2021 Edition

Background

Tunisia has been the nexus of many different colonizations including those of the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and the Ottomans (16th to late 19th centuries). Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in convincing the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, 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 November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. Street protests that began in Tunis in December 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in January 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths. On 14 January 2011, the same day BEN ALI dismissed the government, he fled the country, and by late January 2011, a "national unity government" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held in late October 2011, and in December, it elected human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in February 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in January 2014. Parliamentary and presidential elections for a permanent government were held at the end of 2014. Beji CAID ESSEBSI was elected as the first president under the country's new constitution. Following ESSEBSI’s death in office in July 2019, Tunisia moved its scheduled presidential election forward two months and after two rounds of voting, Kais SAIED was sworn in as president in October 2019. Tunisia also held legislative elections on schedule in October 2019. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, expires in 2024.

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

highest point

Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

lowest point

Shatt al Gharsah -17 m

mean elevation

246 m

Geographic coordinates

34 00 N, 9 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

Irrigated land

4,590 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Algeria 1034 km, Libya 461 km

total

1,495 km

Land use

agricultural land

64.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 18.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 15.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 31.1% (2018 est.)

forest

6.6% (2018 est.)

other

28.6% (2018 est.)

Location

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya

Major aquifers

North Western Sahara Aquifer System

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

12 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

flooding; earthquakes; droughts

Natural resources

petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Population distribution

the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

25.28% (male 1,529,834/female 1,433,357)

15-24 years

12.9% (male 766,331/female 745,888)

25-54 years

42.85% (male 2,445,751/female 2,576,335)

55-64 years

10.12% (male 587,481/female 598,140)

65 years and over

8.86% (male 491,602/female 546,458) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

15.21 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.6% (2018)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

50.7% (2018)

Current Health Expenditure

7.3% (2018)

Death rate

6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

The Tunisian Government took steps in the 1960s to decrease population growth and gender inequality in order to improve socioeconomic development. Through its introduction of a national family planning program (the first in Africa) and by raising the legal age of marriage, Tunisia rapidly reduced its total fertility rate from about 7 children per woman in 1960 to 2 today. Unlike many of its North African and Middle Eastern neighbors, Tunisia will soon be shifting from being a youth-bulge country to having a transitional age structure, characterized by lower fertility and mortality rates, a slower population growth rate, a rising median age, and a longer average life expectancy.Currently, the sizable young working-age population is straining Tunisia’s labor market and education and health care systems. Persistent high unemployment among Tunisia’s growing workforce, particularly its increasing number of university graduates and women, was a key factor in the uprisings that led to the overthrow of the BEN ALI regime in 2011. In the near term, Tunisia’s large number of jobless young, working-age adults; deficiencies in primary and secondary education; and the ongoing lack of job creation and skills mismatches could contribute to future unrest. In the longer term, a sustained low fertility rate will shrink future youth cohorts and alleviate demographic pressure on Tunisia’s labor market, but employment and education hurdles will still need to be addressed.Tunisia has a history of labor emigration. In the 1960s, workers migrated to European countries to escape poor economic conditions and to fill Europe’s need for low-skilled labor in construction and manufacturing. The Tunisian Government signed bilateral labor agreements with France, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, and the Netherlands, with the expectation that Tunisian workers would eventually return home. At the same time, growing numbers of Tunisians headed to Libya, often illegally, to work in the expanding oil industry. In the mid-1970s, with European countries beginning to restrict immigration and Tunisian-Libyan tensions brewing, Tunisian economic migrants turned toward the Gulf countries. After mass expulsions from Libya in 1983, Tunisian migrants increasingly sought family reunification in Europe or moved illegally to southern Europe, while Tunisia itself developed into a transit point for Sub-Saharan migrants heading to Europe.Following the ousting of BEN ALI in 2011, the illegal migration of unemployed Tunisian youths to Italy and onward to France soared into the tens of thousands. Thousands more Tunisian and foreign workers escaping civil war in Libya flooded into Tunisia and joined the exodus. A readmission agreement signed by Italy and Tunisia in April 2011 helped stem the outflow, leaving Tunisia and international organizations to repatriate, resettle, or accommodate some 1 million Libyans and third-country nationals.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

13.3

potential support ratio

7.5 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

49.6

youth dependency ratio

36.3

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 94.3% of population

improved: total

total: 98.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 5.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1.8% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

7.3% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

4,500 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

13.67 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12.16 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Berber (Tamazight); note - despite having no official status, French plays a major role in the country and is spoken by about two thirds of the population

major-language sample(s)

كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن كتاب تتعلم به المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.36 years (2021 est.)

male

74.88 years

total population

76.57 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

74.2% (2015)

male

89.6%

total population

81.8%

Major urban areas - population

2.403 million TUNIS (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

43 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

33.3 years (2020 est.)

male

32 years

total

32.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Tunisian

noun

Tunisian(s)

Net migration rate

-1.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

26.9% (2016)

Physicians density

1.3 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

11,811,335 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

0.75% (2021 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official; Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Shia Muslim, and Baha'i) <1%

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 92.4% of population

improved: total

total: 95.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 7.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 4.1% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.4% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2016)

male

14 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.95 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.9 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.03 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

37.2% (2017 est.)

male

33.8%

total

34.9%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

69.9% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

24 governorates (wilayat, singular - wilayah); Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), L'Ariana (Aryanah), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bouzid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

Capital

etymology

three possibilities exist for the derivation of the name; originally a Berber settlement (earliest reference 4th century B.C.), the strategic site fell to the Carthaginians (Phoenicians) and the city could be named after the Punic goddess Tanit, since many ancient cities were named after patron deities; alternatively, the Berber root word "ens," which means "to lie down" or "to pass the night," may indicate that the site was originally a camp or rest stop; finally, the name may be the same as the city of Tynes, mentioned in the writings of some ancient authors

geographic coordinates

36 48 N, 10 11 E

name

Tunis

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Tunisia

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic or by one third of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People membership; following review by the Constitutional Court, approval to proceed requires an absolute majority vote by the Assembly and final passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; the president can opt to submit an amendment to a referendum, which requires an absolute majority of votes cast for passage

history

several previous; latest approved by Constituent Assembly 26 January 2014, signed by the president, prime minister, and Constituent Assembly speaker 27 January 2014; note - in mid-December 2021 President Kais SAIED announced that a constitutional referendum would be held in late July 2022

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Tunisia

conventional short form

Tunisia

etymology

the country name derives from the capital city of Tunis

local long form

Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

local short form

Tunis

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Donald A. BLOME (since 7 February 2019)

email address and website

tunisacs@state.govhttps://tn.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Les Berges du Lac, 1053 Tunis

FAX

[216] 71-107-090

mailing address

6360 Tunis Place, Washington DC  20521-6360

telephone

[216] 71-107-000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

chief of mission

Ambassador Nejmeddin LAKHAL (since 18 January 2021)

email address and website

AT.Washington@Tunisiaembassy.orghttps://www.tunisianembassy.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 862-1858

telephone

[1] (202) 862-1850

Executive branch

cabinet

selected by the prime minister and approved by the Assembly of the Representatives of the People

chief of state

President Kais SAIED (elected 13 October, sworn in 23 October 2019)

election results

first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 18.4%, Nabil KAROUI (Heart of Tunisia) 15.6%, Abdelfattah MOUROU (Nahda Movement) 12.9%, Abdelkrim ZBIDI(independent) 10.7%,Youssef CHAHED (Long Live Tunisia) 7.4%, Safi SAID (independent) 7.1%, Lotfi MRAIHI (Republican People's Union) 6.6%, other 21.3%; runoff - Kais SAIED elected president; Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3%            

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 15 September 2019 with a runoff on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in 2024); following legislative elections, the prime minister is selected by the winning party or winning coalition and appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Najla Bouden ROMDHANE (since 11 October 2021)

Flag description

red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; resembles the Ottoman flag (red banner with white crescent and star) and recalls Tunisia's history as part of the Ottoman Empire; red represents the blood shed by martyrs in the struggle against oppression, white stands for peace; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam

note

note: the flag is based on that of Turkey, itself a successor state to the Ottoman Empire

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

20 March 1956 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

Court of Cassation (consists of the first president, chamber presidents, and magistrates and organized into 27 civil and 11 criminal chambers)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council, an independent 4-part body consisting mainly of elected judges and the remainder legal specialists; judge tenure based on terms of appointment; Constitutional Court; note -court was established in the constitution but establishment has been delayed

