Algeria Population

Algeria is Africa’s largest country and an important oil and gas exporter. The society is characterized by a bloody civil war in the 1990s and an authoritarian ruling party that has ruled since the country became independent from France in 1962.

Key figures and facts

• Capital: Alger
• Ethnic groups: Arab Berbers 99%, Europeans and others 1%. (Although almost all Algerians are originally Berbers, only about 15% identify themselves as that.)
• Language: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects: Tamazight, tachawit, mzab and tamahaq
• Religion: Sunni Muslims 99%, others (including Christians and Jews) 1%
• Population: 38 934 334
• Control Form: Republic
• Area: 2 381 740 km2
• Currency: Algerian Dinar
• GNP per capita: 15 013 PPP $
• National Day: November 1st

The population of Algeria is estimated at 38,934,334 in (World Bank 2014) (16 residents per km²), with an annual growth of 2%. The proportion of young people is very high; 28% are under 14 years. However, fertility has been declining and currently stands at 2.78 children per woman (CIA World Fact Book 2015). Life expectancy at birth is estimated to be 69 years for men and 73 years for women.

About 70% of the population are Arabs and approximately 30% are berber. Most Berbers live in the highlands southeast of Algiers and in Ahaggar (nomadic Tuaregs). The European population, which before 1962 numbered over 1 million, has largely left the country. Millions of Algerians live abroad as foreign workers and refugees, most in France.

The bloody conflict that has characterized Algeria since the 1990s, including Attacks, terror and oppression have made everyday life difficult for the population, not least this applies to women, who are under intense pressure from fundamentalist groups to coordinate. “Modern” women who wear Western clothing, seek education, work and express their own opinions are particularly at risk. Although the perpetration of violence has slowed somewhat compared to the mid-1990s, a number of political killings have also occurred in the first part of the 2000s. The projected killings since the Civil War began to vary between 100,000 and 150,000.

The settlement is very unevenly distributed. About 95% of the population resides in the northernmost 10-12% of the area. In the Sahara, only the oases are inhabited. The social differences between the cities and the countryside are large, and diseases caused by poor sanitary conditions and lack of clean water are widespread. The influx of cities is very large, causing both economic and social problems. The largest cities are the capital Alger, Oran and Constantine. A total of 65% of the population lives in cities (2007).

Population of Algeria by Year (Historical)

Year	Population	Annual Growth Rate	Population Density	Global Rank
2020	43,850,933	1.850%	18.4113	33
2019	43,052,943	1.950%	18.0763	34
2018	42,228,297	2.030%	17.7301	34
2017	41,389,078	2.070%	17.3777	33
2016	40,551,281	2.070%	17.0260	33
2015	39,727,914	2.000%	16.6803	33
2010	35,977,344	1.650%	15.1055	34
2005	33,149,613	1.320%	13.9183	34
2000	31,042,124	1.540%	13.0334	34
1995	28,757,674	2.230%	12.0743	34
1990	25,758,758	2.800%	10.8151	33
1985	22,431,391	3.140%	9.4181	35
1980	19,221,554	2.970%	8.0704	35
1975	16,607,596	2.800%	6.9729	35
1970	14,464,874	2.880%	6.0733	36
1965	12,550,774	2.560%	5.2696	36
1960	11,057,752	2.500%	4.6428	37
1955	9,774,172	1.960%	4.1038	38
1950	8,872,136	0.000%	3.7251	39

