1996 Edition

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

Location

34 00 N, 9 00 E -- Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than Georgia

land area

155,360 sq km

total area

163,610 sq km

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

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

34 00 N, 9 00 E

Geographic note

strategic location in central Mediterranean

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

border countries

Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

total

1,424 km

Land use

arable land

20%

forest and woodland

4%

meadows and pastures

19%

other

47%

permanent crops

10%

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

Terrain

mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara

highest point

Jabal ash Shanabi 1,544 m

lowest point

Shatt al Gharsah -17 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 34% (male 1,583,636; female 1,489,784) 15-64 years: 61% (male 2,738,013; female 2,719,998) 65 years and over: 5% (male 254,403; female 233,853) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

24.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.18 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Arab-Berber 98%, European 1%, Jewish less than 1%

Infant mortality rate

35.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.03 years (1996 est.)

male

71.27 years

total population

72.6 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

54.6%

male

78.6%

total population

66.7%

Nationality

adjective

Tunisian

noun

Tunisian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

9,019,687 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.81% (1996 est.)

Religions

Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish 1%

Sex ratio

all ages

1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.92 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Data code

TS

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

chief of mission

Ambassador Mohamed Azzouz ENNAIFER

telephone

[1] (202) 862-1850

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the president

chief of state

President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987) was reelected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; 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) was 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)

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, BSEC (observer), CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNAMIR, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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

Name of country

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 of government

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

Agriculture

olives, dates, oranges, almonds, grain, sugar beets, grapes; poultry, beef, dairy products

Budget

expenditures

$5.5 billion, including capital expenditures to $NA (1993 est.)

revenues

$4.3 billion

Currency

1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $221 million (1993)

Economic 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 4.2% in 1991-95, and inflation has been moderate. Growth in tourism and IMF support have been key elements in this solid record. Drought, especially in the south, held back GDP growth in 1995. Further privatization and further improvements in government administrative efficiency are among the challenges for the future.

Electricity

capacity

1,410,000 kW

consumption per capita

595 kWh (1993)

production

5.4 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1 - 0.9635 (January 1996), 0.9458 (1995), 1.0116 (1994), 1.0037 (1993), 0.8844 (1992), 0.9246 (1991)

Exports

$4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

hydrocarbons, agricultural products, phosphates and chemicals

partners

EU countries 75%, Middle East 10%, Algeria 2%, India 2%, US 1%

External debt

$7.7 billion (1993 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $37.1 billion (1994 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

15%

industry

30%

services

55% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita

$4,250 (1994 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4.4% (1994 est.)

Imports

$6.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities

industrial goods and equipment 57%, hydrocarbons 13%, food 12%, consumer goods

partners

EU countries 70%, US 5%, Middle East 2%, Japan 2%, Switzerland 1%, Algeria 1%

Industrial production growth rate

5% (1989)

Industries

petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, food, beverages

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.5% (1995 est.)

Labor force

2.917 million (1993 est.)

by occupation

services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

note

shortage of skilled labor

Unemployment rate

16.2% (1993 est.)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $535 million, 2.8% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

2,354,513

males fit for military service

1,349,728

males reach military age (20) annually

91,866 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 8, shortwave 0

Radios

1,693,527 (1991 est.)

Telephone system

the system is above the African average; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis

domestic

trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay

international

5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat with back-up control station; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel

Telephones

233,000 (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

19

Televisions

670,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

29

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

3

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

6

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3

with paved runways over 3 047 m

3

with paved runways under 914 m

6

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

2

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

6 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

17,510 km (including 52 km of expressways)

total

29,183 km

unpaved

11,673 km (1989 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 6, cargo 4, chemical tanker 3, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, short-sea passenger 1 (1995 est.)

total

19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 125,840 GRT/164,277 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 797 km; petroleum products 86 km; natural gas 742 km

Ports

Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis

Railways

dual gauge

10 km 1.000-m and 1.435-m gauges (1993 est.)

narrow gauge

1,758 km 1.000-m gauge

standard gauge

492 km 1.435-m gauge

total

2,260 km