Algeria Passport

The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria (R é publique Alg é rienne D é mocratique et Populaire).

[Area] 2.38 million square kilometers.

Population: 45.6 million (2023). Most of them are Arabs, followed by Berbers (accounting for about 20% of the total population). The ethnic minorities include the Muzhabu and Tuareg. The official language is Arabic, and French is commonly used. Islam is the state religion.

Algiers, the capital, has a population of 3.76 million.

Head of State: President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was elected in December 2019.

[Important Festival] Independence Day: July 5th; National Day: November 1st.

The largest country in Africa by area. Located in the northwest of Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Tunisia and Libya to the east, Niger, Mali and Mauritania to the south, and Morocco and Western Sahara to the west. The coastline is about 1200 kilometers long. The northern coastal region has a Mediterranean climate, while the central region has a tropical grassland climate; The southern region has a tropical desert climate. The hottest month every year is August, with a maximum temperature of 29 ℃ and a minimum temperature of 22 ℃; January is the coldest month, with a maximum temperature of 15 ℃ and a minimum temperature of 9 ℃.

In the 3rd century BC, two Berber kingdoms were established in northern Arabia. Post Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Spanish and Türkiye invasions. In 1830, France began its invasion and gradually became a French colony. On September 19, 1958, the interim government of A was established. Independence was officially declared on July 3, 1962, and July 5 was designated as Independence Day. In September 1963, Ben Bella was elected as the first president. In June 1965, Hu Ali Boumedidin staged a coup and came to power, establishing a revolutionary committee and assuming the roles of chairman and prime minister. In December 1976, Bu was elected as the President. Colonel Shadley bin Jedid was elected president in February 1979. In January 1992, Shah resigned and a five member Supreme State Council led by Mohammad Boudiaf was established to exercise presidential powers. In July, Kafi succeeded as the Chairman of the Supreme State Council. In January 1994, the Chairman of the Supreme State Council stepped down and Lamin Zeruale was appointed as the President. Ze was elected president in November 1995. Between 1995 and 1997, A completed a constitutional referendum, passed the Political Party Law, and held presidential, legislative, local, and ethnic council (Senate) elections. The construction of political power at all levels was basically completed. On September 11, 1998, Ze announced his early resignation. On April 15, 1999, presidential elections were held in Afghanistan, and Abdulaziz Bouteflika was elected president. He was re elected three times in 2004, 2009, and 2014. In April 2019, Bouteflika resigned, and at the end of the year, independent candidate and former Prime Minister Abdulmajid Terben was elected as the new president.

In 2019, there were significant changes in the situation in Afghanistan. Since February, there have been multiple rounds of large-scale public demonstrations and marches in Afghanistan to protest against President Bouteflika's attempt for a fifth term. On April 2nd, Bu announced his resignation. On the 9th, the plenary sessions of both houses of the Afghan parliament voted to confirm the vacancy of the presidential position, with Ben Salah, the Speaker of the House of Peoples (Upper House), serving as the interim president. On June 2nd, the Constitutional Council of Afghanistan announced the postponement of the general election originally scheduled for July 4th. On December 12th, Afghanistan held a general election, and former Prime Minister Abdul Majid Teben won the first round and was elected president. On September 7, 2024, presidential elections were held in Afghanistan, and President Teben was re elected.

Since its independence, Afghanistan has promulgated three constitutions. The current constitution was promulgated in February 1989 and revised through a national referendum in November 1996. The main content of the revised constitution is to determine the Islamic, Arab, and Berber attributes of Arabia; Prohibit the establishment of political parties based on religion, language, race, gender, corporatism, and regionalism; The parliament is composed of the National Assembly and the House of Peoples; The President may promulgate laws in the form of decrees before and during the recess of parliament; If the government's policy agenda is rejected twice by the National Assembly, the National Assembly will be dissolved and a new election will be held. In November 2008, the Afghan parliament passed a constitutional amendment to lift the limit on the number of presidential re elections. In February 2016, A passed a constitutional amendment that stipulated that the president could only be re elected once. In November 2020, a constitutional amendment referendum was passed, which stipulated that anyone, regardless of whether they were re elected or not, could only serve as president for a maximum of two terms, enhanced the powers of the prime minister, and allowed the president to send troops overseas with parliamentary authorization.

