Page last updated on February 14, 2013
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 Berber, about 15% of the total population; these people live mostly in the mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers; 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 offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools
Languages:
Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Berber dialects: Kabylie Berber (Tamazight), Chaouia Berber (Tachawit), Mzab Berber, Tuareg Berber (Tamahaq)
Religions:
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Population:
37,367,226 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
[see also: Population country ranks ]
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.8% (male 5,318,100/female 5,072,373)
[see also: Age structure 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-24 years:
18.9% (male 3,617,642/female 3,448,260)
25-54 years:
42.4% (male 8,011,186/female 7,843,311)
55-64 years:
5.9% (male 1,114,232/female 1,072,211)
65 years and over:
5% (male 854,036/female 1,015,875) (2012 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.1 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male:
27.9 years
female:
28.4 years (2012 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.92% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]
Birth rate:
24.4 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]
Death rate:
4.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]
Net migration rate:
-0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]
Urbanization:
urban population: 66% of total population (2010)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization:
2.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major cities - population:
ALGIERS (capital) 2.74 million; Oran 770,000 (2009)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.86 male(s)/female
total population:
1.01 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:
97 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 75
[see also: Maternal mortality rate country ranks ]
Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.4 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 82
male:
25.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
21.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.73 years
country comparison to the world: 99
male:
72.99 years
female:
76.57 years (2012 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.78 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]
Health expenditures:
5.8% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 114
[see also: Health expenditures country ranks ]
Physicians density:
1.207 physicians/1,000 population (2007)
[see also: Physicians density country ranks ]
Hospital bed density:
1.7 beds/1,000 population (2004)
[see also: Hospital bed density country ranks ]
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 98% of population
rural: 88% of population
total: 95% of population
unimproved:
