From 1830 until Algeria gained its independence in March 1962, the country was under the French ruling. Since then Algeria has become a presidential republic containing 48 provinces. The official languages of the country are Arabic and Berber.
As a result of the fact that Algeria is among the countries with the largest oil and gas reserves, Algeria’s economy has developed rapidly, registering a GDP growth rate of about one percent in 2018 and 2019. After a slight slump in 2014, it is estimated that Algeria’s GDP will rise to up to 175 billion U.S. dollars by 2026. Due to its increasing unemployment rate, Algeria reportes a trade deficit since 2015, a first compared to the ten previous years. A regional power in Africa, Algeria’s national debt in 2019 is estimated to have been around 30.19 percent of GDP, but these figures could be subjected to a revision in the near future, since they are expected to skyrocket.