The parliament is composed of the National Assembly (House of Representatives) and the House of Nationalities (Senate), which jointly exercise legislative power. The bill passed by the National Assembly must be passed by a three-quarters majority of the National Assembly before it can take effect. According to the constitutional amendment referendum passed in October 2020, a new National Assembly will be elected in June 2021, with a total of 407 members, including 98 seats for the National Liberation Front, 65 seats for the Movement for Peace, 58 seats for the National Democratic Alliance, 48 seats for the Future Front, 39 seats for the Construction Movement Party, 84 seats won by independent candidates, and other seats won by some small parties. In July, Ibrahim Boughali was elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly, serving until 2026. Two thirds of the members of the National Assembly are elected through indirect and anonymous voting, while the other one-third are appointed by the President. The term of office for legislators is 6 years, with half of them being re elected every 3 years. The current National Assembly has a total of 174 members. In the February 2022 partial elections, the National Liberation Front won 54 seats and the National Democratic Alliance won 22 seats. The current Speaker is Salah Goudjil, elected in January 2021 and re elected in the February 2022 elections for a term until 2024.

The current government was established in November 2023, consisting of the Prime Minister, 30 ministers, and 1 Secretary General of the government. The main members include: Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Overseas Chinese Ahmed Attaf, Minister of Interior, Local Administration and Land Consolidation Brahim Merad, Minister of Justice and the Seal Abderrachid Tabi, Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab, Minister of Housing, Urban Planning and Cities Mohamed Tarek Belaribi, etc.

【 Government Website 】 Algerian Prime Minister's Office: www．cg．gov．dz； Ministry of Foreign Affairs: www．mae．gov．dz。

[Administrative divisions] The country is divided into 58 provinces, including Algiers, Adrar, Sherif, Lagvat, Umbuachi, Batna, Bejaia, Biscara, Beshar, Blida, Bouila, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tremsen, Tiyaret, Tiziuzu, Jelefa, Jijer, Setif, Saida, Skikda, Sidi Bel Abes, Annaba, Gelma, Constantine, Medea, Mostaganum, Msila, Maskala, Urgra, Oran, Bayd, Ilizi, Bulgi Bualergi, Bumides, Tarif, Tindouf Tismxilet, Wade, Hansira, Suk Ahras, Tibaza, Mila, Ain Defra, Naama, Ain Timshent, Gerdaya, Helizan Bulgi Bagh Mukhtar, Timimon, Olad Jalal, Beni Abbas, In Salih, In Gezam, Tugurt, Janat, Mugayr, Mania.

The Supreme Judicial Council is established, with the President and the Minister of Justice serving as the Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively. The courts are divided into three levels: the Supreme Court, provincial courts, and municipal courts. There is no procuratorate, and procurators are appointed in the Supreme Court and provincial courts, both under the leadership of the Ministry of Justice. In September 2021, Taher Mamouni was appointed as the President of the Supreme Court.

According to the constitutional amendment passed in November 1996 and the Political Parties Law passed in February 1997, there were over 30 legal political parties in Afghanistan. In January 2012, the new Political Parties Law was passed, and the Interior Ministry approved over 30 new political parties based on it. The main political parties are:

(1) Front de Lib é ration Nationale, also known as the "National Liberation Front". Formerly known as the "Unity and Action Committee", it was established in August 1954. On November 1 of the same year, it launched an armed uprising against France and was renamed the "National Liberation Front". In October 1977, it was renamed the "National Liberation Front Party". In November 1988, the name "National Liberation Front" was restored. The Democratic Front actively advocates the establishment of a new international economic order and the restoration of Afghanistan's international status. After independence, the Democratic Front held power for a long time. Became an opposition party after 1992. In June 1997, it became one of the three ruling parties in parliament during the first legislative elections. In the second legislative election of 2002, it regained its position as the largest party in Afghanistan, and continued to maintain its position as the largest party in the legislative elections of 2007 and 2012. In February 2005, President Bouteflika was elected as Honorary Chairman. Since August 2013, Amar Saidani has served as the general secretary of the party. In October 2016, Saidani resigned from the position and Abes took over. In November 2018, Abes resigned from his position as General Secretary and the new Speaker of the National Assembly, Bu Shalaib, temporarily assumed the role of Acting General Secretary. In July 2019, Mohammad Jamali was elected as the General Secretary. In September, Ali Seddiki was appointed as Acting General Secretary. In May 2020, Abou El Fadl Baadji was elected as the General Secretary. In November 2023, the Democratic Front held its 11th National Congress and elected Abdelkrim Benmbarek as the new General Secretary.

