Land area

2,381,741 sq km

Population

34.4m (January 1st 2008; Office national des statistiques estimate)

Main towns

Population of main urban areas in '000s (mid-2006 Economist Intelligence Unit estimates)

Greater Algiers (incl capital): 4,825

Oran: 1,150

Constantine: 810

Annaba: 580

Climate

Temperate on the coast, hot and dry in the south

Weather in Algiers (altitude 59 metres)

Hottest month, August, 22-29°C; coldest month, January, 9-15°C (average daily minimum and maximum); driest month, July, 1 mm average rainfall; wettest month, December, 140 mm average rainfall

Language

Arabic (official); Berber language (Tamazight) and French are also used

Measures

Metric system

Currency

Algerian dinar (AD) = 100 centimes or 20 douros

Time

GMT in the winter months; GMT plus one hour in the summer

Public holidays

All Muslim holidays are observed in accordance with the lunar calendar, and the dates are therefore approximate: Prophet's birthday (February 26th 2010) Eid al-Fitr (September 9th-10th); Eid al-Adha (November 15th-16th); Islamic New Year (December 7th). Other public holidays: New Year's Day (January 1st); Labour Day (May 1st); Independence Day (July 5th); Anniversary of the Revolution (November 1st)