1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
23 governorates; Beja, Ben Arous, Bizerte, Gabes, Gafsa, Jendouba, Kairouan, Kasserine, Kebili, L'Ariana, Le Kef, Mahdia, Medenine, Monastir, Nabeul, Sfax, Sidi Bou Zid, Siliana, Sousse, Tataouine, Tozeur, Tunis, Zaghouan
Agriculture
accounts for 16% of GDP and one-third of labor force; output subject to severe fluctuations because of frequent droughts; export crops - olives, dates, oranges, almonds; other products - grain, sugar beets, wine grapes, poultry, beef, dairy; not self-sufficient in food
Airports
total: 31 usable: 27 with permanent-surface runways: 14 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5 note: a new airport opened 6 May 1993, length and type of surface NA
Area
total area: 163,610 sq km land area: 155,360 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia
Birth rate
23.4 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard
Budget
revenues: $4.3 billion expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures to $NA (1993 est.)
Capital
Tunis
Chamber of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab)
elections last held 2 April 1989 (next to be held NA March 1994); results - RCD 80.7%, independents/Islamists 13.7%, MDS 3.2%, other 2.4%; seats - (141 total) RCD 141
Climate
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Coastline
1,148 km
Constitution
1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988
Currency
1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes
Death rate
4.95 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $618 million, 3.7% of GDP (1993 est.)
Digraph
TS
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Ismail KHALIL chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: (202) 862-1850
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $730 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89) $52 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $684 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $410 million
Electricity
capacity: 1,545,000 kW production: 5,096 kWh consumption per capita: 600 kWh (1992)
Environment
current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and presents human health risks; water pollution from untreated sewage; water scarcity; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic divisions
Arab-Berber 98%, European 1%, Jewish less than 1%
Exchange rates
Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1 - 1.0514 (January 1994), 1.0037 (1993), 0.8844 (1992), 0.9246 (1991), 0.8783 (1990), 0.9493 (1989)
Executive branch
chief of state: President Gen. Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987); election last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA); results - Gen. Zine el Abidine BEN ALI was reelected without opposition head of government: Prime Minister Hamed KAROUI (since 26 September 1989) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Exports
$4.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: hydrocarbons, agricultural products, phosphates and chemicals partners: EC countries 75%, Middle East 10%, Algeria 2%, India 2%, US 1%
External debt
$7.7 billion (1993 est.)
FAX
[216] (1) 789-719
Fiscal year
calendar year
Flag
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
Highways
total: 17,700 km paved: bituminous 9,100 km unpaved: improved, unimproved earth 8,600 km
Imports
$6.4 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: industrial goods and equipment 57%, hydrocarbons 13%, food 12%, consumer goods partners: EC countries 70%, US 5%, Middle East 2%, Japan 2%, Switzerland 1%, Algeria 1%
Independence
20 March 1956 (from France)
Industrial production
growth rate 5% (1989); accounts for about 25% of GDP, including petroleum
Industries
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, food, beverages
Infant mortality rate
34.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.5% (1993 est.)
International disputes
maritime boundary dispute with Libya; land boundary dispute with Algeria settled in 1993
Irrigated land
2,750 sq km (1989)
Judicial branch
Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation)
Labor force
2.25 million by occupation: agriculture 32% note: shortage of skilled labor
Land boundaries
total 1,424 km, Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Land use
arable land: 20% permanent crops: 10% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: 4% other: 47%
Languages
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Legal system
based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session
Legislative branch
unicameral
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.89 years male: 70.85 years female: 75.03 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 65% male: 74% female: 56%
Location
Northern Africa, 144 km from Italy across the Strait of Sicily, between Algeria and Libya
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 2,229,362; fit for military service 1,281,015; reach military age (20) annually 91,941 (1994 est.)
Map references
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
Member of
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAPEC (withdrew from active membership in 1986), OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Merchant marine
23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 152,683 GRT/199,273 DWT, bulk 6, cargo 6, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas 1, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 1
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Tunisia conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis
National holiday
National Day, 20 March (1956)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $34.3 billion (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$4,000 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
2.6% (1993 est.)
Nationality
noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian
Natural resources
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Net migration rate
-0.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Note
strategic location in central Mediterranean
Other political or pressure groups
the Islamic fundamentalist party, An Nahda (Rebirth), is outlawed
Overview
Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism and manufacturing sectors. The economy grew rapidly in the mid-1980s, GDP growth averaging 5.4% in 1983-85. Following a foreign exchange crisis caused by a sharp drop in agricultural output and tourism, combined with the oil price collapse in 1986, Tunisia inaugurated an IMF-sponsored economic rehabilitation scheme. Subsequent government structural reforms have helped liberalize and open the economy, and GDP growth has been positive since the start of the program. A sharp rebound in tourism from the downturn caused by the Gulf war and strong agricultural performance boosted real GDP growth to more than 8% in 1992; growth fell back to 2.6% in 1993. Further privatization and further improvements in government administrative efficiency are among the challenges for the future.
Pipelines
crude oil 797 km; petroleum products 86 km; natural gas 742 km
Political parties and leaders
Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (RCD), President BEN ALI (official ruling party); Movement of Democratic Socialists (MDS), Mohammed MOUAADA; five other political parties are legal, including the Communist Party
Population
8,726,562 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
1.76% (1994 est.)
Ports
Bizerte, Gabes, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, La Goulette, Zarzis
Railroads
2,115 km total; 465 km 1.435-meter (standard) gauge; 1,650 km 1.000-meter gauge
Religions
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish 1%
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal
Telecommunications
the system is above the African average; facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; 233,000 telephones (28 telephones per 1,000 persons); broadcast stations - 7 AM, 8 FM, 19 TV; 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 ARABSAT with back-up control station; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya
Terrain
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Total fertility rate
2.88 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
republic
Unemployment rate
16.2% (1993 est.)
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador John T. McCARTHY embassy: 144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] (1) 782-566