2000 Edition

Background

Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib BOURGIUBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to diffuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Area

land

155,360 sq km

total

163,610 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

highest point

Jabal ash Shanabi 1,544 m

lowest point

Shatt al Gharsah -17 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

border countries

Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

total

1,424 km

Land use

arable land

19%

forests and woodland

4%

other

44% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

13%

permanent pastures

20%

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, arable land

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 30% (male 1,469,048; female 1,375,782) 15-64 years: 64% (male 3,080,631; female 3,089,244) 65 years and over: 6% (male 290,388; female 288,309) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

17.38 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

4.98 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Infant mortality rate

30.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.36 years (2000 est.)

male

72.14 years

total population

73.69 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

54.6% (1995 est.)

male

78.6%

total population

66.7%

Nationality

adjective

Tunisian

noun

Tunisian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

9,593,402 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.17% (2000 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: 1.01 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.04 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

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

(1) 782-566

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

chief of mission

Ambassador Noureddine MEJDOUB

telephone

(202) 862-1850

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987)

election results

President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a third term without opposition; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI nearly 100%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Hamed KAROUI (since NA November 1999)

FAX

(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, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, 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 Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (163 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; note - the government changed the electoral code to guarantee that the opposition won seats

elections

last held NA October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

National holiday

National Day, 20 March (1956)

Political parties and leaders

Constitutional Democratic Rally Party or RCD ; Movement of Democratic Socialists or 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

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

olives, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Budget

expenditures

$5.8 billion, including capital expenditures to $1.6 billion (1999 est.)

revenues

$5.1 billion

Currency

1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes

Debt - external

$12.1 billion (1999 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 5.0% in the 1990s, and inflation is slowing. 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

7.549 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

165 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

7.94 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

99.5%

hydro

0.5%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1 - 1.2455 (January 2000), 1.2546 (December 1999), 1.1387 (1998), 1.1059 (1997), 0.9734 (1996), 0.9458 (1995)

Exports

$5.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons

Exports - partners

France 27%, Italy 22%, Germany 15%, Belgium 6%, Libya 4% (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $52.6 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

12%

industry

28%

services

60% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,500 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 30.7% (1990)

Imports

$8.3 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, fuel, food

Imports - partners

France 27%, Italy 20%, Germany 12%, Spain 4%, Belgium 4%, US 4% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

8% (1998 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.7% (1999 est.)

Labor force

3 million (1997 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

16.5% (1999 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

4 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

2.06 million (1997)

Telephone system

above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available

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; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Telephones - main lines in use

628,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

50,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

19 (plus some low power stations) (1997)

Televisions

920,000 (1997)

Airports

32 (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 7 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

18,226 km

total

23,100 km

unpaved

4,874 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 2, cargo 5, chemical tanker 3, liquified gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)

total

16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 151,084 GRT/159,576 DWT

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

dual gauge

10 km 1.000-m and 1.435-m gauges (three rails)

narrow gauge

1,687 km 1.000-m gauge

standard gauge

471 km 1.435-m gauge

total

2,168 km

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$356 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.5% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,669,934 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,523,849 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

102,464 (2000 est.)

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

TURKEY