Tunisia

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.

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

• 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

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

• strategic location in central Mediterranean;
• Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

0-14 years:

27% (male 1,388,839; female 1,297,313)

15-64 years:

66.6% (male 3,306,782; female 3,299,883)

65 years and over:

6.4% (male 309,103; female 322,822) (2003 est.)

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:

0.96 male(s)/female

total population:

1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

noun:

Tunisian(s)

adjective:

Tunisian

conventional long form:

Tunisian Republic

conventional short form:

Tunisia

local short form:

Tunis

local long form:

Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

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%

• 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]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Hatem ATALLAH

FAX:

[1] (202) 862-1858

telephone:

[1] (202) 862-1850

chancery:

1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

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

lowest 10%:

2.3%

highest 10%:

31.8% (1995)

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

total:

2,152 km

standard gauge:

468 km 1.435-m gauge

dual gauge:

10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2002)

narrow gauge:

1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)

total:

18,997 km

paved:

12,310 km (including 142 km of expressways)

unpaved:

6,687 km (2000)

total:

14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 139,990 GRT/148,394 DWT

ships by type:

bulk 2, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (2002 est.)