, journalism has also faced many hardships during different periods. During martial law eras, newspapers were shut down, journalists were imprisoned, and freedom of expression was restricted. Even today, many journalists face pressure, insecurity, and financial difficulties. Despite this, many brave journalists remain committed to the path of truth.
World Press Freedom Day reminds us that a free media is the guarantee of a strong nation. If journalism remains free, justice will be strengthened, people will stay informed, and society will progress. We should respect the rights of journalists and ensure the protection of those who speak the truth.
In the end, it is rightly said:
"The power of the pen cannot be chained, because truth always shines as light and removes darkness.