AbuZar Ali Khan

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.

Background
Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939 and occupied by Germany in 1943. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of isolated communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents.
Albania has made progress in its democratic development since it first held multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. Most of Albania's post-communist elections were marred by claims of electoral fraud; however, international observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and in June 2014 became an EU candidate. Albania in April 2017 received a European Commission recommendation to open EU accession negotiations following the passage of historic EU-mandated justice reforms in 2016. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, it has slowed, and the country is still one of the poorest in Europe. A large informal economy and a weak energy and transportation infrastructure remain obstacles.
Geography
Location
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
Geographic coordinates
41 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total:28,748 sq km

land:27,398 sq km

water:1,350 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries
total:691 km

border countries (4):Greece 212 km, Kosovo 112 km, Macedonia 181 km, Montenegro 186 km
Coastline
362 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea:12 nm

continental shelf:200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Terrain
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Elevation
mean elevation:708 m

lowest point:Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point:Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower, arable land
Land use
agricultural land:42.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 22.3% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 17.4% (2018 est.)

forest:28.8% (2018 est.)

other:28.2% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
3,537 sq km (2014)
Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
Environment - current issues
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents; air pollution from industrial and power plants; loss of biodiversity due to lack of resources for sound environmental management
Environment - international agreements
party to:Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
People and Society
Population
3,088,385 (July 2021 est.)
Nationality
noun:Albanian(s)

adjective:Albanian
Ethnic groups
Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Romani, Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 est.)

note:data represent population by ethnic and cultural affiliation
Languages
Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)
Religions
Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% (2011 est.)
note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
Age structure
0-14 years:17.6% (male 284,636/female 256,474)

15-24 years:15.39% (male 246,931/female 226,318)

25-54 years:42.04% (male 622,100/female 670,307)

55-64 years:11.94% (male 178,419/female 188,783)

65 years and over:13.03% (male 186,335/female 214,276) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio:46.9

youth dependency ratio:25.3

elderly dependency ratio:21.6

potential support ratio:4.6 (2020 est.)
Median age
total:34.3 years

male:32.9 years

female:35.7 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
0.24% (2021 est.)
Birth rate
12.86 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate
7.27 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate
-3.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country
Urbanization
urban population:62.1% of total population (2020)

rate of urbanization:1.69% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
503,000 TIRANA (capital) (2021)
Sex ratio
at birth:1.08 male(s)/female

0-14 years:1.11 male(s)/female

15-24 years:1.09 male(s)/female

25-54 years:0.93 male(s)/female

55-64 years:0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over:0.87 male(s)/female

total population:0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
15 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total:11.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male:12.15 deaths/1,000 live births

female:9.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population:79.23 years

male:76.55 years

female:82.12 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.53 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
46% (2017/18)
Drinking water source
improved:urban: 96.8% of population

rural: 95.3% of population

total: 96.2% of population

unimproved:urban: 4.7% of population

rural: 4.7% of population

total: 3.8% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
5.3% (2018)
Physicians density
1.22 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density
2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)
Sanitation facility access
improved:urban: 100% of population

rural: 99.5% of population

total: 99.8% of population

unimproved:urban: 0% of population

rural: 0.5% of population

total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
<.1 est.="">
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
1,400 (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
<100 (2019 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
21.7% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
1.5% (2017)
Education expenditures
3.6% of GDP (2017)
Literacy
definition:age 15 and over can read and write

total population:98.1%

male:98.5%

female:97.8% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total:15 years

male:14 years

female:16 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total:31.9%

male:34.2%

female:27.7% (2017 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form:Republic of Albania

conventional short form:Albania

local long form:Republika e Shqiperise

local short form:Shqiperia

former:People's Socialist Republic of Albania

etymology:the English-language country name seems to be derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani; the native name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word "Shqiponje" ("Eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles"
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name:Tirana (Tirane)

geographic coordinates:41 19 N, 19 49 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:the name Tirana first appears in a 1418 Venetian document; the origin of the name is unclear, but may derive from Tirkan Fortress, whose ruins survive on the slopes of Dajti mountain and which overlooks the city
Administrative divisions
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore
Independence
28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday
Independence Day, 28 November (1912), also known as Flag Day
Constitution
history:several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998

