THE WORLD, CONNECTEDGeopolitical Relationship Atlas
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP

France and Algeria

History, families, trade and cultural cooperation form a relationship marked by diplomatic tensions. Migration and Western Sahara influence the government agenda. The 2026 meetings opened conversation channels without demonstrating general resolution of all outstanding matters.

Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07

Diplomatic deterioration since 2024

The French profile links tensions to France's change on Western Sahara in summer 2024.

People and judicial controversies

The update covers Boualem Sansal's imprisonment in November 2024 and pardon in November 2025.

High-level contacts in 2026

The profile records French visits to Algiers in February and May 2026 to discuss issues of common interest.

Bilateral indicators

Blank cells: data unavailable.

Indicators of the relationship between France and Algeria
IndicatorValuePeriod
Goods trade10,695.13 M USD2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA
Goods: France to Algeria4,807.78 M USD2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA
Goods: Algeria to France5,887.34 M USD2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA
Services trade
Export share: France to Algeria0.7 %2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA
Export share: Algeria to France
Investment stock: France in Algeria
Investment stock: Algeria in France
Definitions and sources

Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.

Goods trade
2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
Goods: France to Algeria
2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
Goods: Algeria to France
2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
Export share: France to Algeria
2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods share: FRA exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.

Country comparison

Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.

Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.

Economic and demographic comparison of France and Algeria
IndicatorFranceAlgeria
Nominal GDP3.37 trillion USD2025 · WB287.03 billion USD2025 · WB
GDP per capita48,985.73 USD2025 · WB6,051 USD2025 · WB
GDP growth0.84 %2025 · WB3.82 %2025 · WB
Policy interest rate2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE
Inflation · annual average0.94 %Annual average · 2025 · WB1.42 %Annual average · 2025 · WB
Inflation · latest year-on-year figure3 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Sept. 2026 · Insee
Unemployment7.54 %ILO est.2025 · WB11.63 %ILO est.2025 · WB
Budget balance (% of GDP)-5.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF-10.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF
Gross public debt (% of GDP)116 %IMF est.2025 · IMF54.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF
Current account balance (% of GDP)-0.27 %2025 · WB-1.02 %2024 · WB
Population68,720,3372025 · WB47,435,3122025 · WB
Area606,410 km²2023 · BM / FAO2,381,740 km²2023 · WB
Military expenditure
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
Definitions, dates and sources

Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.

Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0

Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.

Nominal GDP
Current USDFrance: 2025 · World BankAlgeria: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
GDP per capita
Current USD per personFrance: 2025 · World BankAlgeria: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
GDP growth
Annual real change (%)France: 2025 · World BankAlgeria: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
Policy interest rate
Central bank instrument (%)France: 2026-09-16 · ECB deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central Bank
Inflation · annual average
Average annual change in headline CPI (%)France: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World BankAlgeria: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedFrance: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Insee · Published: 2026-09-30 · provisional · Provisional · National headline CPI, year-on-year, not monthly inflation or an annual average. Provisional data or an official advance release; subject to revision.
Unemployment
% of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionFrance: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Algeria: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
Budget balance
General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Algeria: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
Gross public debt
General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Algeria: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
Current account balance
% of GDPFrance: 2025 · World BankAlgeria: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
Population
PeopleFrance: 2025 · World BankAlgeria: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
Area
Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceFrance: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; territorial coverage as defined by the source · World Bank · FAOAlgeria: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
Military expenditure
Current USD per year; SIPRI series
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship

What they buy and sell

Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.

France to Algeria

2025

Selected products exported from France to Algeria
Product or sectorValue / share
Land vehicles and components1,390.6 M USD2025 · Source
Machinery and mechanical appliances827 M USD2025 · Source
Pharmaceutical products385.8 M USD2025 · Source
Electrical and electronic equipment234.6 M USD2025 · Source
Mineral fuels and oils109.2 M USD2025 · Source

Common selection: fuels, pharmaceuticals, machinery, electronics and vehicles. Not an exhaustive ranking or a claim that these are the leading products. Comtrade: indicated reporter, with possible differences from another customs publication. UN Comtrade / FRA

Algeria to France

2025

Selected products exported from Algeria to France
Product or sectorValue / share
Mineral fuels and oils5,128.7 M USD2025 · Source
Machinery and mechanical appliances5.7 M USD2025 · Source
Land vehicles and components1.1 M USD2025 · Source
Electrical and electronic equipment0.5 M USD2025 · Source
Pharmaceutical products0.1 M USD2025 · Source

Common selection: fuels, pharmaceuticals, machinery, electronics and vehicles. Not an exhaustive ranking or a claim that these are the leading products. Comtrade: indicated reporter, with possible differences from another customs publication. UN Comtrade / FRA

Connections between people

Education, work, visits and community connections have their own records and procedures. Residents are not equivalent to annual arrivals, and visits may be repeated. The tables retain dates, definitions and sources to distinguish these connections from business contracts and government decisions. [2]

Residents, study and travel

Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.

