The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the
economy, accounting for roughly 52% of budget revenues, 25% of GDP,
and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the fifth-largest
reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second largest gas
exporter; it ranks fourteenth for oil reserves. Algiers' efforts to
reform one of the most centrally planned economies in the Arab world
stalled in 1992 as the country became embroiled in political turmoil.
Burdened with a heavy foreign debt, Algiers concluded a one-year
standby arrangement with the IMF in April 1994 and the following year
signed onto a three-year extended fund facility which ended 30 April
1998. Some progress on economic reform, Paris Club debt reschedulings
in 1995 and 1996, and oil and gas sector expansion contributed to a
recovery in growth since 1995. Still, the economy remains heavily
dependent on volatile oil and gas revenues. The government has
continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and
domestic investment outside the energy sector, but has had little
success in reducing high unemployment and improving living standards.

purchasing power parity - $147.6 billion (1999 est.)

3.9% (1999 est.)

purchasing power parity - $4,700 (1999 est.)

agriculture: 12%
industry: 51%
services: 37% (1997 est.)

23% (1999 est.)

lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

4.2% (1999 est.)

9.1 million (2000 est.)

government 29.5%, agriculture 22%,
construction and public works 16.2%, industry 13.6%, commerce and
services 13.5%, transportation and communication 5.2% (1989)

30% (1999 est.)

revenues: $15.5 billion
expenditures: $15.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)

petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining,
electrical, petrochemical, food processing

7% (1999 est.)

21.38 billion kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 99.77%
hydro: 0.23%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

19.882 billion kWh (1998)

313 million kWh (1998)

312 million kWh (1998)

wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus,
fruits; sheep, cattle

$13.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products
97%

Italy 21.2%, US 15.0%, France 12.9%, Spain 10.3%,
Brazil 5.9%, Netherlands 5.5% (1998)

$9.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

capital goods, food and beverages, consumer
goods

France 29.5%, Italy 9.8%, US 7.2%, Spain 6.8%,
Germany 6.2%, Canada 4.1% (1998)

$30 billion (1999 est.)

$897.5 million (1994)

1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes

Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1 - 69.046 (January 2000),
66.574 (1999), 58.739 (1998), 57.707 (1997), 54.749 (1996), 47.663
(1995)

calendar year