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.

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
Exclusive economic zone: 12 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)

Total renewable water resources: 4.6 km³ (2003)

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

Population: 10,383,577 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 0.989% (2008 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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 23.2% (male 1,246,105/female 1,167,379)
15-64 years: 69.7% (male 3,638,062/female 3,595,254)
65 years and over: 7.1% (male 345,590/female 391,187) (2008 est.)

Median age
Total: 28.8 years
Male: 28.2 years
Female: 29.3 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.989% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 15.5 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 5.17 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.44 migrant(s)/1000 population (2008 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.07 male/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 23.43 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 25.7 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 20.98 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.56 years
Male: 73.79 years
Female: 77.46 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

Education expenditures: 7.3% of GDP (2005)

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
Total: 14 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 14 years (2006)

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 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 (due to boycott))

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

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 (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Tarek Ben YOUSSEF
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] 71 963-263

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 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 reached 6.3% in 2007 because of development in non-textile manufacturing a recovery in agricultural production and strong growth in the services sector. However 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. 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: $76.07 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 6.3% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $7,400 (2007 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 11.6%
Industry: 25.7%
Services: 62.8% (2007 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: 7.2% (2007 est.)

Labor force: 3.593 million (2007 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 55%
By occupation industry: 23%
By occupation services: 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14.1% (2007 est.)

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: $8.466 billion
Expenditures: $9.475 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt: 55.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.1% (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit: $25.23 billion (31 December 2007)

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

Current account balance: -$905 million (2007 est.)

Exports: $15.15 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: clothing semi-finished goods and textiles agricultural products mechanical goods phosphates and chemicals hydrocarbons electrical equipment
Partners: France 31.3% Italy 21% Germany 8.5% Spain 5.5% Libya 5.5% (2007)

Imports: $18.02 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: textiles machinery and equipment hydrocarbons chemicals foodstuffs
Partners: France 23.8% Italy 21.9% Germany 9.7% Spain 5% Libya 4.4% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $7.854 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt external: $19.27 billion (December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $26.22 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $118 million (2007 est.)

Exchange rates: Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.2776 (2007) 1.331 (2006) 1.2974 (2005) 1.2455 (2004) 1.2885 (2003)

Electricity
Production: 12.65 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Consumption: 10.75 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Exports: 135 million kWh (2006 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 2.55 billion m³ (2006 est.)
Consumption: 3.85 billion m³ (2006 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2005)
Proven reserves: 65.13 billion m³ (1 January 2008 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.273 million (2007)
Mobile cellular: 7.842 million (2007)

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 90 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

Internet
Country code: .tn
Hosts: 376 (2008)
Users: 1.722 million (2007)

Military expenditures: 1.4% of GDP (2006)

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 (2007)

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)

Pipelines: gas 2,665 km; oil 1235 km; refined products 353 km (2007)

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)

Merchant marine
Total: 7
By type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4
Registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Bizerte Gabes La Goulette Rades Sfax Skhira

Disputes international: none