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 Algeria Size: 2,460,500 square kilometers. Population: 30 million |
A republic in northwestern Africa headed by President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika,
elected in April 1999. In September, 2001 Bouteflika ordered his military to
eliminate the Islamic insurgency. The operation has been successful in
flushing out scores of insurgents in the mountainous region of eastern
Algeria. But campaign is far from over. Still, Bouteflika has restored ties
with the West -- particularly in the wake of the suicide attacks on New York
and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001 -- and appears close to signing weapons
deals with both several European Union members and the United States. The
aim is to improve the military and procure new weapons to replace aging
Soviet warplanes and tanks.Bouteflika plans to pay for new weapons by offering oil and natural gas concessions in Algeria. Human rights concerns could hamper his military
procurement effort in the West. As a result, Algeria continues to deal with
Russia and other republics of the former Soviet Union as well as South
Africa.
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