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. 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 after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition ratified the document in January 2014. Presidential and parliamentary elections for a permanent government could be held by the end of 2014.

Geographic coordinates: 34 00 N 9 00 E

Area
Rank: 93
Land: 155,360 km²
Water: 8,250 km²

Land boundaries
Border countries: (2) Algeria 965 km; Libya 459 km

Coastline: 1148 km

Maritime claims
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 highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1544 m

Natural resources: petroleum phosphates iron ore lead zinc salt

Land use
Permanent crops: 14.63%
Other: 68.02% (2011)

Irrigated land: 3,970 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 4.6 km³ (2011)

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: 10,937,521 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 79
Growth rate: 0.92% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 126
Below poverty line: 3.8% (2005 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Tunisian

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

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

Religions: Muslim (official; Sunni) 99.1% other (includes Christian Jewish Shia Muslim and Baha'i) 1%

Age structure
15-24 years: 16% (male 879,755/female 871,954)
25-54 years: 44.6% (male 2,373,765/female 2,509,750)
55-64 years: 8.4% (male 468,278/female 454,170)
65 years and over: 7.7% (male 423,350/female 439,151) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 33.4 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 10.5 %
Potential support ratio: 9.5 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 31 years
Female: 31.8 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.92% (2014 est.)
Rank: 126

Birth rate: 16.9 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 112

Death rate: 5.94 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 167

Net migration rate: -1.74 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 161

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 1.34% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: TUNIS (capital) 790,000 (2011)

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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 78
Male: 26.63 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 19.51 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 92
Male: 73.6 years
Female: 77.9 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 126

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 63% (2012)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 1.22 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 2.1 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2012 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 147
People living with hivaids: 2,300 (2012 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 138
Deaths: 100 (2012 est.)
Deaths rank: 147

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 22.3% (2008)
Rank: 80

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.3% (2006)
Rank: 110

Education expenditures: 6.2% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 38

Literacy
Total population: 79.1%
Male: 87.4%
Female: 71.1% (2010 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years (2010)

Country name
Conventional short form: Tunisia
Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
Local short form: Tunis

Government type: republic

Capital
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); 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) L'Ariana (Aryanah) Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah) Manouba (Manubah) Medenine (Madanin) Monastir (Al Munastir) Nabeul (Nabul) Sfax (Safaqis) Sidi Bouzid (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); Revolution and Youth Day 14 January (2011)

Constitution: several previous; latest approved by Constituent Assembly 26 January 2014 (2014)

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
Chief of state: President Moncef MARZOUKI (since 12 December 2011)
Head of government: Prime Minister Mehdi JOMAA (since 29 January 2014)
Cabinet: selected by the prime minister and approved by the Constituent Assembly
Elections: president elected by Constituent Assembly; election last held on 12 December 2011 (next to be held NA); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: President MARZOUKI re-elected president; Constituent Assembly vote - 153 of 156

Legislative branch: unicameral Constituent Assembly (217 seats); note - the legislative role of the Constituent Assembly remains unclear
Elections: initial election of 217 Constituent Assembly members held on 23 October 2011 (next to be held NA)
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

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Higher Magistracy Council (also called the Superior Council of the Judiciary) a 7-member body of judges and prosecutors; judges appointed by presidential decree; judge tenure NA
Subordinate courts: Administrative Court; Courts of Appeal; Housing Court; courts of first instance; lower district courts; military courts

Political parties and leaders: Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]

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 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 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; 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

National symbols: encircled red star and crescent

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Mustafa Sadik AL-RAFII and Aboul-Qacem ECHEBBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB

Economy overview: Tunisia's diverse market-oriented economy has long been cited as a success story in Africa and the Middle East but it faces an array of challenges during the country's ongoing political transition. Following an ill-fated experiment with socialist economic policies in the 1960s Tunisia embarked on a successful strategy focused on bolstering exports foreign investment and tourism all of which have become central to the country's economy. Key exports now include textiles and apparel food products petroleum products chemicals and phosphates with about 80% of exports bound for Tunisia's main economic partner the European Union. Tunisia's liberal strategy coupled with investments in education and infrastructure fueled decades of 4-5% annual GDP growth and improving living standards. Former President (1987-2011) Zine el Abidine BEN ALI continued these policies but as his reign wore on cronyism and corruption stymied economic performance and unemployment rose among the country's growing ranks of university graduates. These grievances contributed to the January 2011 overthrow of BEN ALI sending Tunisia's economy into a tailspin as tourism and investment declined sharply. During 2012 and 2013 the Tunisian Government’s focus on the political transition led to a neglect of the economy that resulted in several downgrades of Tunisia’s credit rating. 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 the impoverished interior.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 72

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 124

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 119

Gross national saving:
Rank: 43

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 18.4%
Investment in fixed capital: 22.6%
Investment in inventories: 3.5%
Exports of goods and services: 49.2%
Imports of goods and services: -60.1%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 30.4%
Services: 61% (2013 est.)

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

Industries: petroleum mining (particularly phosphate iron ore) tourism textiles footwear agribusiness beverages

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2013 est.)
Rank: 104

Labor force: 3.974 million (2013 est.)
Rank: 91
By occupation industry: 31.9%
By occupation services: 49.8% (2009 est.)

Unemployment rate: 17.4% (2012 est.)
Rank: 151

Population below poverty line: 3.8% (2005 est.)

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

Distribution of family income gini index: 41.7 (1995 est.)
Rank: 59

Budget
Expenditures: $15.8 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -7.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 188

Taxes and other revenues: 25.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 128

Public debt: 46.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 64

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.6% (2012 est.)
Rank: 176

Central bank discount rate: 5.75% (31 December 2010 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 6.76% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 126

Stock of narrow money: $13.44 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 71

Stock of broad money: $30.72 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 74

Stock of domestic credit: $36.09 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 67

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 67

Current account balance: -$3.773 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 165

Exports: $17.07 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 74
Commodities: clothing semi-finished goods and textiles agricultural products mechanical goods phosphates and chemicals hydrocarbons electrical equipment
Partners: France 26.2% Italy 16% Germany 9.4% Libya 7.6% US 4.3% (2012)

Imports: $23.1 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 73
Commodities: textiles machinery and equipment hydrocarbons chemicals foodstuffs
Partners: France 19.8% Italy 16.7% Germany 7.3% China 6% Spain 5.3% Algeria 4.4% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $8.36 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 78

Debt external: $24.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 75

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $33.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 59

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $285 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 82

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 15.14 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 81
Consumption: 13.29 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 82
Exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 204
Imports: 19 million kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 106
Installed generating capacity: 3.652 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 83
Generation sources fossil fuels: 96.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 65
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 190
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 139
Generation sources other renewable sources: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 79

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 68,310 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 56
Crude oil exports: 77,980 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 42
Crude oil imports: 3,680 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 80
Crude oil proven reserves: 425 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 52

Refined petroleum
Products production: 11,170 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 103
Products consumption: 88,380 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 82
Products exports: 3,391 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 96
Products imports: 80,980 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 56

Natural gas
Production: 1.93 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 58
Consumption: 3.28 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 69
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 194
Imports: 1.78 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 51
Proven reserves: 65.13 billion m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 60

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 20.52 million Mt (2011 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.105 million (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 71
Mobile cellular: 12.84 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 68

Telephone system
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 (2011)

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)

Internet
Country code: .tn
Hosts: 576 (2012)
Hosts rank: 180
Users: 3.5 million (2009)
Users rank: 60

Military expenditures:
Rank: 58

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 (2012)

Airports: 29 (2013)
Rank: 118
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
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 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways: 8 (2013)

Pipelines: condensate 68 km; gas 3,111 km; oil 1381 km; refined products 453 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 69
Standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 1694 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2011)

Roadways
Rank: 112
Paved: 14,756 km (includes 357 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 4,662 km (2010)

Merchant marine
Rank: 116
By type: bulk carrier 1 cargo 2 passenger/cargo 4 roll on/roll off 2 (2010)

Disputes international: none