Demographics of Algeria

Demographics of Algeria, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.
Location of Algeria

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Algeria, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Ninety-one percent of the Algerian population lives along the Mediterranean coast on 12% of the country's total land mass. Forty-five percent of the population is urban, and urbanization continues, despite government efforts to discourage migration to the cities. Currently, 24,182,736 Algerians live in urban areas, and about 1.5 millions nomads live in the Saharan area.

96% of the population follows Sunni Islam; the few non-Sunni Muslims are mainly Ibadis from the Mozabite valley at 1.3% and Shia Muslims (see Islam in Algeria).

Christianity in Algeria constitutes about 1% of the total population. While significantly greater during the French colonial years, a mostly foreign Roman Catholic community still exists, as do some Protestants. The Jewish community of Algeria, which once constituted 2% of the total population, has substantially decreased due to emigration, mostly to France and Israel.

Algeria's educational system has grown rapidly since 1962; in the last 12 years, attendance has doubled to more than 5 million students. Education is free and compulsory to age 16. Despite government allocation of substantial educational resources, population pressures and a serious shortage of teachers have severely strained the system, as have terrorist attacks against the educational infrastructure during the 1990s. Modest numbers of Algerian students study abroad, primarily in France and French-speaking Canada. In 2000, the government launched a major review of the country's educational system.

Housing and medicine continue to be pressing problems in Algeria. Failing infrastructure and the continued influx of people from rural to urban areas has overtaxed both systems. According to the UNDP, Algeria has one of the world's highest per housing unit occupancy rates for housing, and government officials have publicly stated that the country has an immediate shortfall of 1.5 million housing units.

Population

Vital statistics

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
19014,739,300—    
19065,231,700+2.00%
19115,563,800+1.24%
19215,804,200+0.42%
19266,066,400+0.89%
19316,553,500+1.56%
19367,234,700+2.00%
19488,681,800+1.53%
201035,600,000+2.30%
201136,300,000+1.97%
201237,100,000+2.20%
201337,900,000+2.16%
201742,200,000+2.72%
Source: Office National des Statistiques (ONS)[1]

Figures from National Office of Statistics Algeria[2] and United Nations Demographic Yearbook:[3]

Average population (x 1000) (1 January) Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000) Total fertility rate Male life expectancy Female life expectancy
1966 13 123 667 000 50.8
1967 13 497 630 000 46.7
1968 13 887 618 000 44.5
1969 14 287 665 000 46.5
1970 14 691 689 000 46.9
1971 15 098 687 000 45.5
1972 15 512 697 000 44.9
1973 15 936 717 000 45.0
1974 16 375 722 000 44.1
1975 16 834 738 000 43.8
1976 17 311 751 000 43.4
1977 17 809 728 000 40.9
1978 18 331 767 000 41.9
1979 18 885 797 000 42.2
1980 19 475 819 000 42.0
1981 20 104 835 000 41.5
1982 20 767 852 000 41.0
1983 21 453 812 000 37.9
1984 22 150 850 000 38.4
1985 22 847 864 000 37.8
1986 23 539 781 000 33.2
1987 24 226 755 000 31.2
1988 24 905 806 000 32.4
1989 25 577 755 000153 000602 000 29.5
1990 25 022 775 000151 000624 000 30.946.0324.914.50
1991 25 643 773 000155 000618 000 30.16.024.1
1992 26 271 799 000160 000639 000 30.46.124.3
1993 26 894 775 000168 000607 000 28.86.222.6
1994 27 496 776 000180 000596 000 28.26.521.7
1995 28 060 711 000180 000531 000 25.36.418.9
1996 28 566 654 000172 000482 000 22.96.016.9
1997 29 045 654 000178 000476 000 22.56.116.4
1998 29 507 607 000144 000463 000 20.64.915.7
1999 29 965 593 643141 000452 643 19.84.715.1
2000 30 416 588 628140 000448 628 19.364.5914.772.40
2001 30 879 618 380141 000477 380 20.04.615.5
2002 31 357 616 963138 000478 963 19.74.415.3
2003 31 848 649 000145 000504 000 20.44.615.8
2004 32 364 669 000141 000528 000 20.74.416.3
2005 32 906 703 000147 000556 000 21.44.516.9
2006 33 481 739 000144 000595 000 22.14.317.8
2007 34 096 783 000149 000634 000 23.04.418.6
2008 34 591 817 000153 000664 000 23.624.4219.22.81
2009 35 268 849 000159 000690 000 24.074.5119.562.84
2010 35 978 888 000157 000731 000 24.684.3720.312.87
2011 36 717 910 000162 000748 000 24.784.4120.372.87
2012 37 495 978 000170 000808 000 26.084.5321.553.02 75.877.1
2013 38 297 963 000168 000795 000 25.144.3920.752.93 76.577.6
2014[4] 39 114 1 014 000174 000840 000 25.934.4421.503.03 76.677.8
2015 39 963 1 040 285182 570857 715 26.034.5721.503.10 76.477.8
2016 40 400 1 066 823180 404886 419 26.14.521.63.10 77.178.2
2017 41 300 1 060 000190 000870 000 25.44.620.83.06 76.978.2
2018 42 200