Major Cities in Algeria by Population

Rank	City	Population
1	Algiers	1,977,552
2	Boumerdas	786,388
3	Oran	645,873
4	Tebessa	634,221
5	Constantine	449,986
6	Biskra	307,876
7	Setif	288,350
8	Batna	280,687
9	Bab Ezzouar	275,519
10	Annaba	206,459
11	Sidi Bel Abbes	191,658
12	Blida	182,336
13	Tiaret	178,804
14	Chlef	178,505
15	Bordj Bou Arreridj	168,235
16	Ech Chettia	167,844
17	Bejaia	163,992
18	Skikda	162,591
19	El Achir	158,222
20	Souk Ahras	156,634
21	Djelfa	154,154
22	Mascara	149,889
23	Jijel	147,889
24	Medea	147,596
25	Tizi Ouzou	143,889
26	Bechar	143,271
27	El Oued	134,588
28	Tlemcen	132,230
29	Relizane	129,983
30	Mostaganem	129,889
31	Ouargla	129,291
32	El Eulma	128,240
33	Saida	127,386
34	Guelma	123,479
35	Bordj el Kiffan	123,135
36	Ain Oussera	118,576
37	Khenchela	116,889
38	Laghouat	113,761
39	Ain Beida	105,654
40	Baraki	105,291
41	Oum el Bouaghi	100,710
42	M’Sila	99,889
43	Messaad	99,374
44	Barika	98,735
45	Ghardaia	93,312
46	Beni Mered	92,638
47	Aflou	84,572
48	El Khroub	83,635
49	Rouissat	80,673
50	Berrouaghia	80,462
51	Ksar el Boukhari	77,055
52	Khemis Miliana	75,754
53	Azzaba	75,206
54	Tamanrasset	73,017
55	Ain Touta	72,169
56	Cheria	71,984
57	Birkhadem	71,611
58	Chelghoum el Aid	71,549
59	Sidi Aissa	69,629
60	Larbaa	69,187
61	Mila	68,720
62	Bir el Ater	68,592
63	Sougueur	68,543
64	Ain Fakroun	68,322
65	Tolga	68,135
66	Es Senia	67,973
67	Bir el Djir	67,921
68	Akbou	66,543
69	Besbes	66,176
70	El Bayadh	64,521
71	Sidi Khaled	64,365
72	Ain Sefra	63,309
73	Frenda	63,208
74	Bougara	63,044
75	Hamma Bouziane	62,901
76	Reguiba	62,074
77	Tissemsilt	61,044
78	Meftah	59,879
79	Oued Rhiou	59,753
80	Boufarik	59,631
81	Sig	58,766
82	Ksar Chellala	58,367
83	Sidi Moussa	57,817
84	Ain Temouchent	57,243
85	Ras el Oued	56,615
86	Lakhdaria	56,608
87	Drean	55,036
88	Reghaia	54,851
89	Boghni	54,555
90	Dar Chioukh	53,911
91	Sedrata	53,207
92	Hassi Messaoud	52,889
93	Djamaa	52,771
94	Bouira	52,389
95	Mansoura	52,174
96	Ain Defla	52,165
97	Telerghma	51,597
98	Remchi	51,113
99	Birine	51,098
100	Sour el Ghozlane	50,093
101	Metlili Chaamba	50,006
102	Khemis el Khechna	49,646
103	Timimoun	49,126
104	I-n-Salah	49,112
105	Touggourt	48,933
106	Merouana	47,535
107	Kerkera	46,636
108	El Hadjar	46,545
109	Beni Saf	46,271
110	Tindouf	45,855
111	Ain el Turk	45,212
112	Boudouaou	45,042
113	Berriane	44,469
114	Oued Fodda	44,412
115	Bou Arfa	44,032
116	Adrar	43,792
117	El Attaf	43,726
118	El Affroun	42,516
119	`Ain el Hadjel	42,416
120	Hennaya	41,848
121	Tazoult-Lambese	41,525
122	Draa el Mizan	41,152
123	Timizart	41,047
124	Sebdou	41,035
125	Tebesbest	40,980
126	Souma	40,634
127	Azazga	40,512
128	Rouached	40,152
129	Heliopolis	40,028
130	Chetouane	39,802
131	Ain el Melh	39,687
132	El Hadjira	39,633
133	El Abiodh Sidi Cheikh	39,172
134	Mehdia daira de meghila	39,160
135	El Idrissia	38,603
136	Bougaa	38,486
137	Draa Ben Khedda	37,332
138	Dar el Beida	37,200
139	Ain el Bya	37,130
140	Nedroma	36,884
141	Debila	36,723
142	Arris	36,530
143	Ain Deheb	36,035
144	Hammam Bou Hadjar	35,785
145	Sidi ech Chahmi	35,401
146	El Kala	35,338
147	Ain Arnat	34,977
148	Sidi Okba	34,874
149	Makouda	34,404
150	Ain Merane	34,302
151	Ras el Aioun	34,056
152	Bordj Ghdir	34,025
153	Ouled Mimoun	33,777
154	Beni Douala	33,500
155	BABOR – VILLE	32,889
156	Mouzaia	32,870
157	Reggane	32,863
158	El Aouinet	32,860
159	Tamalous	32,468
160	Ain Kercha	32,386
161	Djidiouia	31,885
162	Barbacha	31,872
163	Ain el Bell	31,805
164	el hed	31,779
165	Kolea	31,705
166	Megarine	31,600
167	Ain Benian	30,991
168	Sfizef	30,970
169	Freha	30,957
170	L’Arbaa Nait Irathen	30,498
171	Oued Sly	30,393
172	Robbah	30,335
173	Bouinan	30,160
174	Meskiana	29,960
175	Lardjem	29,889
176	Sidi Amrane	29,623
177	Mekla	29,449
178	Ain Abid	29,375
179	Ain Bessem	29,350
180	Ain Smara	28,857
181	El Abadia	28,613
182	Hammamet	28,425
183	Ben Mehidi	28,287
184	Ain el Hammam	27,918
185	Tizi Gheniff	27,863
186	Cheraga	27,724
187	Charef	27,589
188	Theniet el Had	27,576
189	Bou Hanifia el Hamamat	27,465
190	Hadjout	27,438
191	Douera	26,815
192	Boukadir	26,551
193	Sidi Akkacha	26,447
194	El Amria	26,296
195	Dellys	26,273
196	Tirmitine	26,150
197	Bou Tlelis	26,033
198	El Kseur	25,939
199	Amizour	25,714
200	Didouche Mourad	25,653
201	Melouza	25,590
202	Tipasa	25,114
203	Sidi Merouane	25,018
204	Aoulef	24,701
205	Abou el Hassan	23,911
206	Arhribs	23,847
207	Sidi Abdelli	23,432
208	Salah Bey	23,228
209	Chiffa	23,107
210	Zeribet el Oued	23,076
211	Boumahra Ahmed	22,911
212	Ammi Moussa	22,890
213	Oued el Abtal	22,708
214	Bou Ismail	22,300
215	Tizi-n-Tleta	22,293
216	Mazouna	22,255
217	Mansourah	22,006
218	Ain Taya	21,704
219	Zemoura	21,659
220	Feraoun	21,589
221	Chemini	21,474
222	Bensekrane	21,172
223	Oued el Alleug	21,035
224	Tadmait	20,841
225	Rouiba	20,631
226	Boudjima	20,446
227	Chorfa	20,445
228	El Tarf	20,189
229	Mers el Kebir	20,067
230	Chebli	19,790
231	Seddouk	19,773
232	Beni Mester	19,697
233	Bordj Zemoura	19,671
234	Chabet el Ameur	19,411
235	El Malah	19,304
236	Berrahal	19,183
237	Brezina	18,973
238	Beni Amrane	18,303
239	Tizi Rached	17,761
240	Zeralda	17,452
241	Arbatache	17,370
242	Saoula	16,701
243	Ain el Berd	16,437
244	Thenia	16,069
245	Naciria	15,276
246	Ighram	14,919
247	Ouled Moussa	13,363
248	Ain el Hadjar	12,885
249	Ain Boucif	11,878
250	Oumache	10,313
251	Boumagueur	8,363
252	Naama	8,279
253	Sidi Senoussi sydy snwsy	7,389
254	Illizi	6,518

