Tunisia

Broadcast media

broadcast media is mainly government-controlled; the state-run Tunisian Radio and Television Establishment (ERTT) operates 2 national TV networks, several national radio networks, and a number of regional radio stations; 1 TV and 3 radio stations are privately-owned and report domestic news stories directly from the official Tunisian news agency; the state retains control of broadcast facilities and transmitters through L'Office National de la Telediffusion; Tunisians also have access to Egyptian, pan-Arab, and European satellite TV channels (2007)

Internet country code

.tn

Internet hosts

576 (2012) country comparison to the world: 180

Internet users

3.5 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 60

Telephone system

general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; telephone network is completely digitized; Internet access available throughout the country domestic: in an effort to jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line network, the government has awarded a concession to build and operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; rural areas are served by wireless local loops; competition between the two mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation and usage charges and a strong surge in subscribership; a third mobile, fixed, and ISP operator was licensed in 2009 and began offering services in 2010; expansion of mobile-cellular services to include multimedia messaging and e-mail and Internet to mobile phone services also leading to a surge in subscribership; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity has reached about 125 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 216; a landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; 2 international gateway digital switches

Telephones - main lines in use

1.218 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 69

Telephones - mobile cellular

12.388 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 63

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $10.63 billion expenditures: $14.43 billion (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-8.5% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Central bank discount rate

5.75% (31 December 2010 est.) NA% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

7.31% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 6.76% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

-$3.57 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 -$3.331 billion (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$24.49 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $23.18 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 41.7 (1995 est.)

Economy - overview

Tunisia has a diverse, market-oriented economy, with important agricultural, mining, tourism, and manufacturing sectors but faces an array of challenges in the wake of the country's 2011 revolution. Following an ill-fated experiment with socialist economic policies in the 1960s, Tunisia successfully focused on bolstering exports, foreign investment, and tourism, leading to several decades of strong, sustained GDP growth. Key exports now include textiles and apparel, food products, petroleum products, chemicals, and phosphates, with about 80% of all exports going to the European Union. The tenure of former President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (1987-2011) was marked by increasing cronyism and corruption that stymied economic performance and failed to reduce high unemployment, particularly among younger Tunisians. In January 2011 BEN ALI was overthrown, sending Tunisia's economy into a tailspin. As the economy recovers, Tunisia's government faces challenges reassuring businesses and investors, bringing budget and current account deficits under control, shoring up the country's financial system, bringing down high unemployment, and reducing economic disparities between the more developed coastal region and impoverished interior.

Exchange rates

Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.563 (2012 est.) 1.4078 (2011 est.) 1.4314 (2010 est.) 1.3503 (2009) 1.211 (2008)

Exports

$17.87 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 77 $17.61 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment

Exports - partners

France 29.5%, Italy 19.3%, Germany 10.3%, Libya 6.6% (2011)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$44.7 billion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$104.4 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 $101.7 billion (2011 est.) $103.5 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 8.9% industry: 29.6% services: 61.5% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$9,700 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 $9,500 (2011 est.) $9,800 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

2.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 -1.8% (2011 est.) 3.1% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.5% (2000)

Imports

$23.49 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $22.95 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

France 21.1%, Italy 17.6%, Germany 8.9%, Spain 5%, China 4.7%, Russia 4.5% (2011)

Industrial production growth rate

-6.4% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.9% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 3.5% (2011 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

23.1% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Labor force

4.014 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 18.3% industry: 31.9% services: 49.8% (2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$9.662 billion (31 December 2011) country comparison to the world: 71 $10.68 billion (31 December 2010) $9.12 billion (31 December 2009)

Population below poverty line

3.8% (2005 est.)

Public debt

52.3% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 59 45.1% of GDP (2011 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$7.424 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $7.357 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$31.06 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $29.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$345 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $310 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$33.66 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 60 $32.55 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$37.01 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 $34.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$13.83 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 71 $13.16 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.8% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Unemployment rate

18.8% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 19% (2011 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

18.72 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Crude oil - exports

65,960 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Crude oil - imports

24,580 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Crude oil - production

70,480 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Crude oil - proved reserves

425 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - consumption

12.75 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Electricity - exports

81 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Electricity - from fossil fuels

96.9% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

1.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Electricity - imports

122 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Electricity - installed generating capacity

3.648 million kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Electricity - production

14.76 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas - consumption

3.28 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Natural gas - imports

1.25 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Natural gas - production

2.03 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Natural gas - proved reserves

65.13 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Refined petroleum products - consumption

88,380 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Refined petroleum products - exports

15,270 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Refined petroleum products - imports

74,600 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Refined petroleum products - production

36,670 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Area

total: 163,610 sq km country comparison to the world: 93 land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 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 freshwater resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 2.64 cu km/yr (14%/4%/82%) per capita: 261 cu m/yr (2000)

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

4,450 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 17.05% permanent crops: 13.08% other: 69.87% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 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

Total renewable water resources

4.6 cu km (2003)

Administrative divisions

24 governorates (wilayat, singular - wilayah); 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)

Capital

name: Tunis geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002; note - the Constituent Assembly formed in October 2011 following the country's political revolution was charged with writing a new constitution

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jacob WALLES embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 107-000 FAX: [216] 71 963-263

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Tarek AMRI chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

Executive branch

note: Tunisia's interim government was appointed in December 2011 and will remain in power pending drafting of a new constitution and holding of general elections in 2013 chief of state: Interim President Moncef MARZOUKI (since 12 December 2011) head of government: Prime Minister Hamadi JEBALI (since 14 December 2011) cabinet: Prime Minister JEBALI was asked to form a new government on 14 December 2011 (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by Constituent Assembly; election last held on 12 December 2011(next to be held by March 2013); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President MARZOUKI elected by Constituent Assembly with 153 of 156 votes

Flag description

red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; resembles the Ottoman flag (red banner with white crescent and star) and recalls Tunisia's history as part of the Ottoman Empire; red represents the blood shed by martyrs in the struggle against oppression, white stands for peace; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam note: the flag is based on that of Turkey, itself a successor state to the Ottoman Empire

Government type

republic

Independence

20 March 1956 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Constituent Assembly (217 seats); note - it is unclear as to the legislative role of the Constituent Assembly elections: initial election of 217 Constituent Assembly members held on 23 October 2011 election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - al-Nahda 89, CPR 29, Popular Petition 26, FDTL 20, PDP 16, PDM 5, The Initiative 5, Afek Tounes 4, PCOT 3, other minor parties each with fewer than three seats 20

National anthem

name: "Humat Al Hima" (Defenders of the Homeland) lyrics/music: Mustafa Sadik AL-RAFII and Aboul-Qacem ECHEBBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB note: adopted 1957, replaced 1958, restored 1987; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of the United Arab Emirates

National holiday

Independence Day, 20 March (1956); Revolution and Youth Day, 14 January (2011)

National symbol(s)

encircled red star and crescent

Political parties and leaders

Afek Tounes [Emna MINF]; al-Nahda (The Renaissance) [Rachid GHANNOUCHI]; Congress Party for the Republic or CPR [Moncef MARZOUKI]; Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL (Ettakatol) [Mustapha Ben JAAFAR]; Democratic Modernist Pole or PDM (a coalition); Democratic Socialist Movement or MDS; Et-Tajdid Movement [Ahmed IBRAHIM]; Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mondher THABET]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Petition (Aridha Chaabia) [Hachemi HAMDI]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party or PDP [Maya JERIBI]; The Initiative [Kamel MORJANE] (formerly the Constitutional Democratic Rally or RCD); Tunisian Workers' Communist Party or PCOT [Hamma HAMMAMI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]

Political pressure groups and leaders

18 October Group [collective leadership]; Tunisian League for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months

Background

Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in getting the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first 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 November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. Street protests that began in Tunis in December 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in January 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths. On 14 January 2011, the same day BEN ALI dismissed the government, he fled the country, and by late January 2011, a "national unity government" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held in late October 2011, and in December it elected human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in February 2012, and released a second working draft in December 2012. The interim government has proposed national elections be held in 2013.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,846,572 females age 16-49: 2,952,180 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,397,716 females age 16-49: 2,484,097 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 90,436 female: 87,346 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Tunisian Armed Forces (Forces Armees Tunisiens, FAT): Tunisian Army (includes Tunisian Air Defense Force), Tunisian Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At'Tunisia) (2012)

Military expenditures

1.4% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 106

Military service age and obligation

20-23 years of age for compulsory service, one year service obligation; 18-23 years of age for voluntary service; Tunisian nationality required (2007)

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.1% (male 1,278,494/ female 1,197,710) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 3,670,924/ female 3,769,008) 65 years and over: 7.6% (male 400,525/ female 416,239) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

17.28 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.3% (2006) country comparison to the world: 102

Death rate

5.87 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Education expenditures

7.1% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 15

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,400 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Health expenditures

6.2% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 100

Hospital bed density

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

total: 24.98 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 79 male: 28.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Berber (Tamazight)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.24 years country comparison to the world: 91 male: 73.2 years female: 77.42 years (2012 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.3% male: 83.4% female: 65.3% (2004 census)

Major cities - population

TUNIS (capital) 759,000 (2009)

Maternal mortality rate

56 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 103

Median age

total: 30.5 years male: 30.1 years female: 30.9 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian

Net migration rate

-1.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Physicians density

1.19 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

10,732,900 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Population growth rate

0.964% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Religions

Muslim (Islam - official) 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 96% of population rural: 64% of population total: 85% of population unimproved: urban: 4% of population rural: 36% of population total: 15% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2008)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.02 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 30.7% country comparison to the world: 14 male: 31.4% female: 29.3% (2005)

Urbanization

urban population: 67% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

29 (2012) country comparison to the world: 119

Airports - with paved runways

total: 15 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2012)

Merchant marine

total: 9 country comparison to the world: 116 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 2, passenger/cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2 (2010)

Pipelines

gas 2,386 km; oil 1,323 km; refined products 453 km (2010)

Ports and terminals

Bizerte, Gabes, Rades, Sfax, Skhira

Railways

total: 2,165 km country comparison to the world: 68 standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,694 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways

total: 19,232 km country comparison to the world: 110 paved: 12,655 km (includes 262 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,577 km (2006)