Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi
Ouzou, Tlemcen

Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)

Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976;
revised 3 November 1988 and 23 February 1989

Legal system: socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial
review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed
of various public officials, including several Supreme Court
justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Liamine ZEROUAL (appointed president 31
January 1994, elected president 16 November 1995) was elected for a
five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 16 November
1995 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote NA
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 31 December
1995) was appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral; note - suspended since 1992
National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani):
first-round elections held 26 December 1991; second round canceled
by the military after President BENDJEDID resigned 11 January 1992,
effectively suspending the assembly (next election promised by late
1996 or early 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(281 total) the fundamentalist FIS won 188 of the 231 seats
contested in the first round

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: Islamic Salvation Front (FIS,
outlawed April 1992), Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR
(self-exile in Germany); National Liberation Front (FLN), Boualem
BENHAMOUDA, secretary general; Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Hocine
Ait AHMED, secretary general (self-exile in Switzerland); Hamas,
Mahfoud NAHNAH, chairman; Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD),
Said SAADI, secretary general; Algerian Renewal Party (PRA),
Noureddine BOUKROUH, chairman
note: the government established a multiparty system in September
1989 and, as of 31 December 1990, over 50 legal parties existed

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol,
IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (obser