Life expectancy

Period Life expectancy in
Years[5]
1950–1955 42.89
1955–1960 Increase 45.00
1960–1965 Increase 47.29
1965–1970 Increase 49.47
1970–1975 Increase 51.48
1975–1980 Increase 54.93
1980–1985 Increase 61.57
1985–1990 Increase 65.85
1990–1995 Increase 67.20
1995–2000 Increase 69.14
2000–2005 Increase 71.50
2005–2010 Increase 73.88
2010–2015 Increase 75.27

Cities

Below is a list of the most important Algerian cities:

 
Largest cities or towns in Algeria
According to the 2008 Census
Rank Name Province Pop. Rank Name Province Pop.

Algiers

Oran		 1AlgiersAlgiers Province2,364,23011TébessaTébessa Province194,461
Constantine

Annaba
2OranOran Province803,32912El OuedEl Oued186,525
3ConstantineConstantine Province448,02813SkikdaSkikda Province182,903
4AnnabaAnnaba Province342,70314TiaretTiaret Province178,915
5BlidaBlida Province331,77915BéjaïaBéjaïa Province176,139
6BatnaBatna Province289,50416TlemcenTlemcen Province173,531
7DjelfaDjelfa Province265,83317OuarglaOuargla Province169,928
8SétifSétif Province252,12718BécharBéchar Province165,241
9Sidi Bel AbbèsSidi Bel Abbès Province210,14619MostaganemMostaganem Province162,885
10BiskraBiskra Province204,66120Bordj Bou ArréridjBordj Bou Arréridj Province158,812

Ethnic groups

Algerians are descendants from the berbers, who are the indigenous ethnic group of Algeria and are believed to be the ancestral stock on which elements from the Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks as well as other ethnic groups have contributed to the ethnic makeup of Algeria.[6] Descendants of Andalusian refugees are also present in the population of Algiers and other cities.[7] Moreover, Spanish was spoken by these Aragonese and Castillian Morisco descendants deep into the 18th century, and even Catalan was spoken at the same time by Catalan Morisco descendants in the small town of Grish El-Oued.[8]

Algerian women in traditional clothes

The majority of Algerians identifies with an Arabic-based identity due to the 20th century Arab nationalism.[9][10] The ethnic Berbers are divided into many groups with varying languages. The largest of these are the Kabyles, who live in the Kabylie region east of Algiers, the Chaoui of North-East Algeria, the Tuaregs in the southern desert and the Shenwa people of North Algeria.[11]

During the colonial period, there was a large (10% in 1960)[12] European population who became known as Pied-Noirs. They were primarily of French, Spanish and Italian origin. Almost all of this population left during the war of independence or immediately after its end.[13]

Religion

Religions of Algeria (2012)[14]
Religions percent
Islam (official; Sunni)
 
 99%
Other (includes Christian and Jewish)
 
 1%

Islam is the predominant religion with 99% of the population.[15][15] There are about 150,000 Ibadis in the M'zab Valley in the region of Ghardaia.[16]

There were an estimated 10,000 Christians in Algeria in 2008.[17] In a 2009 study the UNO estimated there were 45,000 Catholics and 50,000–100,000 Protestants in Algeria.[18] A 2015 study estimates 380,000 Muslims converted to Christianity in Algeria.[19]

Following the Revolution and Algerian independence, all but 6,500 of the country's 140,000 Jews left the country, of whom about 90% moved to France with the Pied-Noirs and 10% moved to Israel.

