Guide to Tunisia Introduction Background: Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.
Geography Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Geographic coordinates: 34 00 N, 9 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries: total
Coastline: 1,148 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea
Climate: temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Terrain: mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Elevation extremes: lowest point
Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Land use: arable land
Irrigated land: 3,800 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to
Geography - note: strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration
People Population: 10,074,951 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 0.99% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 15.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk
Nationality: noun
Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Literacy: definition
Government Country name: conventional long form
Government type: republic
Capital: Tunis
Administrative divisions: 24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)
Independence: 20 March 1956 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 20 March (1956)
Constitution: 1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002
Legal system: based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state
Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections
Judicial branch: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation
Political parties and leaders: Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]
Political pressure groups and leaders: the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Flag description: red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam
Economy Economy - overview: Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism. Better rains in 2003 and 2004, however, helped push GDP growth above 5% for these years. Tourism also recovered after the end of combat operations in Iraq. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade with the European Union. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $70.88 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 3.55 million note
Labor force - by occupation: services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 13.8% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line: 7.6% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 41.7 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 24.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues
Public debt: 59.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products: olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds
Industries: petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production: 10.72 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 10.05 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 10 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 90 million kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 72,580 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 87,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - proved reserves: 1.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production: 2.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 3.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 1.58 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 77.16 billion cu m (2004)
Current account balance: $71.85 million (2004 est.)
Exports: $9.926 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons
Exports - partners: France 33.1%, Italy 25.3%, Germany 9.2%, Spain 6.1% (2004)
Imports: $11.52 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food
Imports - partners: France 25.1%, Italy 19%, Germany 8.5%, Spain 5.3% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.509 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $14.71 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $114.6 million (2002)
Currency (code): Tunisian dinar (TND)
Currency code: TND
Exchange rates: Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002), 1.4387 (2001), 1.3707 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 1,163,800 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,899,900 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 2.06 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 920,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .tn
Internet hosts: 281 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 630,000 (2003)
Transportation Railways: total
Highways: total
Pipelines: gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004)
Ports and harbors: Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira
Merchant marine: total
Airports: 30 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total
Military Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force (2003)
Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)
Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49
Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49
Manpower reaching military service age annually: males
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $356 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.5% (FY99)
Transnational Issues Disputes - international: none
Last updated: 20 October, 2005
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