(2) The National Democratic Union (RDU), also known as the "Democratic League". Established in February 1997, it is composed of seven influential national organizations: the organization of veterans, the organization of children of veterans, the organization of children of martyrs, the retired officers' association, the trade union, the farmers' association, and the National Women's Union. In June 1997, it won 40% of the seats in the first legislative election and became the largest political party in Afghanistan. In the legislative elections of 2002, 2007, and 2012, it was the second largest party in parliament. The Democratic League advocates the principle of "diversity and rotating governance", and calls for deepening economic structural reform and promoting the privatization process. In May 2016, Wuye Haiya was appointed as the General Secretary. In July 2019, due to the detention of Uyehaya, the Democratic League elected Tazkaya Azdin Mihobi as Acting General Secretary and represented the League in the December 2019 presidential election. After being defeated, Mihubi resigned from his position as General Secretary of the Democratic League. In May 2020, Tayeb Zitouni was elected as the General Secretary. In October 2023, the National Council of the Democratic League approved Zituni's resignation and appointed Mustapha Yahi as General Secretary.

(3) Mouvement de la Soci é t é pour la Paix, also known as the "Peace Movement". Originally named Hamas, it was founded in 1990 and changed to its current name in April 1997. It is a moderate Islamist political party. Advocating both Islamization and democracy and rotating governance, encouraging privatization, and striving to address issues such as unemployment and housing. In 2004, the party formed the "Presidential Alliance" with the Democratic Front and the Democratic League, supporting the re-election of President Bouteflika. In 2012, due to political differences with two other parties, they announced their withdrawal from the alliance and formed the "Green Algeria Alliance" with two Islamic political parties, the National Reform Movement and the Renaissance Movement, to participate in the National Assembly and local elections, but their performance was poor. Current party chairman Hassani Cherif.

(4) Mouvement Populaire Alg é rien, abbreviated as "Mouvement Populaire Alg é rien". Approved for establishment in March 2012. Advocate for revitalizing the economy, liberating women, improving people's livelihoods, improving regional and international relations, opposing Islamism, and opposing foreign interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs. General Secretary Amara Benyounes was arrested in May 2019 on suspicion of corruption and later sentenced to one year in prison. She was released in November 2020.

(5) Hope Alliance (Rassemblement de l'espoir pour l'Alg é rie). Founded by Amar Ghoul in 2012, the party constitution is characterized as the Democratic Party of Afghanistan, aiming to unite various political factions such as nationalism, Islamism, and liberalism, with the slogan of "loyalty, hope, and construction". Current Chairperson Fatma Zohra Zerouati (female).

(6) The Labour Party (Parti des Traailleurs) was established on March 29, 1990, with its predecessor being the Socialist Workers' Organization. Belonging to an extreme democratic political party, advocating that all power belongs to the working class, opposing economic privatization, but not opposing foreign capital entering areas outside of the Afghan economy. Current General Secretary Louisa Haroune (female).

(7) Front des Forces Socialists: Established in 1963. Advocate developing the country according to the needs and wishes of the people, respecting freedom of speech, opposing individual dictatorship, and building a free, progressive, and united society. On July 16, 2020, Youcef Aouchiche was elected as the first secretary of the party nationwide.

(8) Rassemblement pour la Culture et la D é mocratie: Established on February 11, 1989, composed of Berber people. Advocate for the separation of party, government, and education; Establish a market economy where the state and individuals complement each other; Comprehensively reform the education system. Party Chairman Atmane Mazouz.

(9) Moument El Bina, founded by Abdelkader Bengrina in 2013 and approved by the government in 2014, is a moderate Islamic political party. Party Chairman Ben Grina participated in the presidential election held in December 2019 and received 17.4% of the vote, second only to Teben.

(10) Front El Moustakbal: Founded in February 2012 by Abdulaziz Bela ï d, it positions itself as a nationalist political party with the slogan "Dialogue, Stability, Development". Bei is a former member of the Democratic Front and participated in the presidential election in December 2019, receiving 6.67% of the vote. In January 2024, the Future Front held its third national congress and elected Fateh Boutbigh as the new chairman.

(11) Jil Jadid, founded by Soufiane Djilali in 2012, adheres to the values of "justice, responsibility, innovation, and democracy" and was a member of the National Coordination Body for the Transition to Freedom and Democracy (CNLTD) until 2016.