Languages

Traffic sign in Isser in three languages: Arabic, Berber, and French

Arabic and Tamazight serve as both official languages and national languages in Algeria.[20][21]

Algerian Arabic (Algerian Dziriya or Darja) is the language used by the majority of the population. Colloquial Algerian Arabic is heavily infused with loanwords from Berber and French.

Although French has no official status, Algeria is the second-largest Francophone country in the world in terms of speakers,[22] and French is widely used in government, media (newspapers, radio, local television), and both the education system (from primary school onwards) and academia due to Algeria's colonial history. It can be regarded as the de facto co-official language of Algeria. In 2008, 11.2 million Algerians could read and write in French.[23] An Abassa Institute study in April 2000 found that 60% of households could speak and understand French. In recent decades the government has reinforced the study of French and TV programs have reinforced use of the language.

Algeria emerged as a bilingual state after 1962.[24] Colloquial Algerian Arabic is spoken by about 72% of the population and Berber by 27–30%.[25]

Official and recognized languages

  • Modern Standard Arabic: official language of the state, as defined in the Algerian constitution. Classical Arabic can be read and written by about 69.9% of Algerians. The language is used in writing only, not in daily conversation.
  • Berber language (Tamazight): official language of the state.[27]

Literacy

Definition: Age 15 and over can read and write

Total population: 80.2%
Male: 87.2%
Female: 73.1% (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

14% of GDP (2015)

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.[28]

Nationality

Noun: Algerian(s)
Adjective: Algerian

Population growth rate

1.7% (2017 est.)

Median age

total: 28.1 years
male: 27.8 years
female: 28.4 years (2017 est.)

Net migration rate

-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
-0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 66% of total population (2010)
Rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 2.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
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 (2012 est.)

Infant mortality rate

Total: 27.73 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 30.86 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 24.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Total: 24.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 27.82 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total population: 77 years
Male: 75.6 years
Female: 78.4 years (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS

Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
People living with HIV/AIDS: 21,000 (2007 est.)
Deaths: less than 1000 (2007 est.)

Obesity rate

Adult prevalence rate: 27.4% (2016 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: cutaneous leishmaniasis is a high risk in some locations (2005)

Genetics

Y-Dna Haplogroup frequencies in coastal Algeria

Population Nb E1a E1b1a E1b1b1a E1b1b1b E1b1b1c F K J1 J2 R1a R1b Q Study
1 Oran10207.85%5.90%45.10%00022.50%4.90%1%11.80%1%Robino et al. (2008)[29]
2 Algiers352.85%011.40%42.85%011.80%2.85%22.85%5.70%000Arredi et al. (2004)[30]
3 Tizi Ouzou1900047.35%10.50%10.50%015.80%0015.80%0Arredi et al. (2004)
Total1560.65%5.10%6.40%44.90%1.30%9.58%0.65%21.80%4.50%0.65%9.60%0.65%

In a recent genetic study by Semino et al. (2004), Algerian Arabs and Berbers were found to have more genetic similarities than was once believed.[31] This led scientists to conclude that the North African population was mainly Berber in origin and that the population had been 'Arabised', by the migration of Near-Eastener people.

The Haplogroup J, common marker in Middle-Eastern population is found at near 30% in Algeria, which is one of the most common haplogroup of the country along with E1b1b .

Recent studies on the common J1 Y chromosome suggest it arrived over ten thousand years ago in North Africa, and M81/E3b2 is a Y chromosome specific to North African ancestry, dating to the Neolithic. A thorough study by Arredi et al. (2004) which analyzed populations from Algeria concludes that the North African pattern of Y-chromosomal variation (including both E3b2 and J haplogroups is largely of Neolithic origin, which suggests that the Neolithic transition in this part of the world was accompanied by demic diffusion of Afro-Asiatic–speaking pastoralists from the Middle East. This Neolithic origin was later confirmed by Myles et al. (2005) which suggest that "contemporary Berber populations possess the genetic signature of a past migration of pastoralists from the Middle East",[32]