amendments:proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2020 (2021)
Legal system
civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" is still present
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth:no

citizenship by descent only:at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania

dual citizenship recognized:yes

residency requirement for naturalization:5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state:President of the Republic Ilir META (since 24 July 2017)

head of government:Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Senida MESI (since 13 September 2017)

cabinet:Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly

elections/appointments:president indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; election last held in 4 rounds on 19, 20, 27, and 28 April 2017 (next election to be held in 2022); prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly

election results:Ilir META elected president; Assembly vote - 87 - 2 in fourth round
Legislative branch
description:unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

elections:last held on 25 June 2017 (next to be held on 25 April 2021)

election results:percent of vote by party - PS 48.3%, PD 28.9%, LSI 14.3%, PDIU 4.8%, PSD 1%, other 2.7%; seats by party - PS 74, PD 43, LSI 19, PDIU 3, PSD 1; composition - men 108, women 32, percent of women 22.9%
Judicial branch
highest courts:Supreme Court (consists of 19 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman)

judge selection and term of office:Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Judicial Council with the consent of the president to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman is elected for a single 3-year term by the court members; appointments of Constitutional Court judges are rotated among the president, Parliament, and Supreme Court from a list of pre-qualified candidates (each institution selects 3 judges), to serve single 9-year terms; candidates are pre-qualified by a randomly selected body of experienced judges and prosecutors; Constitutional Court chairman is elected by the court members for a single, renewable 3-year term

subordinate courts:Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized courts: Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (responsible for corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials)
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA]
Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (formerly part of APMI)
Social Democratic Party or PSD [Paskal MILO]
Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Monika KRYEMADHI]
Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]
International organization participation
BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission:Ambassador Yuri KIM (since 27 January 2020)

chancery:2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:[1] (202) 223-4942

FAX:[1] (202) 628-7342

consulate(s) general:New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission:Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Leyla MOSES-ONES (since August 2018)

telephone:[355] (4) 2247-285

embassy:Rruga e Elbasanit, 103, Tirana

mailing address:US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510

FAX:[355] (4) 2232-222
Flag description
red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero Georgi Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-78); an unsubstantiated explanation for the eagle symbol is the tradition that Albanians see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as "Shqiptare," which translates as "sons of the eagle"
National anthem
name: "Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag)

lyrics/music: Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU
note: adopted 1912
Economy
Economic overview
Albania, a formerly closed, centrally planned state, is a developing country with a modern open-market economy. Albania managed to weather the first waves of the global financial crisis but, the negative effects of the crisis caused a significant economic slowdown. Since 2014, Albania’s economy has steadily improved and economic growth reached 3.8% in 2017. However, close trade, remittance, and banking sector ties with Greece and Italy make Albania vulnerable to spillover effects of possible debt crises and weak growth in the euro zone.
Remittances, a significant catalyst for economic growth, declined from 12-15% of GDP before the 2008 financial crisis to 5.8% of GDP in 2015, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy. The agricultural sector, which accounts for more than 40% of employment but less than one quarter of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming, because of a lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Complex tax codes and licensing requirements, a weak judicial system, endemic corruption, poor enforcement of contracts and property issues, and antiquated infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment making attracting foreign investment difficult. Since 2015, Albania has launched an ambitious program to increase tax compliance and bring more businesses into the formal economy. In July 2016, Albania passed constitutional amendments reforming the judicial system in order to strengthen the rule of law and to reduce deeply entrenched corruption.
Albania’s electricity supply is uneven despite upgraded transmission capacities with neighboring countries. However, the government has recently taken steps to stem non-technical losses and has begun to upgrade the distribution grid. Better enforcement of electricity contracts has improved the financial viability of the sector, decreasing its reliance on budget support. Also, with help from international donors, the government is taking steps to improve the poor road and rail networks, a long standing barrier to sustained economic growth.
Inward foreign direct investment has increased significantly in recent years as the government has embarked on an ambitious program to improve the business climate through fiscal and legislative reforms. The government is focused on the simplification of licensing requirements and tax codes, and it entered into a new arrangement with the IMF for additional financial and technical support. Albania’s three-year IMF program, an extended fund facility arrangement, was successfully concluded in February 2017. The Albanian Government has strengthened tax collection amid moderate public wage and pension increases in an effort to reduce its budget deficit. The country continues to face high public debt, exceeding its former statutory limit of 60% of GDP in 2013 and reaching 72% in 2016.
Real GDP growth rate
2.24% (2019 est.)