【 Important Person 】 Abdulmajid Terben: President. Born in 1945, from the city of Shilia in the northwestern province of Ama. After graduating from the National School of Administration in Algeria in 1969, he entered the local government and served as the Secretary General of the Jelefa Province. Since 1983, he has successively served as the governor of Adrar, Tiaret, and Tizi Uzu provinces. In 1991, he was appointed as the ministerial level representative responsible for local administrative affairs in the Ministry of Interior. Since 1999, he has served as Minister of Information and Government Spokesperson, Minister of the Interior level Representative, and Minister of Housing. Appointed as Minister of Housing and Urban Planning in September 2012. Prime Minister from May to August 2017. In December 2019, Teben ran as an independent candidate in the presidential election and won in the first round. In September 2024, Teben won the first round of the election again.

The economy of Afghanistan ranks among the top in Africa in terms of scale. The oil and gas industry is the backbone of the Afghan national economy, with its output value accounting for 30% of the country's GDP, tax revenue accounting for 60% of the country's fiscal revenue, and exports accounting for over 90% of the country's total exports for many years. Grain and daily necessities mainly rely on imports.

The market economy reform began in 1989, and in 1995, the privatization bill was passed to accelerate economic structural adjustment. Since 2005, international oil prices have risen, leading to a significant increase in oil and gas revenue and steady economic growth in Afghanistan. The Afghan government has implemented a fiscal expansion policy internally, comprehensively carried out economic reconstruction, and invested nearly 200 billion US dollars in state-owned enterprise transformation and infrastructure construction under the framework of the "Five Year Economic and Social Revitalization Plan" (2005-2009) and the development plans of southern and plateau provinces, promoting the reform of state-owned enterprises and financial systems, and increasing support for small and medium-sized enterprises; Expand economic openness to the outside world, introduce the "New Hydrogen Carbide Law", encourage foreign enterprises to participate in the development of oil and gas in Afghanistan, closely cooperate with Europe and the United States in economic and trade, and accelerate negotiations for accession to the WTO.

The international financial crisis that erupted in 2008 did not have a significant impact on Afghanistan's financial system, but as the crisis spread, Afghanistan's oil revenue sharply decreased. To mitigate the impact of the financial crisis, A has strengthened supervision and guidance of financial institutions, increased investment in the oil and gas sector, and accelerated the implementation of energy diversification strategies. In 2010 and 2014, A launched national investment plans aimed at revitalizing the economy, accelerating development, and improving people's livelihoods. In recent years, with the rise in international oil and gas prices, the economic and financial situation of Afghanistan has significantly improved, gradually increasing efforts in the development of energy and mineral fields. In August 2024, A was approved to join the BRICS New Development Bank.

Main economic data for 2023:

Gross Domestic Product: 244.8 billion US dollars

Per capita Gross Domestic Product: 5320 US dollars

Economic growth rate: 4.2%

Inflation rate: 9.3%

Currency name: Dinar

Exchange rate: 1 US dollar ≈ 135 dinars

【 Resources 】 The proven reserves of petroleum are about 1.7 billion tons, accounting for 1% of the world's total reserves and ranking 15th in the world. The main oil is Saharan light oil, which has high oil quality; The proven recoverable reserves of natural gas are 4.58 trillion cubic meters, accounting for 2.37% of the world's total reserves and ranking 10th in the world. Most of the oil and gas products are exported. Other mineral deposits mainly include iron, lead and zinc, uranium, copper, gold, phosphate, etc. Among them, the iron ore reserves are 3-5 billion tons, mainly distributed in the eastern U'anza and Buhadra mines. The estimated reserves of lead-zinc ore are 150 million tons, 50000 tons of uranium ore, 2 billion tons of phosphate, and 73 tons of gold. A has abundant water resources, with a potential for development of approximately 17.2 billion cubic meters of water resources, 64 dams, and a storage capacity of 71 billion cubic meters.

Industry is mainly focused on the oil and gas industry, while other industrial sectors such as steel, metallurgy, machinery, and electricity are underdeveloped. The oil and gas industry accounts for 45.1% of the gross domestic product, while the manufacturing industry only accounts for 5.2%. At present, there are about 430000 employees in the A industrial system, including 330000 employees in state-owned industrial enterprises and about 100000 employees in private enterprises.

