1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 163,610 sq km land area: 155,360 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Georgia
Climate
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Coastline
1,148 km
Environment
current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and presents human health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; 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 - Desertification, Marine Life Conservation
International disputes
maritime boundary dispute with Libya; land boundary dispute with Algeria settled in 1993; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration
Irrigated land
2,750 sq km (1989)
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%
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Note
strategic location in central Mediterranean
Terrain
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 35% (female 1,507,866; male 1,563,411) 15-64 years: 60% (female 2,665,586; male 2,672,712) 65 years and over: 5% (female 226,201; male 244,069) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
22.52 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
4.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Arab-Berber 98%, European 1%, Jewish less than 1%
Infant mortality rate
32.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
2.25 million by occupation: agriculture 32% note: shortage of skilled labor
Languages
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.25 years male: 71.16 years female: 75.44 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1989) total population: 57% male: 69% female: 45%
Nationality
noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian
Net migration rate
-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
8,879,845 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
1.69% (1995 est.)
Religions
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish 1%
Total fertility rate
2.73 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Tunis
Chamber of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab)
elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - RCD 97.7%, MDS 1.0%, others 1.3%; seats - (163 total) RCD 144, MDS 10, others 9; note - the government changed the electoral code to guarantee that the opposition won seats
Constitution
1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988
Digraph
TS
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Azzouz ENNAIFER chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
Executive branch
chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987); election last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - President 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
FAX
[216] (1) 789-719
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
Independence
20 March 1956 (from France)
Judicial branch
Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation)
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
Member of
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAPEC (withdrew from active membership in 1986), OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNPROFOR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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)
Other political or pressure groups
the Islamic fundamentalist party, An Nahda (Rebirth), is outlawed
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
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal
Type
republic
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Ann CASEY embassy: 144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] (1) 782-566
Economy
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
Budget
revenues: $4.3 billion expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures to $NA (1993 est.)
Currency
1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes
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: 1,410,000 kW production: 5.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 595 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1 - 0.9849 (January 1995), 1.0116 (1994), 1.0037 (1993), 0.8844 (1992), 0.9246 (1991), 0.8783 (1990)
Exports
$4.6 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.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$6.5 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%
Industrial production
growth rate 5% (1989); accounts for 22% of GDP, including petroleum
Industries
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, food, beverages
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.5% (1993 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $37.1 billion (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$4,250 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
4.4% (1994 est.)
Overview
Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Detailed governmental control of economic affairs has gradually lessened over the past decade, including increasing privatization of trade and commerce, simplification of the tax structure, and a cautious approach to debt. Real growth has averaged roughly 5% in 1991-94, and inflation has been moderate. Growth in tourism and IMF support have been key elements in this solid record. Further privatization and further improvements in government administrative efficiency are among the challenges for the future.
Unemployment rate
16.2% (1993 est.)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 8, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
233,000 telephones; 28 telephones/1,000 persons; the system is above the African average; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis local: NA intercity: facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay international: 5 submarine cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station with back-up control station; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya
Television
broadcast stations: 19 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 31 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 3 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 8 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 7
Highways
total: 29,183 km paved: bituminous 17,510 km unpaved: improved, unimproved earth 11,673 km
Merchant marine
total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 129,035 GRT/168,032 DWT ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 5, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 1
Pipelines
crude oil 797 km; petroleum products 86 km; natural gas 742 km
Ports
Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis
Railroads
total: 2,260 km standard gauge: 492 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,758 km 1.000-m gauge dual gauge: 10 km 1.000-m and 1.435-m gauges
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $549 million, 3% of GDP (1994) ________________________________________________________________________ TURKEY
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 2,294,912; males fit for military service 1,317,642; males reach military age (20) annually 93,601 (1995 est.)