References

  1. ↑ Office National des Statistiques
  2. ↑ "National Office of Statistics". 2015-06-09. Archived from the original on 2012-03-06.
  3. ↑ "United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics". unstats.un.org. Retrieved 2015-06-09.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2014-01-19.
  5. ↑ "World Population Prospects - Population Division - United Nations". esa.un.org. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  6. ↑ UNESCO (2009). "Diversité et interculturalité en Algérie" (PDF). UNESCO. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2013.
  7. ↑ Ruedy, John Douglas (2005). Modern Algeria – The Origins and Development of a Nation. Indiana University Press. p. 22. ISBN 9780253217820.
  8. ↑ De Epalza, Mikel (2011). El español hablado en Túnez por los moriscos (siglos XVII-XVIII). Universitat de València. pp. 32–38–39–444. ISBN 9788437084152.
  9. ↑ Stokes, Jamie (2009). Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and the Middle East: L to Z. Infobase Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-4381-2676-0.
  10. ↑ Oxford Business Group (2011). The Report: Algeria 2011. Oxford Business Group. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-907065-37-8.
  11. ↑ Marion Mill Preminger (1961). The sands of Tamanrasset: the story of Charles de Foucauld. Hawthorn Books.
  12. ↑ Cook, Bernard A. (2001). Europe since 1945: an encyclopedia. New York: Garland. p. 398. ISBN 978-0-8153-4057-7.
  13. ↑ De Azevedo, Raimond Cagiano (1994). Migration and Development Co-Operation. Council of Europe. p. 25. ISBN 9789287126115.
  14. ↑ "Africa :: ALGERIA". CIA The World Factbook. Archived from the original on 2010-01-17.
  15. 1 2 "The World Factbook – Algeria". Central Intelligence Agency. 4 December 2013. Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  16. ↑ "Ibadis and Kharijis". (via Angelfire). Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  17. ↑ "Algerian Christian converts fined". BBC News. 3 June 2008.
  18. ↑ Deeb, Mary Jane. "Religious minorities" Algeria (Country Study). Federal Research Division, Library of Congress; Helen Chapan Metz, ed. December 1993. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  19. ↑ Believers in Christ from a Muslim Background: A Global Census
  20. ↑ "APS" (PDF). Algeria Press Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 May 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  21. ↑ "Présentation de l'Algérie". French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  22. ↑ "La mondialisation, une chance pour la francophonie". Senat.fr. Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013. () "L'Algérie, non-membre de l'Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, comptabilise la seconde communauté francophone au monde, avec environ 16 millions de locuteurs, suivie par la Côte d'Ivoire avec près de 12 millions de locuteurs francophones, le Québec avec 6 millions et la Belgique avec plus de 4 millions de francophones."
  23. ↑ "Le dénombrement des francophones" (PDF). Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-04-07. () p. 9 "Nous y agrégeons néanmoins quelques données disponibles pour des pays n’appartenant pas à l’OIF mais dont nous savons, comme pour l’Algérie (11,2 millions en 20081)," and "1. Nombre de personnes âgées de cinq ans et plus déclarant savoir lire et écrire le français, d’après les données du recensement de 2008 communiquées par l’Office national des statistiques d’Algérie."
  24. ↑ New, The (19 November 2008). "Algeria's liberation terrorism and Arabization". blogs.nytimes.com. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  25. ↑ Leclerc, Jacques (5 April 2009). "Algérie: Situation géographique et démolinguistique". L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde (in French). Université Laval. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  26. ↑ fr:Langues en Algérie
  27. ↑ "APS" (PDF). Algeria Press Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 May 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  28. ↑ CIA - The World Factbook -- Algeria
  29. ↑ Robino, C; Crobu, F; Di Gaetano, C; Bekada, A; Benhamamouch, S; Cerutti, N; Piazza, A; Inturri, S; Torre, C (2008). "Analysis of Y-chromosomal SNP haplogroups and STR haplotypes in an Algerian population sample". International Journal of Legal Medicine. 122 (3): 251–5. doi:10.1007/s00414-007-0203-5. PMID 17909833.
  30. ↑ Arredi et al. (2004),A Predominantly Neolithic Origin for Y-Chromosomal DNA Variation in North Africa
  31. ↑ Semino et al. (2004), Origin, Diffusion, and Differentiation of Y-Chromosome Haplogroups E and J Archived 2011-07-09 at the Wayback Machine.
  32. ↑ although later papers have suggested that this date could have been as longas ten thousand years ago, with the transition from the Oranian to the Capsian culture in North Africa. SpringerLink - Journal Article
  • (ONS.dz) Official Demographics Statistics of Algeria
  • Population cartogram of Algeria
  • Unexpected developments in Maghrebian fertility
  • and the As of 2003 U.S. Department of State website.
  • Laouisset, Djamel (2009). A Retrospective Study of the Algerian Iron and Steel Industry. New York City: Nova Publishers. ISBN 978-1-61761-190-2.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook document "2009 edition".

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.