There are currently 13 million rural residents in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries. The agricultural output value accounts for about 12% of the gross domestic product. The main agricultural products include grains (wheat, barley, oats, and beans), vegetables, grapes, citrus, and dates. The cultivated land area is about 8 million hectares, accounting for 3% of the national land area, including 3.06 million hectares of grain fields, 577000 hectares of fruit forests, 82000 hectares of grapes, and 160000 hectares of vegetable planting area. Agriculture relies on the weather to make a living, and the yield fluctuates greatly. A is one of the top ten importers of food, milk, oil, and sugar in the world, importing approximately 5 million tons of food annually.

The forest coverage rate is 11%, with a total area of 3.67 million hectares, including 460000 hectares of cork forests and an annual output of 200000 cubic meters of timber. According to data from the Forest Management Bureau, since the launch of the National Greening Plan in 2000, more than 500000 hectares of trees have been planted and afforested in Afghanistan.

The tourism industry is rich in tourism resources, with 7 natural and cultural attractions listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO throughout the country. At present, there are 174 tourism development zones, 1136 hotels, and approximately 100000 beds in Afghanistan.

【 Transportation 】 Land transportation in Afghanistan is mainly by road, with road transportation accounting for 83% of the total capacity and railway transportation accounting for 17%.

Railway: concentrated in the northern region, with a total length of 4773 kilometers, including 3683 kilometers of standard gauge, 345 kilometers of double track, 386 kilometers of electrified railway, and 1089 kilometers of narrow gauge. There are over 200 stations along the entire railway line, with a daily passenger capacity of approximately 32000 people.

Highways: With a total length of approximately 141000 kilometers, it is the densest road network in Africa. Among them, there are 1600 kilometers of highways, 29000 kilometers of national highways, 24000 kilometers of provincial highways, and 54000 kilometers of village level highways.

Water transportation: There are a total of 45 ports, including 31 fishing ports, 11 multi-functional ports, 1 leisure port, and 2 specialized ports for water conservancy facilities. The largest port is Algiers Port, with 37 berths of various sizes. 30% of the goods and 70% of the containers are loaded through the port of Algiers.

Air transportation: There are 53 airports in the country, of which 29 are in commercial operation, including 13 international airports such as Algiers, Oran, Annaba, and Constantine, with 100000 takeoffs and landings per year. There are currently 2 state-owned airlines and 6 private airlines, with a total of over 60 aircraft, including more than 30 large and medium-sized aircraft. Currently, more than 50 international routes have been opened to 20 countries.

Pipeline transportation: There are 9 gas pipelines in China with a total length of 4699 kilometers and an annual transportation capacity of 82 billion cubic meters; 8 oil pipelines with a total length of 3604 kilometers and an annual transportation capacity of 63.9 million tons; Three condensate oil pipelines with a total length of 1330 kilometers and an annual transportation capacity of 21 million tons; Two liquefied petroleum gas pipelines with a total length of 1331 kilometers and an annual transportation capacity of 9.86 million tons. There are also three gas pipelines leading to Europe. Two of the pipelines, named "Trans Mediterranean Gas Pipeline", transport gas through Tunisia to Italy via the Mediterranean Sea. They were put into operation in 1983, with a total length of 2485 kilometers (550 kilometers within Algeria) and a total gas transmission capacity of 33.5 billion cubic meters per year. Another pipeline called the "Maghreb Europe Gas Pipeline" runs through Morocco and crosses the Mediterranean to Spain and Portugal. It was put into operation in 1996, with a total length of 1620 kilometers (515 kilometers within Algeria) and a gas transmission capacity of 11.5 billion cubic meters per year. In October 2021, its use was suspended due to the severance of diplomatic ties between Algeria and Morocco. The third gas pipeline "Medgaz" connects Spain via the Mediterranean Sea and was officially put into operation in 2011. It has a total length of 757 kilometers and an annual gas transmission capacity of 8 billion cubic meters.

Foreign trade was originally controlled by the state and monopolized by state-owned companies. In March 1991, it was announced to open up foreign trade. The main export products are oil and natural gas, and the main imported products are industrial and agricultural equipment, food, production materials, non food consumer goods, etc. The main trading partners are Western industrialized countries. The government encourages the export of non hydrocarbon products and advocates for trade diversification.

The foreign trade situation in recent years is as follows (in billions of US dollars):