Tunisia

Tunisian RepublicAl Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

republicIndependence 20 March 1956 (from France)

Tunisia as the 2009 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 133 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalTunis, UTC+1

Position34 00 N, 9 00 E

Area163,610 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

10.49 million July 2009 est. · 8.1m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.98% 2009 est. · 1.84% in 1993

Median ageyears

29.2 years 2009 est. · 26.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

75.78 years 2009 est. · 72.54 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.72 children per woman 2009 est. · 4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

22.57 deaths per 1,000 live births 2009 est. · 40 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$7,900 2008 est. · $1,650 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.4% 2008 est. · 8% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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. BEN ALI is currently serving his fourth consecutive five-year term as president; the next elections are scheduled for October 2009. Tunisia has long 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

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

20 fields

Land useshare of 163,610 sq km

arable land 17.05%permanent crops 13.08%other 69.87% (2005)irrigated 3,940 sq km (2003)

Area

163,610sq km

country comparison to the world: 92land: 155,360 sq kmwater: 8,250 sq kmslightly larger than Georgia

Coastline

1,148km

territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 12 nm

Highest point

1,544m

Jebel ech Chambilowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m

Land boundaries

1,424km

border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

34 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references

Africa

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

Natural resources

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

Total renewable water resources

4.6 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

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

Natural hazards

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, 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

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

22 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2009 est.)

352,003

65 and over7.2%

403,319

3,701,661

15-6470.1%

3,652,322

1,227,238

0-1422.7%

1,149,796

MaleFemale

Population

10,486,339

(July 2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 76growth rate: 0.98% (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 127

Per 1,000 population

Birth

15.42 (2009 est.)Death

5.2 (July 2009 est.)Net migration

-0.41 (2009 est.)

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2009 est.)75.78

73.98 · 77.7Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)22.57

24.81 · 20.17Literacy (2004 census)74.3%

83.4% · 65.3%

TotalMale · femaleMedian age years (2009 est.)29.2

28.7 · 29.8School life expectancy years (2006)14

13 · 14

MaleFemaleLife expectancy country comparison to the world: 72 · Infant mortality country comparison to the world: 98 · Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

Arab 98%European 1%Jewish and other 1%

Religions

Muslim 98%Christian 1%Jewish and other 1%

Urban population

67%of total population

(2008)rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.72 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

3,700 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Nationality

noun:: Tunisian(s)
adjective:: Tunisian

Languages

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

Education expenditures

7.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 19

Government

Republic; President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987); Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17 November 1999)

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Country name

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

Government type

republic

Capital

name:: Tunis
geographic coordinates:: 36 48 N, 10 11 E
time difference:: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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); also the anniversary of BEN ALI's assumption of the presidency, 7 November (1987)

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;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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 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 (no term limits);
election last held on 25 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results:: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a fifth term;
percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 89.6%, Mohamed BOUCHIHA 5%, Ahmed INOUBLI 3.8%, Ahmed BRAHIM 1.6%;
voter turnout 89.4%

Legislative branch

bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85 members elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and professional associations and trade unions; 41 members are presidential appointees; members serve six-year terms);
and the Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (214 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:: Chamber of Advisors - last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2011);
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 25 October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014);
election results:: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - RCD 161, MDS 16, PUP 12, UDU 9, PSL 8, PVP 6, Et-Tajdid 2;
voter turnout 89.4%

Judicial branch

Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders

Al-Tajdid Movement [Ahmed IBRAHIM];
Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD (official ruling party) [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI];
Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR];
Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI];
Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mondher THABET];
Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA];
Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA];
Progressive Democratic Party [Maya JERIBI];
Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI];
note - the Islamist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC
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

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

Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, tourism, and manufacturing sectors.

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GDP, purchasing power parity

$81.98billion

(2008 est.)country comparison to the world: 74$78.53 billion (2007 est.) · $73.67 billion (2006 est.)note: data are in 2008 US dollarsofficial exchange rate: $40.84 billion (2008 est.)

GDP per capita, PPP

$7,900

(2008 est.)country comparison to the world: 122$7,600 (2007 est.) · $7,200 (2006 est.)note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real growth rate

4.4%

(2008 est.)country comparison to the world: 996.6% (2007 est.) · 5.3% (2006 est.)industrial production growth: 2.7% (2008 est.)country comparison to the world: 91

Inflation, consumer prices

(2008 est.)country comparison to the world: 863.1% (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2008 est.)

agriculture 10.5%industry 37%services 52.5% (2008 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

28.3%

France

21.5%

17.9%

Italy

19.3%

9.6%

Germany

5.8%

Libya

4.6%

Spain

4.5%

Exports $19.22 billion (2008 est.)Imports $23.23 billion (2008 est.)(2008)

Budget

Revenues

$9.843 billionExpenditures

$11.3 billion (2008 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production

13.79 billion (2007 est.)Electricity consumption

11.9 billion (2007 est.)Electricity exports

130 million (2007 est.)Electricity imports

145 million (2007 est.)

Economy - overview

Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, 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, which averaged almost 5% over the past decade, declined to 4.7% in 2008 and probably will decline further in 2009 because of economic contraction and slowing of import demand in Europe - Tunisia's largest export market.

However, development of non-textile manufacturing, a recovery in agricultural production, and strong growth in the services sector somewhat mitigated the economic effect of slowing exports. Tunisia will need to reach even higher growth levels to create sufficient employment opportunities for an already large number of unemployed as well as the growing population of university graduates.

The challenges ahead include: privatizing industry, liberalizing the investment code to increase foreign investment, improving government efficiency, reducing the trade deficit, and reducing socioeconomic disparities in the impoverished south and west.

Labor force

3.66 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Labor force - by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

14.1% (2008 est.) · 14.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Population below poverty line

7.4% (2005 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40 (2005 est.) · 41.7 (1995 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Investment (gross fixed)

21.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Public debt

48.4% of GDP (2008 est.) · 59.2% of GDP (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Stock of money

$9.892 billion (31 December 2008) · $9.491 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 44

Stock of quasi money

$14.72 billion (31 December 2008) · $13.56 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 46

Stock of domestic credit

$26.5 billion (31 December 2008) · $25.23 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 55

Market value of publicly traded shares

$6.374 billion (31 December 2008) · $5.355 billion (31 December 2007) · $4.446 billion (31 December 2006) country comparison to the world: 86

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

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

Oil - production

86,930 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Oil - consumption

90,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Oil - exports

77,130 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Oil - imports

87,300 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Oil - proved reserves

425 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Natural gas - production

2.97 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Natural gas - consumption

4.22 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 101

Natural gas - imports

1.25 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Natural gas - proved reserves

65.13 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Current account balance

-$1.667 billion (2008 est.) · -$904 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Exports

$19.22 billion (2008 est.) · $15.15 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$23.23 billion (2008 est.) · $18.02 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Imports - commodities

textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$8.853 billion (31 December 2008 est.) · $7.854 billion (31 December 2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Debt - external

$20.81 billion (31 December 2008) · $20.4 billion (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 71

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$28.67 billion (31 December 2008 est.) · $26.22 billion (31 December 2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$162 million (31 December 2008 est.) · $118 million (31 December 2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Exchange rates

Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.211 (2008 est.), 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004)

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

8.569 million

(2008)

Internet users

406

(2009)

Fixed lines

1.239 million

(2008) · country code .tn

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:: in an effort jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line network, the government has awarded a concession to build and operate a VSAT network with international connectivity;
competition between the two mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation and usage charges and a strong surge in subscribership;
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 is about 95 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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 38, shortwave 2 (2007)

Television broadcast stations

26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Internet users

2.8 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 62

Transportation

8 fields

Merchant marine, 7 ships by typeone square, one ship

bulk carrier 1cargo 1chemical tanker 1passenger/cargo 4registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m

3 (2009)

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

Networkskm

Roadways

19,232Railways

2,159

Roadways: paved: 12,655 km (includes 262 km of expressways) · unpaved: 6,577 km (2004) · Railways: standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge · narrow gauge: 1,688 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2008)