Challenges for Prayer

1 Opposition to the gospel is intense

2 Around 100,000 civilians have been murdered in gruesome massacres during the savage civil war

3 There is a new openness to the West and a political drive to encourage tourism and foreign investment

4 The Berber peoples, may comprise as much as 40% of the population

a) Praise God for the protection of this movement of the Spirit from reprisals

b) Algeria has long been plagued by clannishness and divisions

5 The local church

a) The establishment of strong indigenous groups with effective leaders steeped in the Word

b) The protection of Arab believers in persecution

c) A strengthening of Christian families

d) Musicians for worship services and children's workers to be raised up

6 The unreached comprise virtually the whole nation

a) The growing cities — the educated elite, the middle classes, and the teeming slums

b) Young people who are frustrated and disillusioned

c) The Berber peoples of the Atlas Mountains

d) The Tuareg

e) The Mzab oasis towns in the Sahara

Geography

click to enlarge

Area 2,381,741 sq.km. Agriculture is possible on the Mediterranean coast, in the Atlas mountains and at oases; 80% is desert.

Population (2000) 31,471,278 +2.32%AGR

Capital Algiers 4,447,000.

Peoples

Arabic-speaking 77.1%; Berber 22%; Other 0.9%.

Literacy 61.6%. Official language Arabic. Berber, French and increasingly, English are widely used and 25% speak one of the Berber languages. All languages 17. Languages with Scriptures 2Bi 2NT 5por 2w.i.p.

Economy

Heavily dependent on oil exports. Unemployment 22%. HDI 0.665; 109^th/174. Public debt 65% of GNP. Income/person $1,500 (4.8% of USA).

Politics

French colony for 132 years.

Religion

Since independence, the government has actively encouraged the development of an Islamic Arab socialist state.

Churches in Algeria

Missionaries from Algeria

15, in 4 agencies.

Expatriates to Algeria

Most are based outside the country.

Internet Links