Algeria

Algeria won its independence from France in 1962 after years of struggle. Subsequent internal conflicts erupted into open battle in 1992. Over the next six years, at least 100,000 Algerians were killed when conflict between extremists and army forces led to the annihilation of whole villages. Even though the fighting has tapered off, the Algerian government has been accused of widespread inefficiency and corruption. As a result, there is a serious housing shortage in Algeria, and water and electrical supplies are unstable. The undiversified Algerian economy is heavily dependent on petroleum, which has generated a large cash reserve that may eventually be used to deal with social problems and improve the weak infrastructure. Other natural resources include iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, and zinc. The ...