Afro Asian Business Chronicle

ABOUT ALGERIA

Algeria, officially known as the “People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria”, spreads across an area of 2,381,741 Sq.km, with 1,200 km of Mediterranean coastline. Algeria is a member of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) and has common borders with Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, and with two countries of the African Sahel, Mali and Niger and the Western Sahara.

Algeria enjoys a Mediterranean climate, temperate in the North and Saharan (hot and dry) in the South. Summers in the North are mild with an average temperature of 25°C, the winters rainy and Sometimes very cold. In the high plateaus, the climate is arid and dry.

Culturally, Algerians belong to the same socio-cultural group as that of Morocco and Tunisia. Algeria a quintessentially French-speaking country, as French is the most widely used language of communication, particularly in the business sector.

However, other languages, in particular English are gaining ground; it is increasingly acquired and used by young people and especially in the business sector.

In addition to this cultural and human diversity, Algeria is also characterised by major, varied natural resources, its gas reserves being amongst the largest in the world, whilst the country’s underground contains huge oil deposits, in addition to considerable deposits of phosphate, zinc, iron, gold, uranium, tungsten and kaolin.

Main cities - Languages – Religions

The main cities of the country are concentrated in the North and in the high plateaus: Algiers (the administrative, economic and cultural capital), Oran, Constantine, Annaba, Sétif, Tlemcen, Skikda, Béjaïa, Tizi Ouzou, Jijel, Tiaret, Batna, Biskra, Mostaganem, Saïda, M’sila, Chlef, Béchar, Ouargla, Ghardaïa, Adrar, El Oued and Tamanrasset.

 Arabic is the national and official language, spoken by the majority of the population. Tamazight (Berber), recognised as a national language since 2002, is also widespread through its numerous regional dialects. The vast majority of Algerians are Sunni Muslims. The country’s constitution made Islam the  state religion. Religious freedom is recognised and there is genuine religious tolerance in the country.

 Political institutions

 The commune is the basic component of Algeria’s territorial organization. There are 1,541 communes, grouped into administrative districts (daïras, in total 227) and
departments (wilayas, in total 48).

Article 1 of the Constitution, dating from 1989 and revised in 1996 and 2008 instituted a pluralistic regime which guarantees the full exercise of individual and collective freedoms in all forms and in all areas, and establishes the separation of the executive, legislative and judicial branches. The political regime is of a presidential nature.

 The President of the Republic is elected through direct, secret universal voting for a period of five years. The President can be re-elected. The President of the Republic, Head of the State, embodies the nation’s unity. The Prime Minister, the head of government appointed by the President of the Republic, implements the program of the President of the Republic and coordinates government action. The program is subject to approval by the National People’s Assembly (APN).

Judicial system

The Constitution provides for an independent judicial system, which protects society and its freedoms, based upon the principles of equality and legality. It authorises recourse against public authorities.