The microstructure and electrical properties of the nonlinear ZnO varistor with A1$_{2}$ $O_{3}$ additions is investigated. The variation of nonlinear behavior with A1$_{2}$ $O_{3}$ additions is indicated from J-E and C-V measurement to be a result of the change of the interface defects density $N_{t}$ at the grain boundaries and the donor concentration $N_{d}$ in the ZnO grains. The optimum composition which has the nonlinear coefficients of -57 was observed in the sample with 0.005wt% A1$_{2}$ $O_{3}$ additions. The conduction mechanism at the pre-breakdown region is consistent with a Schottky thermal emission process obeying a relation given by $J^{var}$exp[-(.psi.-.betha. $E^{1}$2/)kT] and the conduction process at the breakdown region follows a Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism of the form $J^{var}$exp(-.gamma./E).