1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 163,610 sq km land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km
Area-comparative
slightly larger than Georgia
Climate
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Coastline
1,148 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point: Jabal ash Shanabi 1,544 m
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
Environment-international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geographic coordinates
34 00 N, 9 00 E
Geography-note
strategic location in central Mediterranean
Irrigated land
3,850 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Land use
arable land: 19% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 4% other: 44% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
NA
Natural resources
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Terrain
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 32% (male 1,526,743; female 1,433,503) 15-64 years: 63% (male 2,933,487; female 2,947,189) 65 years and over: 5% (male 275,411; female 264,071) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
20.07 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
5.06 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Infant mortality rate
32.64 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.1 years male: 71.72 years female: 74.58 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.7% male: 78.6% female: 54.6% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian
Net migration rate
-0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
9,380,404 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
1.43% (1998 est.)
Religions
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.44 children born/woman (1998 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
Constitution
1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Tunisia conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis
Data code
TS
Executive branch
chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Hamed KAROUI (since 26 September 1989) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected without opposition; percent of vote-Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 99%
FAX
[216] (1) 789-719
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
Government type
republic
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, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Noureddine MEJDOUB chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robin L. RAPHEL embassy: 144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] (1) 782-566
Judicial branch
Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation) Political parties and leaders: Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (RCD), President BEN ALI (official ruling party); Movement of Democratic Socialists (MDS); five other political parties are legal, including the Communist Party Political pressure groups and leaders: the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed
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 Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (163 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-RCD 97.7%, MDS 1.0%, others 1.3%; seats by party-RCD 144, MDS 10, others 9; note-the government changed the electoral code to guarantee that the opposition won seats
National capital
Tunis
National holiday
National Day, 20 March (1956)
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
olives, dates, oranges, almonds, grain, sugar beets, grapes; poultry, beef, dairy products
Budget
revenues: $6.3 billion expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures to $1.5 billion (1997 est.)
Communications-note
Internet access is available through two private service providers licensed by the government
Currency
1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes
Debt-external
$10.6 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $221 million (1993)
Economy-overview
Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization of trade and commerce, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Real growth averaged 4.6% in 1992-96 and reached 5.6% in 1997, down from 6.9% in 1996, which benefited from a record cereal crop. Inflation has been moderate. Growth in tourism and increased trade have been key elements in this solid record. Tunisia's association agreement with the European Union entered into force on 1 March 1998, the first such accord between the EU and Mediterranean countries to be activated. Under the agreement Tunisia will gradually remove barriers to trade with the EU over the next decade. Further privatization, the attraction of increased foreign investment, and improvements in government efficiency are among the challenges for the future.
Electricity-capacity
1.414 million kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
696 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
6.165 billion kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1-1.1612 (January 1998), 1.1059 (1997), 0.9734 (1996), 0.9458 (1995), 1.0116 (1994), 1.0037 (1993)
Exports
total value: $5.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: hydrocarbons, textiles, agricultural products, phosphates and chemicals partners: EU 80%, North African countries 6%, Asia 4%, US 1% (1996)
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$56.5 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 14% industry: 28% services: 58% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$6,100 (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
5.6% (1997 est.)
Imports
total value: $7.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.) commodities: industrial goods and equipment 57%, hydrocarbons 13%, food 12%, consumer goods partners: EU countries 80%, North African countries 5.5%, Asia 5.5%, US 5% (1996)
Industrial production growth rate
3.5% (1995)
Industries
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, food, beverages
Inflation rate-consumer price index
4.6% (1997 est.)
Labor force
total: 2.917 million (1993 est.) by occupation: services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.) note: shortage of skilled labor
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
560,000 (1996 est.)
Television broadcast stations
19
Televisions
1.4 million
Unemployment rate
15% (1997 est.)
Transportation
Airports
32 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 23,100 km paved: 18,226 km unpaved: 4,874 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 157,475 GRT/165,922 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 5, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (1997 est.)
Pipelines
crude oil 797 km; petroleum products 86 km; natural gas 742 km Ports and harbors: Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis
Railways
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 (1993 est.)
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces
Military expenditures-dollar figure
$535 million (1995)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP
2.8% (1995)
Military manpower-availability
males age 15-49: 2,534,929 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,450,442 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-military age
20 years of age
Military manpower-reaching military age annually
males: 96,966 (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
maritime boundary dispute with Libya; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration