Tunisia
Republic of TunisiaAl Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
parliamentary republicIndependence 20 March 1956 (from France)
Tunisia as the 2025 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 150 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Many empires have controlled Tunisia, including the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and Ottomans (16 th to late-19 th centuries). 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 after World War I finally convinced 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. In 1987, Zine el Abidine BEN ALI replaced BOURGUIBA in a bloodless coup.
Street protests that began in Tunis in 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths and later became known as the start of the regional Arab Spring uprising. BEN ALI dismissed the government and fled the country, and a "national unity government" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held later that year, and human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI was elected as interim president.
The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in 2014. Parliamentary and presidential elections for a permanent government were held at the end of 2014. Beji CAID ESSEBSI was elected as the first president under the country's new constitution. After ESSEBSI’s death in office in 2019, Kais SAIED was elected.
SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, was set to expire in 2024. However, in 2021, SAIED used the exceptional powers allowed under Tunisia's constitution to dismiss the prime minister and suspend the legislature. Tunisians approved a new constitution through public referendum in 2022, expanding presidential powers and creating a new bicameral legislature.
Geography
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
18 fieldsLand useshare of 163,610 sq km
Population distribution
- the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country;
- the south remains largely underpopulated, as shown in this population distribution map
People and Society
35 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2024 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2025 est.)
Male · female
Languages
Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Tamazight; major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن كتاب تتعلم به المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.; note: despite having no official status, French plays a major role in the country and is spoken by about two thirds of the population
Religions
Muslim (official; Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Shia Muslim, and Baha'i) <1%
Population distribution
- the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country;
- the south remains largely underpopulated, as shown in this population distribution map
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.97 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.9 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total:
- 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- male:
- 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births
- female:
- 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 1.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 0.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Child marriage
- women married by age 15:
- 0% (2018)
- women married by age 18:
- 1.5% (2018)
- men married by age 18:
- 0% (2018)
Environment
11 fieldsLand use(2023 est.)
Environmental issues
- toxic and hazardous waste disposal;
- water pollution from raw sewage;
- limited freshwater resources;
- deforestation;
- overgrazing;
- soil erosion;
- desertification
International environmental agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- Marine Life Conservation
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 70.5% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
24.645 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 4,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 14.249 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 10.392 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Methane emissions
- energy:
- 88 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- agriculture:
- 94.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- waste:
- 97.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- other:
- 3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually:
- 2.7 million tons (2024 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled:
- 10.9% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 815.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- industrial:
- 61.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- agricultural:
- 2.71 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Government
Parliamentary republic; President Kais SAIED (since 23 October 2019); Prime Minister Sarra ZAAFRANI Zenzri (since 21 March 2025)
25 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Tunisia
- conventional short form:
- Tunisia
- local long form:
- Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
- local short form:
- Tunis
- etymology:
- the country name derives from the capital city of Tunis
Capital
- name:
- Tunis
- geographic coordinates:
- 36 48 N, 10 11 E
- time difference:
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- the origin of the ancient name is unclear; it is sometimes associated with the name of the Phoenician goddess Tanith
Administrative divisions
24 governorates ( wilayat , singular - wilayah ); 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), L'Ariana (Aryanah), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bouzid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)
Legal system
mixed system of civil law, based on the French civil code and Islamic (sharia) law; Supreme Court reviews some legislative acts in joint session
Constitution
- history:
- several previous; latest draft published by the president 30 June 2022, approved by referendum 25 July 2022, and adopted 27 July 2022
- amendment process:
- proposed by the president of the republic or one third of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People membership;
- following Constitutional Court review, approval to proceed requires an absolute majority vote in the Assembly, and final passage requires a two-thirds Assembly majority vote;
- the president can opt to submit an amendment to a referendum, which requires an absolute majority of votes cast for passage
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth:
- no
- citizenship by descent only:
