Tunisia

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet country code

.tn

Internet users

400,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

2.06 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Telephones - main lines in use

654,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

50,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

920,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Budget

revenues: $5.7 billion expenditures: $6.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.5 billion (2001 est.)

Currency

Tunisian dinar (TND)

Currency code

TND

Debt - external

$11.5 billion (2001 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

42 (1995)

Economic aid - recipient

$933.2 million (1995)

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. Real growth averaged 5.4% in the past five years, and inflation is slowing. Growth in tourism and increased trade have been key elements in this steady growth, although tourism revenues have slowed since 11 September 2001 and may take a year or more to fully recover. Tunisia's association agreement with the European Union entered into force on 1 March 1998, the first such accord between the EU and a Mediterranean country. Under the agreement Tunisia will gradually remove barriers to trade with the EU over the next decade. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, and improvements in government efficiency are among the challenges for the future.

Electricity - consumption

9.562 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

19 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

2 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production

10.3 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 99% hydro: 1% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.44 (January 2002), 1.3753 (2001), 1.3707 (2000), 1.1862 (1999), 1.1387 (1998), 1.1059 (1997)

Exports

$6.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities

textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons

Exports - partners

France 28%, Italy 21%, Germany 14%, Belgium 6%, Libya (2000)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $64.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 13% industry: 33% services: 54% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.8% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 32% (1995) (1995)

Imports

$8.9 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food

Imports - partners

France 30%, Italy 21%, Germany 11%, Spain 4%, Belgium (2000)

Industrial production growth rate

5.2% (2001 est.)

Industries

petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force

2.69 million note: shortage of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation

services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line

6% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate

15.6% (2000 est.)

Area

total: 163,610 sq km water: 8,250 sq km land: 155,360 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Georgia

Climate

temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south

Coastline

1,148 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geographic coordinates

34 00 N, 9 00 E

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

Irrigated land

3,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Land use

arable land: 18.67% permanent crops: 12.87% other: 68.46% (1998 est.)

Location

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Terrain

mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara

Administrative divisions

23 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), El Kef (Al Kaf), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), 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)

Capital

Tunis

Constitution

1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988

Country name

conventional long form: Tunisian Republic conventional short form: Tunisia local short form: Tunis local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Rust M. DEMING embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La Goulette, Tunisia mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 782-566 FAX: [216] 71 789-719

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Hatem ATALLAH FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

Executive branch

chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17 November 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a third term without opposition; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI nearly 100%

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

Government type

republic

Independence

20 March 1956 (from France)

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, BSEC (observer), CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Legal system

based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Legislative branch

unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (182 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - RCD 92%; seats by party - RCD 148, MDS 13, UDU 7, PUP 7, Al-Tajdid 5, PSL 2; note - reforms enabled opposition parties to win up to 20% of seats, increasing the number of seats they hold from 19 in the last election to 34 now

National holiday

Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Political parties and leaders

Al-Tajdid Movement [Adel CHAOUCH]; 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 Democratic Socialists or MDS [Khamis CHAMMARI]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed Belhaj AMOR]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]

Political pressure groups and leaders

the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

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 diffuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$356 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.5% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,806,881 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,597,565 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 105,146 (2002 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.8% (male 1,412,625; female 1,320,729) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 3,234,770; female 3,233,149) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 303,093; female 311,278) (2002 est.)

Birth rate

16.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

5 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups

Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.04% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

27.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.16 years female: 75.89 years (2002 est.) male: 72.56 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.7% male: 78.6% female: 54.6% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian

Net migration rate

-0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population

9,815,644 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate

1.12% (2002 est.)

Religions

Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

30 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2002)

Highways

total: 23,100 km paved: 18,226 km unpaved: 4,874 km (1996)

Merchant marine

total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 150,710 GRT/162,616 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (2002 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 797 km; petroleum products 86 km; natural gas 742 km

Ports and harbors

Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis

Railways

total: 2,168 km standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge dual gauge: 10 km 1.000-m and 1.435-m gauges (three rails) (2001) narrow gauge: 1,687 km 1.000-m gauge

Waterways

none