4.07% (2018 est.)

3.8% (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.4% (2019 est.)

2% (2018 est.)

1.9% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings
Moody's rating:B1 (2007)

Standard & Poors rating:B+ (2016)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$39.859 billion (2019 est.)

$38.986 billion (2018 est.)

$37.461 billion (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$15.273 billion (2019 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$13,965 (2019 est.)

$13,601 (2018 est.)

$13,037 (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
Gross national saving
14% of GDP (2019 est.)

16.8% of GDP (2018 est.)

16.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture:21.7% (2017 est.)

industry:24.2% (2017 est.)

services:54.1% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption:78.1% (2017 est.)

government consumption:11.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital:25.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories:0.2% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services:31.5% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services:-46.6% (2017 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores
53.5 (2020)
Agricultural products
milk, maize, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, wheat, grapes, cucumbers, onions, apples
Industries
food; footwear, apparel and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Industrial production growth rate
6.8% (2017 est.)
Labor force
1.104 million (2020 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture:41.4%

industry:18.3%

services:40.3% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate
5.83% (2019 est.)

6.32% (2018 est.)
note: these official rates may not include those working at near-subsistence farming
Population below poverty line
14.3% (2012 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
33.2 (2017 est.)

30 (2008 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%:4.1%

highest 10%:19.6% (2015 est.)
Budget
revenues:3.614 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures:3.874 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
27.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt
71.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

73.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$908 million (2017 est.)

-$899 million (2016 est.)
Exports
$900.7 million (2017 est.)

$789.1 million (2016 est.)
Exports - partners
Italy 45%, Spain 8%, Germany 6%, Greece 5%, France 4%, China 4% (2019)
Exports - commodities
leather footwear and parts, crude petroleum, iron alloys, clothing, electricity, perfumes (2019)
Imports
$4.103 billion (2017 est.)

$3.67 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - partners
Italy 28%, Greece 12%, China 11%, Turkey 9%, Germany 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cars, tanned hides, packaged medical supplies, footwear parts (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$3.59 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.109 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external
$9.311 billion (2019 est.)

$9.547 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates
leke (ALL) per US dollar -

102.43 (2020 est.)

111.36 (2019 est.)

108.57 (2018 est.)

125.96 (2014 est.)

105.48 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity - production
7.138 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption
5.11 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports
1.869 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports
1.827 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
2.109 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
95% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production
14,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports
17,290 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
168.3 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
5,638 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption
29,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
3,250 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
26,660 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production
50.97 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
50.97 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
821.2 million cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
4.5 million Mt (2017 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions:258,474

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:8.43 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions:2,799,066

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:91.29 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment:mobile-cellular phone service has been available since 1996 and dominates over fixed-line capacity; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005 and the government continues to supports the improvement of broadband availability and access conditions; Albania has received financial aid to build its infrastructure and works towards the EU accession process, an adherence to careful scrutiny of its regulatory regime helps the telecom sector advance; Internet cafes are popular in major urban areas; 1.3 million use mobile broadband services (3G/4G) (2020)

domestic:fixed-line 8 per 100, teledensity continues to decline due to heavy use of mobile-cellular telephone services; mobile-cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective, 91 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2019)

international:country code - 355; submarine cables for the Adria 1 and Italy-Albania provide connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (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
Albania has more than 65 TV stations, including several that broadcast nationally; Albanian TV broadcasts are also available to Albanian-speaking populations in neighboring countries; many viewers have access to Italian and Greek TV broadcasts via terrestrial reception; Albania's TV stations have begun a government-mandated conversion from analog to digital broadcast; the government has pledged to provide analog-to-digital converters to low-income families affected by this decision; cable TV service is available; 2 public radio networks and roughly 78 private radio stations; several international broadcasters are available (2019)
Internet country code
.al
Internet users
total:2,196,613

percent of population:71.85% (July 2018 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total:361,947

