The population of Algeria was estimated at around 45.6 million in 2023. The country ranked among the
. The capital city, Algiers, was the
, counting over 1.97 million inhabitants, followed by Boumerdes and Oran. In fact, most of the population lives in the northern areas close to the Mediterranean coast, since the rest of the country is predominantly a desert. The
grew steadily to reach approximately 75 percent in 2022. However, considering the vastness of Algeria, which is the
remained low at nearly 18.6 inhabitants per square kilometer. Despite a slight slowdown in the population growth rate in recent years, the number of inhabitants is forecast to exceed 49.5 million by 2029.
Migration past
Algerian history is connected to
migration. During the French colonization, European settlers moved to the North African country. These were known as
Pieds-Noirs, literally ‘Black Feet’, and constituted around 10 percent of the population as of 1960. In the years of the War of Independence and after the decolonization in 1962, while most settlers left the country, many Algerians emigrated to France. They were mostly the poor population of the Kabylia region, as well as those who had supported the French rule. After the independence, economic development led to domestic migration from rural to urban areas.
Growing population
Increasing urbanization was also due to population growth. Although the
fertility rate decreased sharply compared to the 1960s, it was high at around three births per woman in recent years. Households in Algeria had an average
size of around 4.7 members in 2022. Yet a decrease was recorded compared to the previous years. This could also result from the declining
marriage rate, which fell from 9.88 to 6.41 marriages per 1,000 inhabitants between 2014 and 2020, respectively. In the same period, the divorce rate remained relatively stable.
Youth and social crisis
Over 44 percent of the population in Algeria was
aged 24 years and younger as of 2023. The prevalence of youth was due to the high fertility rate as well as
life expectancy at birth, which was around 77.1 years in 2022. The youth population in the country has been particularly concerned with the socio-economic crisis in recent years. Between 2019 and 2021, the high
youth unemployment rate, lack of opportunities, increasing
poverty rate, and hope for a better future have driven the non-violent protests in the country, known as
Hirak, literally 'Movement', and the youth population has been constantly demanding greater freedom and economic reforms.
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liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