Religion

Algeria was Islamized in the 600s. About 99% of the population are Sunni Muslims; small Ibadite groups live in M’zab in the south. There are also some small Catholic churches.

After the liberation from French colonial rule in 1962, Islam became a state religion. In 1984, the role of Islam was strengthened by the majority of the Conservative wing of the FLN (Front de Libération Nationale) gaining a majority to introduce Islamic family law. After political unrest in 1988, fundamentalist groups and parties marked themselves as important parts of the opposition. Since 1991, the country has experienced civil war-like conditions in which extremist groups have played a prominent role.

Language

The official language is Arabic(standard or scriptural Arabic). Dialectal variants of Arabic are native languages ​​for approximately 80% of the population, while approximately 20% speak different Berber languages ​​(Tamazight), the most important of which is Kabylian, with over 2.5 million users. A limited urban elite has French as daily speech. French is also an important secondary language, and has long been completely dominant in education, administration and business. Since its liberation, an active Arab policy of education and administration has been pursued, but French remains central to business, higher education, the media and modern cultural life. Among educated people, French – or a mixture of Arabic and French – constitutes a significant part of the linguistic repertoire. Over the past couple of decades, the Berber minority has increasingly demanded an official berber berth in Algerian society. A law introduced in 1998 that banned the use of anything other than Arabic in the public sphere has provoked violent reactions, and since 1999 the authorities have shown a growing tolerance for Berber in school and administration in Berber areas. In 2004, Berber gained official language status.