Long-form name: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria

Type: republic

Capital: Algiers

Administrative divisions: 48 provinces (wilayat, 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, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)

Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976

Legal system: socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)

Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Leaders: Chief of State--President Chadli BENDJEDID (since 7 February 1979); Head of Government--Prime Minister Sid Ahmed GHOZALI (since 6 June 1991)

Political parties and leaders: National Liberation Front (FLN), Chadli BENDJEDID, president; Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), Abassi MADANI; the government established a multiparty system in September 1989 and as of 31 December 1990 over 30 legal parties existed

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections: President--last held on 22 December 1988 (next to be held December 1993); results--President BENDJEDID was reelected without opposition; National People's Assembly--last held on 26 February 1987 (next were to be held 27 June 1991 but postponed indefinitely because of civil unrest); results--FLN was the only party; seats--(281 total) FLN 281; note--the government held multiparty elections (municipal and wilaya) in June 1990, the first in Algerian history; results--FIS 55%, FLN 27.5%, other 17.5%, with 65% of the voters participating

Communists: 400 (est.); Communist party banned 1962

Member of: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNAVEM, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Abderrahmane BENSID; Chancery at 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 328-5300; US--Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS; Embassy at 4 Chemin Cheich Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers (mailing address is B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers); telephone [213] (2) 601-425 or 255, 186; there is a US Consulate in Oran

Flag: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)

NOTE: The information regarding Algeria on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Algeria Government 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Algeria Government 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.