World Factbook
Algeria
Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: two equal vertical bands of green (left) and white; a red, five-pointed star inside a red crescent, centered over the two-color boundary meaning: 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
Capital
name
Algiers
etymology
name derives from the Arabic al-jazair , meaning "the islands," and refers to the four islands formerly off the coast of the capital but joined to the mainland since 1525
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
36 45 N, 3 03 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
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
Constitution
history
several previous; latest approved by referendum 1 November 2020
amendment process
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
Country name
etymology
the country name derives from the capital city of Algiers
local long form
Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah
local short form
Al Jaza'ir
conventional long form
People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
conventional short form
Algeria
Independence
5 July 1962 (from France)
Legal system
mixed 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
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
note
note: Algeria's judicial system does not include sharia courts
highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Le 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)
subordinate courts
appellate or wilaya courts; first instance or daira tribunals
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
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
chief of state
President Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE (since 12 December 2019)
election results
2024: Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE (NLF) 94.7%, Abdelaali Hassani CHERIF (MSP) 3.2%, Youcef AOUCHICHE (FFS) 2.2% 2019: (FLN) 58.1%, Abdelkader BENGRINA (El-Bina) 17.4%, Ali BENFLIS (Talaie El Hurriyet) 10.6%, Azzedine MIHOUBI (RND) 7.3%, Abdelaziz BELAID (Future Front) 6.7%
head of government
Prime Minister Sifi GHRIEB (since 28 August 2025)
most recent election date
7 September 2024
election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the president after consultation with the majority party in Parliament
expected date of next election
2029
National holiday
Independence Day, 5 July (1962); Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
National color(s)
green, white, red
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
7 (6 cultural, 1 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Beni Hammad Fort (c); Djémila (c); Casbah of Algiers (c); M'zab Valley (c); Tassili n'Ajjer (m); Timgad (c); Tipasa (c)
Political parties
Algerian National Front or FNA Algerian Popular Movement or MPA Algeria's Hope Rally or TAJ Dignity or El Karama El-Infitah El Mostakbal (Future Front) Ennour El Djazairi Party (Algerian Radiance Party) or PED Equity and Proclamation Party or PEP Islamic Renaissance Movement or Ennahda Movement Justice and Development Front or FJD Movement for National Reform or El Islah Movement of Society for Peace or MSP National Construction Movement or El-Bina (Harakat El-Binaa El-Watani) National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND National Front for Social Justice or FNJS National Liberation Front or FLN National Militancy Front or FMN National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD National Republican Alliance or ANR New Dawn Party (El-Fajr El-Jadid) New Generation (Jil Jadid) Oath of 1954 or Ahd 54 Party of Justice and Liberty or PLJ Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD Socialist Forces Front or FFS Union for Change and Progress or UCP Union of Democratic and Social Forces or UFDS Vanguard of Liberties (Talaie El Hurriyet) Workers Party or PT Youth Party or PJ
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in 1997
Legislative branch
legislature name
Parliament (Barlaman)
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"Kassaman" (We Pledge)
history
adopted 1962; ZAKARIAH wrote "Kassaman" as a poem while imprisoned in Algiers by French colonial forces
lyrics/music
Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI
National symbol(s)
five-pointed star between the extended horns of a crescent moon; fennec fox
Administrative divisions
58 provinces ( wilayas , singular - wilaya ); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger (Algiers), Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Beni Abbes, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Badji Mokhtar, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djanet, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Meghaier, El Meniaa, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, In Guezzam, In Salah, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Ouled Djellal, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Timimoun, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen, Touggourt
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Chaabi Al-Watani)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
407 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
6/12/2021
expected date of next election
June 2026
percentage of women in chamber
7.9%
parties elected and seats per party
National Liberation Front (FLN) (98); Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) (65); National Democratic Rally (RND) (58); El-Moustakbel Front (Future", FM) (48); El Binaa Movement (39); Independents (84); Other (15)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Council of the Nation (Majlis al-Oumma)
term in office
6 years
number of seats
174 (116 indirectly elected; 58 appointed)
electoral system
plurality/majority
scope of elections
partial renewal
most recent election date
3/9/2025
expected date of next election
January 2028
percentage of women in chamber
2.5%
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 986-5906
chancery
2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 265-2800
chief of mission
Ambassador Sabri BOUKADOUM (since 27 February 2024)
consulate(s) general
New York
email address and website
mail@algerianembassy.org https://www.algerianembassy.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[213] (0) 770-08-2299
embassy
05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16030, Alger
telephone
[213] (0) 770-08-2000
mailing address
6030 Algiers Place, Washington DC 20521-6030
chief of mission
Ambassador Elizabeth Moore AUBIN (since 9 February 2022)
email address and website
algierspd@state.gov https://dz.usembassy.gov/
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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt