Population of Algeria
Population of Algeria Last updated on Monday 19th April 2010
31,193,917 (estimation of July 2000)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 5,591,044; female 5,389,046)
15-64 years: 61% (male 9,582,864; female 9,381,088)
65 years and over: 4% (male 577,875; female 672,000) (estimation of 2000)
Population growth rate: 1.74% (estimation of 2000)
Birth rate: 23.14 births per 1000 population (estimation of 2000)
Death rate: 5.3 deaths per 1000 population (estimation of 2000)
Net migration rate: -0.47 migrant(s) per 1000 population (estimation of 2000)
Infant mortality rate: 41.97 deaths/1,000 live births (estimation of 2000)
Life expectancy at birth:
I 69.65 years
male: 68.34 years
female: 71.02 years (estimation of 2000)
Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (estimation of 2000)
Literacy:
Definition: males and females over 15 years can read and write
Literacy among I: 61.6%
Literacy among males: 73.9%
Literacy among females: 49% (estimation of 1995)
This population explosion presents the country with a major crisis for the future, particularly since 92% of the population is confined to the fertile northern region of the country which covers only 14% of the land area. The implications of this are reflected in unemployment figures which stand at around 21%, particularly among young people.
Over 52% of all Algerians live in cities and towns. Algeria's largest population centre is the capital of Algiers. The greater city, which is also the country's industrial centre, contains a population of over 3 million.
Algeria's overall population density of 11.7 people per square kilometre is misleading given the heavy population concentrations in the northern region of the country. In the north of the country there are not less than 30 people per square kilometre, rising to as many as 1,100 people per square metre.
The overriding racial characteristic of the Algerian population is Arab (83% of the population) or Berber (17% of the population) or Berber-Arab through intermarriage. Prior to independence in 1962 one million Europeans lived in Algeria, primarily French, as well as 150,000 Jews. After independence 90% of the Jewish and European communities emigrated. Of the present population over 50% live in what are classified as rural, agrarian areas.
The nomadic Touareg /ITouaregs were converted to Islam in the 9th century and apostatized 14 times before finally submitting.