Algeria

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 African Economic Outlook- Algeria
Algeria's economy continues to register a good performance with real GDP growth estimated at 2.5% in 2012 (from 2.4% in 2011), but that growth could be boosted by enhancing the country?s potential, particularly in natural resources like hydrocarbons, to generate more wealth and employment, especially for young people. Strong social demands were contained thanks to subsidies to consumer prices, wage increases and social transfers, all of which hiked up government expenditure, but broad balances were maintained with a budget deficit equal to 3.3% of GDP, foreign debt amounting to 2.5% of GDP, a current-account surplus equal to 8.2% of GDP and foreign-exchange reserves of USD 190.7 billion at end-December 2012, or three years of imports. Thanks to the exploitation of its natural resources, hydrocarbons in particular, Algeria has registered tangible progress over the last 20 years, notably in respect to the modernisation of its economic and social infrastructure, poverty reduction, lower unemployment and improved human development.  - (pdf, 174.02 Kb)
 Social Context & Human Development in Algeria
Algeria has made considerable efforts in the eradication of mass communicable diseases (polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and tuberculosis), as well as in maternal and child protection. The country is however trying to cope with the rapid development of chronic diseases (cancer, hypertension, diabetes, etc.). The budget allocated to health in 2012 amounts to 8.8% of the total operating budget, in line with the 2010-14 five-year plan, which has earmarked more than 40% of its resources to improvement of human development. The country has 12 physicians and 17 beds per thousand inhabitants. Life expectancy at birth was 73.4 years in 2012. Maternal mortality has declined from 180 per one hundred thousand inhabitants in 1990 to 97 per one hundred thousand inhabitants in 2011. Infant mortality decreased from 46.8 per thousand live births in 1990 to 23.1 per thousand live births in 2011. The under-five mortality rate declined from 68 per thousand live births in 1990 to 28.8 per thousand live births in 2011. In terms of prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, the government has implemented various policies such as covering the cost of the poorest populations? health needs and distributing drugs nationwide for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Efforts to promote contraception, systematic and anonymous testing, and the significant involvement of religious authorities and civil society in the fight against HIV/AIDS have all helped to limit HIV/AIDS incidence, which is 0.1% for the 15 to 49 year-old age group.