Tunisia
Tunisian RepublicAl Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
republicIndependence 20 March 1956 (from France)
Tunisia as the 2012 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 156 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
20 fieldsLand useshare of 163,610 sq km
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 2.64 cu km/yr (14%/4%/82%)
- per capita:
- 261 cu m/yr (2000)
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
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 and Society
30 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2012 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
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.)
Government
Republic; Interim President Moncef MARZOUKI (since 12 December 2011); Prime Minister Hamadi JEBALI (since 14 December 2011)
21 fieldsConstituent Assembly, 217 seatsone dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Tunisian Republic
- conventional short form:
- Tunisia
- local long form:
- Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
- local short form:
- 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)
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)
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
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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
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
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
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
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]
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
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
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
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
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
Economy
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.
39 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2012 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
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.
Distribution of family income - Gini index
40 (2005 est.) · 41.7 (1995 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Commercial bank prime lending rate
7.31% (31 December 2012 est.) · 6.76% (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Stock of narrow money
$13.83 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $13.16 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Stock of broad money
$31.06 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $29.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Stock of domestic credit
$37.01 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $34.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 69
Agriculture - products
olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products
Current account balance
-$3.57 billion (2012 est.) · -$3.331 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
Exports - commodities
clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$7.424 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $7.357 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Debt - external
$24.49 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $23.18 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$33.66 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $32.55 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$345 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $310 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
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)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 3.648 million kW(2009 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
425 million bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
Natural gas - proved reserves
65.13 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
18.72 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone 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
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)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 9 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2010)
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Military
6 fieldsMilitary 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 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)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 2,846,572
- females age 16-49:
- 2,952,180 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Tunisia.” The World Factbook 2012. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/tunisia/2012.