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Tunisia
- dual citizenship recognized:
- yes
- residency requirement for naturalization:
- 5 years
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Kais SAIED (since 23 October 2019)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Sarra ZAAFRANI Zenzri (since 21 March 2025)
- cabinet:
- prime minister appointed by the president; cabinet members appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister
- election/appointment process:
- president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
- most recent election date:
- 6 October 2024
- election results:
- 2024: Kais SAIED reelected president in first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 90.7%, Ayachi ZAMMEL (Long Live Tunisia) 7.3%, Zouhair MAGHZAOUI (People's Movement) 2%;
- 2019: Kais SAIED elected president in second round;
- percent of vote in first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 18.4%, Nabil KAROUI (Heart of Tunisia) 15.6%, Abdelfattah MOUROU (Nahda Movement) 12.9%, Abdelkrim ZBIDI (independent) 10.7%, Youssef CHAHED (Long Live Tunisia) 7.4%, Safi SAID (independent) 7.1%, Lotfi MRAIHI (Republican People's Union) 6.6%, other 21.3%;
- percent of vote in second round - Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3%
- expected date of next election:
- 2029
note: the president can dismiss any member of government on his own initiative or in consultation with the prime minister
Legislative branch
legislative structure: bicameral note: in 2022, President SAIED issued a new electoral law that requires all legislative candidates to run as independents
Legislative branch - lower chamber
- chamber name:
- Assembly of People's Representatives (Majlis Nawwab ash-Sha'ab)
- number of seats:
- 161 (all directly elected)
- electoral system:
- plurality/majority
- scope of elections:
- full renewal
- term in office:
- 5 years
- most recent election date:
- 12/17/2022 to 1/29/2023
- percentage of women in chamber:
- 15.8%
- expected date of next election:
- December 2027
Legislative branch - upper chamber
- chamber name:
- National Council of Regions and Districts
- number of seats:
- 77 (all indirectly elected)
- scope of elections:
- full renewal
- term in office:
- 5 years
- most recent election date:
- 4/19/2024
- percentage of women in chamber:
- 13%
- expected date of next election:
- April 2029
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Court of Cassation (consists of the first president, chamber presidents, and magistrates; organized into 27 civil and 11 criminal chambers)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council, an independent 4-part body consisting mainly of elected judges and the remainder legal specialists;
- judge tenure based on terms of appointment;
- Constitutional Court (established in the 2014 and 2022 constitutions, but never implemented)
- subordinate courts:
- Courts of Appeal;
- administrative courts;
- Court of Audit;
- Housing Court;
- courts of first instance;
- lower district courts;
- military courts
note: the Tunisian constitution of January 2014 called for the establishment of a constitutional court by the end of 2015, but the court was never formed;
the new constitution of July 2022 calls for the establishment of a constitutional court consisting of 9 members appointed by presidential decree; members to include former senior judges of other courts
Political parties
- Afek Tounes
- Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative)
- Al-Amal Party
- Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes)
- Current of Love (formerly the Popular Petition party)
- Democratic Current
- Democratic Patriots' Unified Party
- Dignity Coalition or Al Karama Coalition
- Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance)
- Ettakatol Party
- Free Destourian Party or PDL
- Green Tunisia Party
- Harakat Hak
- Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes)
- July 25 Movement
- Labor and Achievement Party
- Long Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes)
- Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS
- National Coalition Party
- National Salvation Front
- New Carthage Party
- Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard
- People's Movement
- Republican Party (Al Joumhouri)
- The Movement Party (Hizb Harak)
- Third Republic Party
- Tunisian Ba'ath Movement
- Voice of the Republic
- Workers' Party
note: President SAIED in 2022 issued a decree that forbids political parties' participation in legislative elections; although parties remain a facet of Tunisian political life,
they have lost significant influence
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Anis HAJRI (since 1 August 2025)
- chancery:
- 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 862-1850
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 862-1858
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://www.tunisianembassy.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Bill BAZZI (since 21 November 2025)
- embassy:
- Les Berges du Lac, 1053 Tunis
- mailing address:
- 6360 Tunis Place, Washington DC 20521-6360
- telephone:
- [216] 71-107-000
- FAX:
- [216] 71-107-090
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://tn.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Flag
- description:
- red with a white disk in the center that displays a red crescent around a five-pointed red star
- meaning:
- red stands for martyrs' blood shed the fight against oppression, and white for peace; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam
- history:
- resembles the Ottoman flag (red banner with white crescent and star), a reference to Tunisia's history as part of the Ottoman Empire
National anthem(s)
- title:
- "Humat Al Hima" (Defenders of the Homeland)
- lyrics/music:
- Mustafa Sadik AL-RAFII and Aboul-Qacem ECHEBBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB
- history:
- adopted 1957, replaced 1958, restored 1987; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of the United Arab Emirates
National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites:
- 9 (8 cultural, 1 natural)
- selected World Heritage Site locales:
- Amphitheatre of El Jem (c);
- Archaeological Site of Carthage (c);
- Medina of Tunis (c);
- Ichkeul National Park (n);
- Punic Town of Kerkuane (c);
- Kairouan (c);
- Medina of Sousse (c);
- Dougga / Thugga (c);
- Djerba: Testimony to a settlement pattern in an island territory (c)
Economy
31 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2023 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2024 est.)
Budget(2019 est.)
Economic overview
- lower middle-income North African economy;
- drafting reforms for foreign lenders;
- high unemployment, especially for youth and women;
- hit hard by COVID-19;
- high public sector wages;
- high public debt;
- protectionist austerity measures;
- key EU trade partner
Agricultural products
milk, tomatoes, olives, onions, chillies/peppers, watermelons, potatoes, wheat, dates, oranges (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate, iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Labor force
4.247 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate
16.3% (2024 est.) · 15.2% (2023 est.) · 15.3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- total:
- 40.1% (2024 est.)
- male:
- 41.1% (2024 est.)
- female:
- 37.6% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Population below poverty line
16.6% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
33.7 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Average household expenditures
- on food:
- 22.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- on alcohol and tobacco:
- 3.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Remittances
6% of GDP (2023 est.) · 6.2% of GDP (2022 est.) · 6.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Current account balance
-$1.111 billion (2023 est.) · -$3.969 billion (2022 est.) · -$2.77 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
$19.732 billion (2023 est.) · $17.254 billion (2022 est.) · $14.054 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
garments, insulated wire, olive oil, refined petroleum, crude petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$21.953 billion (2023 est.) · $22.453 billion (2022 est.) · $18.178 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, natural gas, plastic products, cars, plastics (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$9.344 billion (2024 est.) · $9.24 billion (2023 est.) · $8.094 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Debt - external
$21.212 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 3.107 (2024 est.) · 3.106 (2023 est.) · 3.104 (2022 est.) · 2.794 (2021 est.) · 2.812 (2020 est.)
Energy
7 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 6.639 million kW(2023 est.)
Coal
- consumption:
- 2,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
- exports:
- 28 metric tons (2023 est.)
- imports:
- 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 35,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 104,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- crude oil estimated reserves:
- 425 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 1.313 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- consumption:
- 5.131 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- imports:
- 3.887 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 65.129 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2023–24 est.)
Broadcast media
- 2 state-owned TV stations;
- 10 private local TV stations;
- satellite TV service available;
- state-owned radio network with 2 stations;
- several dozen private radio stations and community radio stations;
- transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2019)
Transportation
6 fieldsMerchant marine, 72 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2023)
Railways
- total:
- 2,173 km (2014) (1,991 in use)
- standard gauge:
- 471 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
- narrow gauge:
- 1,694 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)
- dual gauge:
- 8 km (2014) 1.435-1.000-m gauge
Ports
- total ports:
- 16 (2024)
- large:
- 0
- medium:
- 3
- small:
- 7
- very small:
- 6
- ports with oil terminals:
- 10
- key ports:
- Ashtart Oil Terminal, Banzart, Didon Terminal, Gabes, La Goulette, Menzel Bourguiba, Mersa Sfax, Sousse, Tazerka Oil Terminal, Tunis
Military and Security
7 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 1,000 people · (2025)
Military and security forces
Tunisian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Tunisiennes, FAT): Tunisian Army (includes Air Defense Force), Tunisian Navy, Tunisia Air Force; Ministry of Interior (MoI): Internal Security Forces (National Police, National Guard) (2025); note: the National Police has primary responsibility for law enforcement in the major cities, while the National Guard (gendarmerie) oversees border security and patrols smaller towns and rural areas
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Tunisian military's inventory consists mostly of older or secondhand equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Austria, France, Italy, Türkiye, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; men 20-35 years of age subject to 12 months of compulsory national service (2025) note: compulsory national service may be in the Armed Forces or other government ministries as needed
Military - note
the Tunisian Armed Forces (FAT) are responsible for territorial defense and internal security; operational areas of focus include counterterrorism and assisting with securing the border regions, particularly along the frontiers with Algerian and Libya
the FAT conducts bilateral and multinational training exercises with a variety of countries, including Algeria and other North African and Middle Eastern countries, France, and the US, as well as NATO; it also participates in UN peacekeeping operations; Tunisia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025)
Terrorism
1 fieldTerrorist group(s)
- Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia;
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) network in Tunisia (known locally as Ajnad al-Khilafah or the Army of the Caliphate);
- al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsTrafficking in persons
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Tunisia was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to:; https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/tunisia
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Tunisia.” The World Factbook 2025. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tunisia.