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:12 (2018 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers:2 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:5

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:303,137 (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
ZA (2016)
Airports
total:3 (2020)
Airports - with paved runways
total:3 (2020)

2,438 to 3,047 m:2 (2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m:1 (2017)
Pipelines
498 km gas (a majority of the network is in disrepair and parts of it are missing), 249 km oil (2015)
Railways
total:677 km (447 km of major railway lines and 230 km of secondary lines) (2015)

standard gauge:677 km 1.435-m gauge (2015)
Roadways
total:3,945 km (2018)
Waterways
41 km (on the Bojana River) (2011)
Merchant marine
total:70

by type:general cargo 50, oil tanker 1, other 19 (2020)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s):Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
Military and Security
Military and security forces
General Staff, Land Forces Command, Navy Force Command (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces Command, Support Command, Training and Doctrination Command (2021)
Military expenditures
1.47% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.3% of GDP (2019)

1.2% of GDP (2018)

1.1% of GDP (2017)

1.1% of GDP (2016)
Military and security service personnel strengths
sized estimates for the Albanian military vary; approximately 8,000 total active duty personnel (6,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 500 Air Force) (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Albanian military was previously equipped with mostly Soviet-era weapons that were sold or destroyed; its inventory now includes a mix of mostly donated and second-hand European and US equipment; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of equipment from France, Germany, and the US (2020)
Military deployments
100 Afghanistan (NATO) (2021)
Military service age and obligation
19 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age in case of general/partial compulsory mobilization; conscription abolished 2010 (2019)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons
stateless persons:3,687 (2019)

note:11,365 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-November 2020)
Illicit drugs
active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; significant source country for cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens .
#foryou #everyon

Background
Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN.
A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan, and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. KARZAI was reelected in August 2009 for a second term. The 2014 presidential election was the country's first to include a runoff, which featured the top two vote-getters from the first round, Abdullah ABDULLAH and Ashraf GHANI. Throughout the summer of 2014, their campaigns disputed the results and traded accusations of fraud, leading to a US-led diplomatic intervention that included a full vote audit as well as political negotiations between the two camps. In September 2014, GHANI and ABDULLAH agreed to form the Government of National Unity, with GHANI inaugurated as president and ABDULLAH elevated to the newly-created position of chief executive officer. The day after the inauguration, the GHANI administration signed the US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which provide the legal basis for the post-2014 international military presence in Afghanistan. After two postponements, the next presidential election was held in September 2019.
The Taliban remains a serious challenge for the Afghan Government in almost every province. The Taliban still considers itself the rightful government of Afghanistan, and it remains a capable and confident insurgent force fighting for the withdrawal of foreign military forces from Afghanistan, establishment of sharia law, and rewriting of the Afghan constitution. In 2019, negotiations between the US and the Taliban in Doha entered their highest level yet, building on momentum that began in late 2018. Underlying the negotiations is the unsettled state of Afghan politics, and prospects for a sustainable political settlement remain unclear.
Geography
Location
Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Geographic coordinates
33 00 N, 65 00 E
Map references
Asia
Area
total:652,230 sq km

land:652,230 sq km

water:0 sq km
Area - comparative
almost six times the size of Virginia; slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries
total:5,987 km

border countries (6):China 91 km, Iran 921 km, Pakistan 2670 km, Tajikistan 1357 km, Turkmenistan 804 km, Uzbekistan 144 km
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Climate
arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Terrain
mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest
Elevation
mean elevation:1,884 m

lowest point:Amu Darya 258 m

highest point:Noshak 7,492 m
Natural resources
natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones, arable land
Land use
agricultural land:58.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 11.8% (2018)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018)

permanent pasture: 46% (2018)

forest:1.85% (2018 est.)

