Population: Sunni Muslim 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

Islam and the state: Since 1991 Algerian life and politics have been dominated by the struggle between the military-backed government and Islamist militants. In that year a general election which was about to be won by an Islamist party was annulled, marking the beginning of a bloody campaign which has caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people.

Militant Islam: The government is pursuing a policy of "eradicating" the armed Islamic groups that want to continue the conflict, whilst seeking to broker amnesties with those willing to disarm. The main armed Islamic group, the GIA, has largely disbanded, and some Islamic leaders have been released from jail. The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, a group believed to be linked to al-Qaeda, is still active.