1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (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: 31% (male 1,513,296; female 1,417,166) 15-64 years: 63% (male 3,006,029; female 3,018,411) 65 years and over: 6% (male 283,026; female 275,675) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
19.72 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
5.05 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Infant mortality rate
31.38 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.35 years male: 71.95 years female: 74.86 years (1999 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
-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
9,513,603 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.39% (1999 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: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.38 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
23 governorates; Al Kaf, Al Mahdiyah, Al Munastir, Al Qasrayn, Al Qayrawan, Aryanah, Bajah, Banzart, Bin 'Arus, Jundubah, Madanin, Nabul, Qabis, Qafsah, Qibili, Safaqis, Sidi Bu Zayd, Silyanah, Susah, Tatawin, Tawzar, Tunis, Zaghwan
Capital
Tunis
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%
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, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MINURSO, MIPONUH, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, 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 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
Judicial branch
Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation) Political parties and leaders: Constitutional Democratic Rally 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 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: $5.8 billion expenditures: $6.5 billion, including capital expenditures to $1.4 billion (1998 est.)
Currency
1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes
Debt--external
$12.1 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$933.2 million (1995); note?ODA, $90 million (1998 est.)
Economy--overview
Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Real growth averaged 4.0% in 1993-97 and reached 5.0% in 1998. Inflation has been moderate. Growth in tourism and increased trade have been key elements in this steady growth. 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. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, and improvements in government efficiency are among the challenges for the future.
Electricity--consumption
7.616 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
81 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
7.535 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 99.54% hydro: 0.46% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1--1.1027 (December 1998), 1.1393 (1998), 1.1059 (1997), 0.9734 (1996), 0.9458 (1995), 1.0116 (1994)
Exports
$5.4 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports--commodities
hydrocarbons, textiles, agricultural products, phosphates and chemicals
Exports--partners
EU 80%, North African countries 6%, Asia 4%, US 1% (1996)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$49 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 14% industry: 28% services: 58% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$5,200 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
5% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 30.7% (1990)
Imports
$7.9 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)
Imports--commodities
industrial goods and equipment 57%, hydrocarbons 13%, food 12%, consumer goods
Imports--partners
EU countries 80%, North African countries 5.5%, Asia 5.5%, US 5% (1996)
Industrial production growth rate
4.2% (1997 est.)
Industries
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, food, beverages
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.3% (1998 est.)
Labor force
3.3 million (1995 est.) note: shortage of skilled labor
Labor force--by occupation
services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)
Population below poverty line
14.1% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate
15.6% (1998 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 7, FM 8, shortwave 1 (1998 est.)
Radios
1.7 million (1998 est.)
Telephone system
the system is above the African average and is continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access is available through two private service providers licensed by the government 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.); 3,185 cellular telephone subscribers (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations
19 (these are network stations; there are some additional stations of low power) (1997)
Televisions
650,000 (1998 est.)
Transportation
Airports
32 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 7 (1998 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 188,345 GRT/215,749 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 5, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 3, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (1998 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 (three rails) (1993 est.)
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$356 million (1999)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1.5% (1999)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 2,601,928 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,486,964 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
20 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 99,597 (1999 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