other:40.1% (2018)
Irrigated land
32,080 sq km (2012)
Natural hazards
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts
Environment - current issues
limited natural freshwater resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water pollution in overcrowded urban areas
Environment - international agreements
party to:Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note
landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor)
People and Society
Population
37,466,414 (July 2021 est.)
Nationality
noun:Afghan(s)

adjective:Afghan
Ethnic groups
Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, other (includes smaller numbers of Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, Pashai, and Kyrghyz) (2015)
note: current statistical data on the sensitive subject of ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available, and ethnicity data from small samples of respondents to opinion polls are not a reliable alternative; Afghanistan's 2004 constitution recognizes 14 ethnic groups: Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, and Pashai
Languages
Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 77% (Dari functions as the lingua franca), Pashto (official) 48%, Uzbek 11%, English 6%, Turkmen 3%, Urdu 3%, Pashayi 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1% (2017 est.)
note: data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language
note: the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them
Religions
Muslim 99.7% (Sunni 84.7 - 89.7%, Shia 10 - 15%), other 0.3% (2009 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years:40.62% (male 7,562,703/female 7,321,646)

15-24 years:21.26% (male 3,960,044/female 3,828,670)

25-54 years:31.44% (male 5,858,675/female 5,661,887)

55-64 years:4.01% (male 724,597/female 744,910)

65 years and over:2.68% (male 451,852/female 528,831) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio:88.8

youth dependency ratio:75.3

elderly dependency ratio:4.8

potential support ratio:21 (2020 est.)
Median age
total:19.5 years

male:19.4 years

female:19.5 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
2.34% (2021 est.)
Birth rate
36.08 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate
12.57 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population distribution
populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated
Urbanization
urban population:26% of total population (2020)

rate of urbanization:3.37% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
4.336 million KABUL (capital) (2021)
Sex ratio
at birth:1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years:1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years:1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years:0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over:0.85 male(s)/female

total population:1.03 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
638 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total:106.75 deaths/1,000 live births

male:115.21 deaths/1,000 live births

female:97.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population:53.25 years

male:51.73 years

female:54.85 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
4.72 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
18.9% (2018)

note:  percent of women aged 12-49
Drinking water source
improved:urban: 95.9% of population

rural: 61.4% of population

total: 70.2% of population

unimproved:urban: 3.2% of population

rural: 38.6% of population

total: 38.6% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
9.4% (2018)
Physicians density
0.28 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density
0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved:urban: 83.6% of population

rural: 43% of population

total: 53.2% of population

unimproved:urban: 16.4% of population

rural: 57% of population

total: 46.8% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
<.1 est.="">
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
11,000 (2019 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
<500 (2019 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk:intermediate (2020)

food or waterborne diseases:bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases:Crimea-Congo hemorrhagic fever, malaria
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
5.5% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
19.1% (2018)
Education expenditures
4.1% of GDP (2017)
Literacy
definition:age 15 and over can read and write

total population:43%

male:55.5%

female:29.8% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total:10 years

male:13 years

female:8 years (2018)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total:17.6%

male:16.3%

female:21.4% (2017)
Government
Country name
conventional long form:Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

conventional short form:Afghanistan

local long form:Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan

local short form:Afghanistan

former:Republic of Afghanistan

etymology:the name "Afghan" originally referred to the Pashtun people (today it is understood to include all the country's ethnic groups), while the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country"; so Afghanistan literally means the "Land of the Afghans"
Government type
presidential Islamic republic
Capital
name:Kabul

geographic coordinates:34 31 N, 69 11 E

time difference:UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time:does not observe daylight savings time

etymology:named for the Kabul River, but the river's name is of unknown origin
Administrative divisions
34 provinces (welayat, singular - welayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghor, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika, Paktiya, Panjshir, Parwan, Samangan, Sar-e Pul, Takhar, Uruzgan, Wardak, Zabul
Independence
19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
National holiday
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Constitution
history:several previous; latest drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004, signed 16 January 2004, ratified 26 January 2004

amendments:proposed by a commission formed by presidential decree followed by the convention of a Grand Council (Loya Jirga) decreed by the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Loya Jirga membership and endorsement by the president
Legal system
mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic (sharia) law
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth:no

citizenship by descent only:at least one parent must have been born in - and continuously lived in - Afghanistan

dual citizenship recognized:no

residency requirement for naturalization:5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state:
President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI (since 29 September 2014); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf GHANI (since 29 September 2014); CEO Abdullah ABDULLAH, Dr. (since 29 September 2014); First Vice President Abdul Rashid DOSTAM (since 29 September 2014); Second Vice President Sarwar DANESH (since 29 September 2014); First Deputy CEO Khyal Mohammad KHAN; Second Deputy CEO Mohammad MOHAQQEQ
Legislative branch
description: bicameral National Assembly consists of:
Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats; 34 members indirectly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by district councils to serve 3-year terms, 34 indirectly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by provincial councils to serve 4-year terms, and 34 appointed by the president from nominations by civic groups, political parties, and the public, of which 17 must be women, 2 must represent the disabled, and 2 must be Kuchi nomads; presidential appointees serve 5-year terms)
Wolesi Jirga or House of People (250 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)
Judicial branch
highest courts:Supreme Court or Stera Mahkama (consists of the supreme court chief and 8 justices organized into criminal, public security, civil, and commercial divisions or dewans)

judge selection and term of office:court chief and justices appointed by the president with the approval of the Wolesi Jirga; court chief and justices serve single 10-year terms

subordinate courts:Appeals Courts; Primary Courts; Special Courts for issues including narcotics, security, property, family, and juveniles
Political parties and leaders
note - the Ministry of Justice licensed 72 political parties as of April 2019 
International organization participation
ADB, CICA, CP, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNAMA, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission:Ambassador Roya RAHMANI (since 24 November 2018)

chancery:2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:[1] (202) 483-6410

FAX:[1] (202) 483-6488

consulate(s) general:Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission:Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ross WILSON (since 18 January 2020)

telephone:[00 93] 0700 108 001

embassy:Bibi Mahru, Kabul

mailing address:U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO AE 09806

FAX:[00 93] 0700 108 564
Flag description
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), red, and green, with the national emblem in white centered on the red band and slightly overlapping the other 2 bands; the center of the emblem features a mosque with pulpit and flags on either side, below the mosque are Eastern Arabic numerals for the solar year 1298 (1919 in the Gregorian calendar, the year of Afghan independence from the UK); this central image is circled by a border consisting of sheaves of wheat on the left and right, in the upper-center is an Arabic inscription of the Shahada (Muslim creed) below which are rays of the rising sun over the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great"), and at bottom center is a scroll bearing the name Afghanistan; black signifies the past, red is for the blood shed for independence, and green can represent either hope for the future, agricultural prosperity, or Islam
note: Afghanistan had more changes to its national flag in the 20th century - 19 by one count - than any other country; the colors black, red, and green appeared on most of them
National anthem
name: "Milli Surood" (National Anthem)

lyrics/music: Abdul Bari JAHANI/Babrak WASA
note: adopted 2006; the 2004 constitution of the post-Taliban government mandated that a new national anthem should be written containing the phrase "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) and mentioning the names of Afghanistan's ethnic groups
Economy
Economic overview
Prior to 2001, Afghanistan was an extremely poor, landlocked, and foreign aid-dependent country. Increased domestic economic activity occurred following the U.S.-led invasion, as well as significant international economic development assistance. This increased activity expanded access to water, electricity, sanitation, education, and health services, and fostered consistent growth in government revenues since 2014. While international security forces have been drawing down since 2012, with much higher U.S. forces’ drawdowns occurring since 2017, economic progress continues, albeit uneven across sectors and key economic indicators. After recovering from the 2018 drought and growing 3.9% in 2019, political instability, expiring international financial commitments, and the COVID-19 pandemic have wrought significant adversity on the Afghan economy, with a projected 5% contraction.
Current political parties’ power-sharing agreement following the September 2019 presidential elections as well as ongoing Taliban attacks and peace talks have led to Afghan economic instability. This instability, coupled with expiring international grant and assistance, endangers recent fiscal gains and has led to more internally displaced persons. In November 2020, Afghanistan secured $12 billion in additional international aid for 2021-2025, much of which is conditional upon Taliban peace progress. Additionally, Afghanistan continues to experience influxes of repatriating Afghanis, mostly from Iran, significantly straining economic and security institutions.
Afghanistan’s trade deficit remains at approximately 31% of GDP and is highly dependent on financing through grants and aid. While Afghan agricultural growth remains consistent, recent industrial and services growth have been enormously impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and trade cessations. While trade with the People’s Republic of China has rapidly expanded in recent years, Afghanistan still relies heavily upon India and Pakistan as export partners but is more diverse in its import partners. Furthermore, Afghanistan still struggles to effectively enforce business contracts, facilitate easy tax collection, and enable greater international trade for domestic enterprises.

