Map of Tunisia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


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. 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.


top of page


Location: Northern Africa bordering the Mediterranean Sea between Algeria and Libya

Geographic coordinates: 34 00 N 9 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 163,610 km²
Land: 155,360 km²
Water: 8,250 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries
Total: 1,424 km
Border countries: (2) Algeria 965 km; , Libya 459 km

Coastline: 1148 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
Extremes highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Natural resources: petroleum phosphates iron ore lead zinc salt

Land use
Arable land: 17.05%
Permanent crops: 13.08%
Other: 69.87% (2005)

Irrigated land: 3,940 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

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


top of page


Population: 10,276,158 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: 0.989% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: 7.4% (2005 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Tunisian
Adjective: Tunisian

Ethnic groups: Arab 98% European 1% Jewish and other 1%

Languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce) French (commerce)

Religions: Muslim 98% Christian 1% Jewish and other 1%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 24% (male 1,270,208/female 1,191,619)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,571,228/female 3,538,458)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 333,801/female 370,844) (2007 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 28.3 years
Male: 27.7 years
Female: 28.8 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.989% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 15.54 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 5.17 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.47 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.066 male/female
15-64 years: 1.009 male/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male/female
Total population: 1.015 male/female (2007 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 22.94 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 25.75 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 19.92 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.34 years
Male: 73.6 years
Female: 77.21 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2005 est.)
People living with hivaids: 1000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
Vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2007)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 74.3%
Male: 83.4%
Female: 65.3% (2004 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


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)

Dependent areas

Independence: 20 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day 20 March (1956)

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal except for active duty military

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 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%, Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%

Legislative branch
Elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); Chamber of Advisors - last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2011)
Election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2; Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 71 (14 trade union seats vacant (boycotted))

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD (official ruling party) [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI]; Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]

International organization participation: ABEDA ACCT 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 ONUB OPCW OSCE (partner) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMEE UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Nejib HACHANA
In the us chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,005
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
In the us fax: [1] (202) 862-1858
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC
From the us embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [216] 71 107-000
From the us fax: [216] 71 107-090

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Tunisia has a diverse economy with important agricultural mining energy 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 slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism. Increased rain helped to push GDP growth to an average rate of 5% in 2003-05. However a recession in agriculture weak expansion in the tourism and textile sectors and increasing import costs due to rising world energy prices cut growth to 4% in 2006. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade with the EU. Broader privatization further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment improvements in government efficiency and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $91.04 billion (2006 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 5.2% (2006 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $8,900 (2006 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 12.5%
Industry: 33.1%
Services: 54.4% (2006 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.7% (2006 est.)

Labor force
Note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 55%
By occupation industry: 23%
By occupation services: 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 13.9% (2006 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 7.4% (2005 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.3%
Highest 10: 31.5% (2000)

Distribution of family income gini index: 40 (2005 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $7.228 billion
Expenditures: $8.163 billion (2006 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 55.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.5% (2006 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares: $4.446 billion (2006)

Current account balance: $-633.8 million (2006 est.)

Exports: $11.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: clothing semi-finished goods and textiles agricultural products mechanical goods phosphates and chemicals hydrocarbons
Partners: France 28.9% Italy 20.4% Germany 8.6% Spain 6.1% Libya 4.9% US 4% (2006)

Imports: $14.04 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: textiles machinery and equipment hydrocarbons chemicals foodstuffs
Partners: France 25.1% Italy 22% Germany 9.5% Spain 4.7% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.777 billion (2006 est.)

Debt external: $18.55 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $21.22 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $57 million (2006 est.)

Exchange rates: Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.331 (2006) 1.2974 (2005) 1.2455 (2004) 1.2885 (2003) 1.4217 (2002)


top of page


Electricity
Production: 12.85 billion kWh (2005)
Consumption: 11.17 billion kWh (2005)
Exports: 0 kWh (2005)
Imports: 0 kWh (2005)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 2.398 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption: 4.124 billion m³ (2005 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2005 est.)
Imports: 1.726 billion m³ (2005)
Proven reserves: 74.68 billion m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.268 million (2006)
Mobile cellular: 7.339 million (2006)

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: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay
International: country code - 216; 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; 2 international gateway digital switches

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .tn
Hosts: 1163 (2007)
Users: 1.295 million (2006)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 1.4% (2006)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2006)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 30 (2007)
With paved runways total: 14
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 6
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 16
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 7 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 2,945 km; oil 1227 km; refined products 351 km (2006)

Railways
Total: 2,153 km
Standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)
Dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2006)

Roadways
Total: 19,232 km
Paved: 12,655 km (includes 262 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 6,577 km (2004)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 130,475 GRT/91,013 DWT
By type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 4
Foreign owned: 1 (Libya 1) (2007)

Ports and terminals: Bizerte Gabes La Goulette Skhira


top of page


Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs