Algeria

Last updated: July 1st, 2021

The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria is nestled between the Mediterranean and the Sahara in the west of the Arab world. With an area of ​​around 2.2 million square kilometers, Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area and around six times larger than Germany. With almost 41.7 million inhabitants, it ranks third among the most populous Arab countries after Egypt and Sudan. The capital Algiers is located in the north directly on the coast.

In December 2019, former Prime Minister Abdelmadjid Tebboune was elected president. The elections were sparked by ongoing protests and the so-called Hirak movement to bring about change, transparency, and accountability. Tebboune promised a “New Algerian Republic”. Premature parliamentary elections were held in June 2021 with a victory for Tebboune’s party.

An association agreement has existed between the EU and Algeria since 2005. In 2017, the EU and Algeria adopted new partnership priorities in the framework of the renewed European Neighbourhood Policy.

Algeria is rich in oil and gas and has used its wealth to create economic growth. The government promotes the diversification of the national economy with, among other things, sustainable environmental policies and the promotion of environmentally friendly technologies and innovations. In addition, the country is rich with young start-up founders who innovatively stimulate the market and the incentives for investments in the private sector.

Algeria mainly imports food, machines, and chemical products in exchange for exporting  oil and oil products This also reflects the numerous infrastructure projects with which Algeria is modernizing. The construction sector and the transport and logistics sector have grown particularly strong in recent years, each with well over four percent. In bilateral trade, Germany had an export surplus of around 1.02 billion euros in 2020 down from 1.37 billion euros in 2019 and with a decreasing trend. Over 200 German companies are active in Algeria. Germany ranks fourth among the main supplier countries.