Current Afghan priorities focus on the following goals:
Real GDP growth rate
2.7% (2017 est.)

2.2% (2016 est.)

1% (2015 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5% (2017 est.)

4.4% (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$78.557 billion (2019 est.)

$75.6 billion (2018 est.)

$74.711 billion (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$20.24 billion (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$2,065 (2019 est.)

$2,034 (2018 est.)

$2,058 (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Gross national saving
22.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

25.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

21.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 23% (2016 est.)

industry: 21.1% (2016 est.)

services: 55.9% (2016 est.)
note: data exclude opium production
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption:81.6% (2016 est.)

government consumption:12% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital:17.2% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories:30% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services:6.7% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services:-47.6% (2016 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores
44.1 (2020)

92.0 (2020)

30.6 (2020)

31.8 (2020)
Agricultural products
wheat, milk, grapes, vegetables, potatoes, watermelons, melons, rice, onions, apples
Industries
small-scale production of bricks, textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Industrial production growth rate
-1.9% (2016 est.)
Labor force
8.478 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture:44.3%

industry:18.1%

services:37.6% (2017 est.)
Unemployment rate
23.9% (2017 est.)

22.6% (2016 est.)
Population below poverty line
54.5% (2017 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
29.4 (2008)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%:3.8%

highest 10%:24% (2008)
Budget
revenues:2.276 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures:5.328 billion (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
11.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-15.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt
7% of GDP (2017 est.)

7.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Fiscal year
21 December - 20 December
Current account balance
$1.014 billion (2017 est.)

$1.409 billion (2016 est.)
Exports
$784 million (2017 est.)

$614.2 million (2016 est.)
note: not including illicit exports or reexports
Exports - partners
United Arab Emirates 45%, Pakistan 24%, India 22%, China 1% (2019)
Exports - commodities
gold, grapes, opium, fruits and nuts, insect resins, cotton, handwoven carpets, soapstone, scrap metal (2019)
Imports
$7.616 billion (2017 est.)

$6.16 billion (2016 est.)
Imports - partners
United Arab Emirates 23%, Pakistan 17%, India 13%, China 9%, United States 9%, Uzbekistan 7%, Kazakhstan 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities
wheat flours, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, rolled tobacco, aircraft parts, synthetic fabrics (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$7.187 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.901 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Debt - external
$284 million (FY10/11)
Exchange rates
afghanis (AFA) per US dollar -

7.87 (2017 est.)

68.03 (2016 est.)

67.87 (2015)

61.14 (2014 est.)

57.25 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity - production
1.211 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption
5.526 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports
4.4 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
634,100 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
45% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
52% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
4% 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
35,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
34,210 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production
164.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
164.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
49.55 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
9.067 million Mt (2017 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions:125,232

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:less than 1 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions:21,239,280

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:59.36 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment:progress has been made on Afghanistan's first limited fixed-line telephone service and nationwide optical fiber backbone; aided by the presence of multiple providers, mobile-cellular telephone service continues to improve swiftly; the Afghan Ministry of Communications and Information claims that more than 90% of the population live in areas with access to mobile cellular service; moderate growth through 2024, assuming stable governance and improving economic environment (2020)

domestic:less than 1 per 100 for fixed-line teledensity; 59 per 100 for mobile-cellular; an increasing number of Afghans utilize mobile-cellular phone networks (2019)

international:country code - 93; multiple VSAT's provide international and domestic voice and data connectivity (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-owned broadcaster, Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), operates a series of radio and television stations in Kabul and the provinces; an estimated 174 private radio stations, 83 TV stations, and about a dozen international broadcasters are available (2019)
Internet country code
.af
Internet users
total:4,717,013

percent of population:13.5% (July 2018 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total:15,999

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:less than 1 (2018 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers:3 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:13

