Country Profile

Algeria has notable geographic, demographic and cultural diversity. Its territory reaches from the Mediterranean Coast to the depths of the Sahara Desert, and its population includes a blend of Arab and Berber linguistic and cultural traditions. In recent years, Algeria has maintained an impressive degree of stability, with the government focusing on helping stave off further unrest in the region and working to strengthen the country’s baseline economic indicators. Economic development has been driven by oil and gas, which today still accounts for 30% of GDP, 60% of budget revenue and 97% of export receipts. In the last five years, the government has reoriented its focus to diversify the economy and take advantage of the full range of the country’s natural and human resources, and to ensure that growth is more inclusive.

This chapter includes viewpoints from President Abdelaziz Bouteflika; Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal; and Jean-Marc Ayrault, Former Prime Minister of France. It also includes interviews with Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Fiona Woolf, Alderman and Former Lord Mayor of London.