Indicators of human connections between France and Algeria
IndicatorValuePeriod / source
Residents from France living in Algeria
Residents from Algeria living in France
Study and training: France in Algeria
Study and training: Algeria in France
Academic stays: France in Algeria
Academic stays: Algeria in France
Travel: France to Algeria
Travel: Algeria to France
What each figure measures

Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.

Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.

Underlying ties

History, institutions and long-standing issues.

Diplomatic deterioration since 2024

The French profile links tensions to France's change on Western Sahara in summer 2024. It records the Algerian ambassador's withdrawal, interruption of cooperation and reciprocal expulsions in April 2025. That explanation is attributed to the French government. Diplomatic episodes have their own dates and effects, distinct from continuing citizen ties. [1]

People and judicial controversies

The update covers Boualem Sansal's imprisonment in November 2024 and pardon in November 2025. It also records journalist Christophe Gleizes' case and judicial decisions in 2025. These matters involve specific people and procedures, not a mobility figure. Consular protection and migration differences belong to separate instruments. [1]

Culture and professional capacities

French cultural cooperation identifies training, publishing, audiovisual activities, artistic residencies and startup initiatives. These channels have their own participants and do not equal all political dialogue. A cultural program can have continuity different from a consular dispute. Their existence is not a visitor count or proof that all calls for participation have been implemented. [2]

The scale of the two economies

France recorded nominal GDP of USD 3366.3 billion in 2025, compared with 287 in 2025 for Algeria. The reference populations were 68.72 million (2025) and 47.44 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, France's nominal GDP was 11.73 times that of Algeria. The figures contextualize market size; they do not in themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or demographic extrapolations retain their markings in the table. A ratio is not calculated when the periods do not match. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Recent developments

Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07

High-level contacts in 2026

The profile records French visits to Algiers in February and May 2026 to discuss issues of common interest. These are steps in dialogue, not proof of full normalization. The 2025 goods figures provide earlier economic context. The reader can distinguish an agenda of resumption, pending cases and historical ties that do not disappear because of a diplomatic crisis. [1]

Observed economic exchange

In 2025, recorded goods trade between France and Algeria totaled USD 10,695.1 million. Shipments from France to Algeria were 4807.8 million USD; those in the opposite direction were 5887.3 million USD. France's shipments to the partner represented 0.7 % of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporting country. A single customs declaration is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or subsidiaries' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [3]

Milestones and consequences

  1. 2024

    Tensions

    French change on Western Sahara and deterioration. [1]

  2. 2025-04

    Diplomats

    Expulsions and recalls for consultations. [1]

  3. 2026

    Visits

    High-level contacts to resume dialogue. [1]

Sources and data

Periods and scope of the figures

Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.

  1. France–Algeria political and economic relationship

    France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  2. Cultural and diplomatic cooperation with Algeria

    France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  3. Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 251; partners 0,643,699,380,504,12,686

    UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  4. Official statistics

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17

  5. NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  6. Official statistics

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06

  7. SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion

    World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  8. HS2 27; 2025; reporter 251; partners 643,699,380,504,12,686; X/M; annual goods

    UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  9. HS2 30; 2025; reporter 251; partners 643,699,380,504,12,686; X/M; annual goods

    UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  10. HS2 84; 2025; reporter 251; partners 643,699,380,504,12,686; X/M; annual goods

    UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  11. HS2 85; 2025; reporter 251; partners 643,699,380,504,12,686; X/M; annual goods

    UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

  12. HS2 87; 2025; reporter 251; partners 643,699,380,504,12,686; X/M; annual goods

    UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07

Additional sources on products and human connections
  • UN Comtrade / FRA

    2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 27; 2025; reporter 251; partners 643,699,380,504,12,686; X/M; annual goods.

  • UN Comtrade / FRA

    2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 87; 2025; reporter 251; partners 643,699,380,504,12,686; X/M; annual goods.

  • UN Comtrade / FRA

    2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 251; partners 643,699,380,504,12,686; X/M; annual goods.

  • UN Comtrade / FRA

    2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 30; 2025; reporter 251; partners 643,699,380,504,12,686; X/M; annual goods.

  • UN Comtrade / FRA

    2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 251; partners 643,699,380,504,12,686; X/M; annual goods.