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:1,722,612 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:29.56 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
YA (2016)
Airports
total:46 (2020)
Airports - with paved runways
total:29 (2020)

over 3,047 m:4

2,438 to 3,047 m:8

1,524 to 2,437 m:12

914 to 1,523 m:2

under 914 m:3
Airports - with unpaved runways
total:17 (2020)

2,438 to 3,047 m:1

1,524 to 2,437 m:7

914 to 1,523 m:4

under 914 m:5
Heliports
1 (2020)
Pipelines
466 km gas (2013)
Roadways
total:34,903 km (2017)

paved:17,903 km (2017)

unpaved:17,000 km (2017)
Waterways
1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2011)
Ports and terminals
river port(s):Kheyrabad, Shir Khan
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) are comprised of military, police, and other security elements:

Ministry of Defense: Afghan National Army ((ANA), Afghan Air Force, Afghan Army Special Security Forces (ASSF; includes ANA Special Operations Command, General Command Police Special Units (GCPSU), and the Special Mission Wing (SMW)), Afghanistan National Army Territorial Forces (ANA-TF, lightly-armed local security forces); Afghan Border Force (ABF); Afghan National Civil Order Force (ANCOF)

Ministry of Interior: Afghan Uniform (National) Police (AUP); Public Security Police (PSP); Afghan Border Police (ABP); Afghan Anti-Crime Police; Afghan Local Police; Afghan Public Protection Force; Special Security Forces

National Directorate of Security ((NDS), intelligence service) (2020)
Military expenditures
1.2% of GDP (2019)

1% of GDP (2018)

0.9% of GDP (2017)

1% of GDP (2016)

1% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths
Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) have approximately 305,000 active personnel; Ministry of Defense: 187,000; Ministry of Interior: 118,000 (Dec 2020)

note: the authorized strength of the ANDSF, the force level that the international community is willing to fund, is 352,000 personnel
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Afghan Army and Air Force inventory is mostly a mix of Soviet-era and more modern US equipment; since 2010, the US is the leading supplier of arms to Afghanistan, followed by Russia (2020)
Military service age and obligation
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2017)
Military - note
the Afghan military focuses on internal security threats from several armed groups, particularly the Taliban and militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), al-Qa’ida, and Haqqani Network terrorist groups (see the Terrorist Organizations Appendix); the primary threat to the Afghan Government and its security forces is the Taliban, which has conducted an insurgency since the early 2000s; the Taliban calls itself the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan; its political and military decisions are made by a leadership council (Rahbari Shura), currently led by HAIBATULLAH Akhundzada; as of mid-2020, the group had an estimated 60,000 full-time fighters; in addition to their strongholds in the provinces of Helmond and Kandahar, the Taliban has conducted attacks in nearly every Afghanistan province; in late 2020, it was threatening Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand province; in 2018, it briefly seized the capitals of Farah and Ghazni provinces; the Taliban has close ties to al-Qaida and the Haqqani Network

Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps and since 2014 have met to discuss collaboration on the Taliban insurgency and counterterrorism efforts; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey; Iran protests Afghanistan's restricting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Pakistan has sent troops across and built fences along some remote tribal areas of its treaty-defined Durand Line border with Afghanistan which serve as bases for foreign terrorists and other illegal activities; Russia remains concerned about the smuggling of poppy derivatives from Afghanistan through Central Asian countries
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin):72,191 (Pakistan) (2019)

IDPs:2.993 million (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in the south and west due to natural disasters and political instability) (2019)
Illicit drugs
world's largest producer of opium; poppy cultivation increased 63 percent, to 328,304 hectares in 2017; while eradication increased slightly, it still remains well below levels achieved in 2015; the 2017 crop yielded an estimated 9,000 mt of raw opium, a 88% increase over 2016; the Taliban and other antigovernment groups participate in and profit from the opiate trade, which is a key source of revenue for the Taliban inside Afghanistan; widespread corruption and instability impede counterdrug efforts; most of the heroin consumed in Europe and Eurasia is derived from Afghan opium; Afghanistan is also struggling to respond to a burgeoning domestic opiate addiction problem; a 2015 national drug use survey found that roughly 11% of the population tested positive for one or more illicit drugs; vulnerable to drug money laundering through informal financial networks; illicit cultivation of cannabis and regional source of hashish (2018 ) .
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