Demographic features of the population of Algeria include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects. All figures are from National Office of Statistics Algeria and the United Nations Demographic Yearbooks, unless otherwise indicated.
Ninety-one percent of the Algerian population lives along the Mediterranean coast on 12% of the country's total land mass. 75% of the population is urban, and urbanization continues, despite government efforts to discourage migration to the cities.
97% of the population follows Sunni Islam; the few non-Sunni Muslims are mainly Ibadis from the Mozabite valley at 1.3% (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 2022, there were almost 11 million pupils and 2 million students. Education is free and compulsory to age 16. 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.
Population size and structure
Age distribution
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 17 232 753 16 847 277 34 080 030 100 0–4 1 750 097 1 654 821 3 404 918 9.99 5–9 1 475 674 1 412 702 2 888 376 8.48 10–14 1 662 262 1 596 511 3 258 773 9.56 15–19 1 847 312 1 787 859 3 635 171 10.67 20–24 1 895 703 1 867 801 3 763 504 11.04 25–29 1 730 411 1 691 966 3 422 377 10.04 30–34 1 379 085 1 361 910 2 740 996 8.04 35–39 1 167 250 1 175 529 2 342 779 6.87 40–44 1 007 683 1 010 644 2 018 327 5.92 45–49 817 005 812 432 1 629 436 4.78 50–54 682 358 664 336 1 346 695 3.95 55–59 547 180 515 398 1 062 578 3.12 60–64 354 694 356 788 711 482 2.09 65-69 314 958 316 345 631 303 1.85 70-74 248 672 256 254 504 926 1.48 75-79 181 478 182 364 363 843 1.07 80-84 93 472 93 657 187 130 0.55 85-89 43 307 46 416 89 722 0.26 90-94 13 575 16 097 29 672 0.09 95-99 4 178 5 851 10 028 0.03 100+ 252 398 650 <0.01Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 4 888 033 4 664 034 9 552 067 28.03 15–64 11 428 682 11 244 661 22 673 343 66.53 65+ 899 892 917 382 1 817 274 5.33 unknown 16 146 21 200 37 347 0.11
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 21 118 894 20 576 732 41 695 626 100 0-4 2 537 210 2 400 525 4 937 735 11.84 5-9 2 155 222 2 034 306 4 189 528 10.05 10-14 1 672 925 1 583 253 3 256 178 7.81 15-19 1 513 910 1 449 966 2 963 876 7.11 20-24 1 728 672 1 662 960 3 391 633 8.13 25-29 1 887 412 1 837 618 3 725 030 8.93 30-34 1 891 310 1 868 670 3 759 980 9.02 35-39 1 672 000 1 638 996 3 310 996 7.94 40-44 1 322 807 1 314 955 2 637 762 6.33 45-49 1 128 564 1 141 789 2 270 354 5.45 50-54 957 002 964 127 1 921 129 4.61 55-59 764 232 765 395 1 529 628 3.67 60-64 623 980 613 837 1 237 817 2.97 65-69 464 950 452 674 917 624 2.20 70-74 288 205 304 720 592 925 1.42 75-79 237 094 252 360 489 454 1.17 80-84 156 185 171 174 327 360 0.79 85+ 117 213 119 406 236 619 0.57Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0-14 6 365 357 6 018 084 12 383 441 29.70 15-64 13 489 890 13 258 314 26 748 204 64.15 65+ 1 263 647 1 300 334 2 563 981 6.15
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 22 407 000 21 819 000 44 226 000 100 0-4 2 593 000 2 454 000 5 047 000 11.41 5-9 2 402 000 2 270 000 4 672 000 10.56 10-14 1 949 000 1 838 000 3 787 000 8.56 15-19 1 557 000 1 480 000 3 037 000 6.87 20-24 1 579 000 1 517 000 3 096 000 7.00 25-29 1 800 000 1 738 000 3 538 000 8.00 30-34 1 908 000 1 875 000 3 783 000 8.55 35-39 1 827 000 1 799 000 3 636 000 8.22 40-44 1 514 000 1 489 000 3 003 000 6.79 45-49 1 227 000 1 232 000 2 459 000 5.56 50-54 1 053 000 1 067 000 2 120 000 4.79 55-59 860 000 869 000 1 729 000 3.91 60-64 687 000 690 000 1 377 000 3.11 65-69 546 000 537 000 1 083 000 2.45 70-74 354 000 362 000 716 000 1.62 75-79 240 000 261 000 501 000 1.13 80-84 170 000 191 000 361 000 0.82 85+ 141 000 150 000 291 000 0.66Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0-14 6 944 000 6 562 000 13 506 000 30.54 15-64 14 012 000 13 756 000 27 768 000 62.79 65+ 1 451 000 1 501 000 2 952 000 6.67
Vital statistics
Average population (1 Jan)Live birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Crude migration rate (per 1000)Total fertility rateMale life expectancyFemale life expectancy 196613,123,000667,000 50.8 196713,497,000630,000 214,000416,00050.1 15.934.2-6.5 196813,887,000618,000 241,000377,00047.717.430.3 -2.2 196914,287,000665,000 243,000422,00049.8 17.032.8-4.8 197014,691,000689,000 226,000463,00050.2 16.533.7-6.2 197115,098,000687,000 241,000446,00048.4 17.031.4-4.4 197215,512,000697,000 229,000468,00047.7 15.732.0-5.3 197315,936,000717,000 246,000471,00047.6 16.331.3-4.7 197416,375,000722,000 234,000488,00046.5 15.131.4-4.6 197516,834,000738,000 249,000489,00046.1 15.530.6-3.3 197617,311,000751,000 258,000493,00045.4 15.629.8-2.2 197717,809,000796,000 241,000555,00045.0 14.430.6-2.6 197818,331,000817,000 238,000579,00046.4 13.532.9-4.4 197918,885,000774,000 212,000562,00042.8 11.731.1-1.8 198019,475,000797,000 203,000594,00042.7 10.931.8-1.5 198120,104,000791,000 178,000613,00041.0 9.431.6-0.3 198220,767,000808,000 180,000628,00040.6 9.131.50.4 198321,453,000830,000 181,000649,00040.4 8.831.60.4 198422,150,000850,000 173,000677,00040.2 8.631.6-0.1 198522,847,000864,000 183,000681,00039.5 8.431.1-0.6 198623,539,000781,000 165,000616,00034.7 7.327.42.0 198724,226,000755,000 161,000594,00034.6 7.027.60.8 198824,905,000806,000 157,000649,00033.9 6.627.30 198925,577,000755,000153,000602,00031.0 6.025.01.3 199025,022,000775,000151,000624,00030.96.024.9-47.14.50 199125,643,000773,000155,000618,00030.16.024.10.1 199226,271,000799,000160,000639,00030.46.124.3-0.4 199326,894,000775,000168,000607,00028.86.222.60.6 199427,496,000776,000180,000596,00028.26.521.70.2 199528,060,000711,000180,000531,00025.36.418.91.2 199628,566,000654,000172,000482,00022.96.016.90.8 199729,045,000654,000178,000476,00022.56.116.40.1 199829,507,000607,000144,000463,00020.64.915.70 199929,965,000593,643141,000452,64319.84.715.10.2 200030,416,000588,628140,000448,62819.44.614.802.40 200130,879,000618,380141,000477,38020.04.615.5-0.5 200231,357,000616,963138,000478,96319.74.415.3-0.12.48 200331,848,000649,000145,000504,00020.44.615.8-0.42.53 200432,364,000669,000141,000528,00020.74.416.3-0.4 200532,906,000703,000147,000556,00021.44.516.9-0.42.52 200633,481,000739,000144,000595,00022.14.317.8-0.6 200734,096,000783,000149,000634,00023.04.418.6-0.674.776.8 200834,591,000817,000153,000664,00023.64.419.2-4.92.8174.876.4 200935,268,000849,000159,000690,00024.14.519.6-0.42.8474.776.3 201035,978,000888,000157,000731,00024.74.420.3-0.62.8775.677.0 201136,717,000910,000162,000748,00024.84.420.4-0.32.8775.677.4 201237,495,000978,000170,000808,00026.14.521.6-0.93.0275.877.1 201338,297,000963,000168,000795,00025.14.420.70.22.9376.577.6 201439,114,0001,014,000174,000840,00025.94.421.5-0.63.0376.677.8 201539,963,0001,040,285182,570857,71526.04.621.4-0.23.0976.477.8 201640,836,0001,066,823180,404886,41926.14.521.6-0.23.1377.178.2 201741,721,0001,060,000190,000870,00025.44.620.80.43.1376.978.2 201842,578,0001,038,000193,000845,00024.4 4.519.90.22.97 77.1 78.4 201943,424,0001,034,000198,000837,00023.8 4.619.20.32.99 77.2 78.6 202044,241,000988,209241,069747,14022.3 5.416.91.42.8 74.277.9 202144,938,000949,799258,491691,30821.1 5.815.4-8.82.774.4 77.2 202245,477,000915,223203,146712,07720.1 4.515.6-9.82.59(e) 77.080.0 202346,189,163895,140192,186702,95419.3 4.115.20.12.52(e) 78.281.0202446,891,000873,000(e)18.52.44(e)?2025855,000 (e)2.37 (e)
Fertility Years 1925192619271928192919301931193219331934Total Fertility Rate in Algeria6.997.027.057.077.107.127.157.187.207.23 Years 1935193619371938193919401941194219431944Total Fertility Rate in Algeria7.267.287.317.337.367.397.417.447.467.49 Years 19451946194719481949Total Fertility Rate in Algeria7.527.547.577.597.62
Life expectancy
PeriodLife expectancy in Years1950–195542.891955–1960 45.001960–1965 47.291965–1970 49.471970–1975 51.481975–1980 54.931980–1985 61.571985–1990 65.851990–1995 67.201995–2000 69.142000–2005 71.502005–2010 73.882010–2015 75.27
Ethnic groups
Arabs make up 73.6% of the population of Algeria, Berbers make up 23.2%, Arabized Berbers make up 3%, and others constitute 0.2%. Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks as well as other ethnic groups have contributed to the ethnic makeup and genetic structure of the Algerian population. Descendants of Andalusian refugees are also present in the population of Algiers and other cities. 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.
The Arab population of Algeria is a result of the inflow of sedentary and nomadic Arab tribes from Arabia since the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb in the 7th century with a major wave in the 11th century. The majority of Algerians identify with an Arab-based culture. The ethnic Berbers are divided into many groups with varying languages. The largest of these are the Kabyles, who live in the Kabylia region east of Algiers, the Chaoui of North-East Algeria, the Tuaregs in the southern desert and the Shenwa people of North Algeria.
During the colonial period, there was a large (15% in 1960) 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.
Genetics
Y-DNA 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) 2 Algiers352.85%011.40%42.85%011.80%2.85%22.85%5.70%000Arredi et al. (2004)Arredi et al. (2004),A Predominantly Neolithic Origin for Y-Chromosomal DNA Variation in North Africa 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), the Haplogroup J1 associated with the diffusion of Arabs was found at 35% in Algeria,Semino et al. (2004), Origin, Diffusion, and Differentiation of Y-Chromosome Haplogroups E and J which is one of the most common haplogroups in Algeria, like the rest of the Maghreb, along with E1b1b.
Recent studies on the common J1 Y chromosome suggest it arrived over 10,000 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", 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.
Languages
Arabic and Berber serve as both official languages and national languages in Algeria.
Algerian Arabic (Algerian Dziriya or Darja) is the language used by the majority of the population. Colloquial Algerian Arabic has many Berber and French loanwords.