note

note: the new Tunisian constitution of January 2014 called for the creation of a constitutional court by the end of 2015, but as of November 2018, the court had not been appointed; the court to consist of 12 members - 4 each to be appointed by the president, the Supreme Judicial Council (an independent 4-part body consisting mainly of elected judges and the remainder are legal specialists), and the Chamber of the People's Deputies (parliament); members are to serve 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; administrative courts; Court of Audit; Housing Court; courts of first instance; lower district courts; military courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil law, based on the French civil code and Islamic (sharia) law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Assembly of the Representatives of the People or Majlis Nuwwab ash-Sha'b (Assemblee des representants du peuple) (217 seats; 199 members directly elected in Tunisian multi-seat constituencies and 18 members in multi-seat constituencies living abroad by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - in mid-December 2021, President Kais SAIED announced that the parliament, which he suspended the previous July, would be extended until a general election in December 2022, nearly two years earlier than the expected election date of late October 2024

election results

percent of vote by party - Ennahdha 19.6%, Heart of Tunisia 14.6%, Free Destourian Party 6.6%, Democratic Current 6.4%, Dignity Coalition 5.9%, People's Movement 4.5%, TahyaTounes 4.1%, other 35.4%, independent 2.9%; seats by party -  Ennahdha 52, Heart of Tunisia 38, Free Destourian Party 17, Democratic Current 22, Dignity Coalition 21, People's Movement 16, Tahya Tounes 14, other 25, independent 12; composition (as of October 2021) - men 160, women 57, percent of women 26.3%

elections

initial election held on 6 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Mustafa Sadik AL-RAFII and Aboul-Qacem ECHEBBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB

name

"Humat Al Hima" (Defenders of the Homeland)

note

note: adopted 1957, replaced 1958, restored 1987; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of the United Arab Emirates

National holiday

Independence Day, 20 March (1956); Revolution and Youth Day, 14 January (2011)

National symbol(s)

encircled red crescent moon and five-pointed star; national colors: red, white

Political parties and leaders

Afek Tounes [Yassine BRAHIM]Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative) [Mehdi JOMAA]Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes) [Hafedh CAID ESSEBSI]Congress for the Republic Party or CPR [Imed DAIMI]Current of Love [Hachemi HAMDI] (formerly the Popular Petition party)Democratic Alliance Party [Mohamed HAMDI]Democratic Current [Mohamed ABBOU]Democratic Patriots' Unified Party [Zied LAKHDHAR]Dignity Coalition [Seifeddine MAKHIOUF]Free Destourian Party [Abir MOUSSI]Free Patriotic Union (Union patriotique libre) or UPL  [Slim RIAHI]Green Tunisia Party [Abdelkader ZITOUNI]Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes)Irada MovementLong Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes) [Youssef CHAHED]Machrou Tounes (Tunisia Project) [Mohsen MARZOUK]Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ahmed KHASKHOUSSI]Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance) [Rachid GHANNOUCHI]National Destourian Initiative or El Moubadra [Kamel MORJANE]Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard [Ahmed JEDDICK, Kheireddine SOUABNI]People's Movement [Zouheir MAGHZAOUI]Popular Front (coalition includes Democratic Patriots' Unified Party, Workers' Party, Green Tunisia, Tunisian Ba'ath Movement, Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard)Republican Party [Maya JRIBI]Tunisian Ba'ath Movement [OMAR Othman BELHADJ]Tunisia First (Tunis Awlan) [Ridha BELHAJ]Workers' Party [Hamma HAMMAMI]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months

Agricultural products

wheat, milk, tomatoes, barley, olives, watermelons, green chillies/peppers, potatoes, dates, green onions/shallots

Budget

expenditures

12.21 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

9.876 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B (2020)

Moody's rating

B2 (2018)

Standard & Poors rating

N/A (2013)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$3.694 billion (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$4.191 billion (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$33.79 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$35.911 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

Tunisia's economy – structurally designed to favor vested interests – faced an array of challenges exposed by the 2008 global financial crisis that helped precipitate the 2011 Arab Spring revolution. After the revolution and a series of terrorist attacks, including on the country’s tourism sector, barriers to economic inclusion continued to add to slow economic growth and high unemployment.Following an ill-fated experiment with socialist economic policies in the 1960s, Tunisia focused on bolstering exports, foreign investment, and tourism, all of which have become central to the country's economy. Key exports now include textiles and apparel, food products, petroleum products, chemicals, and phosphates, with about 80% of exports bound for Tunisia's main economic partner, the EU. Tunisia's strategy, coupled with investments in education and infrastructure, fueled decades of 4-5% annual GDP growth and improved living standards. Former President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (1987-2011) continued these policies, but as his reign wore on cronyism and corruption stymied economic performance, unemployment rose, and the informal economy grew. Tunisia’s economy became less and less inclusive. These grievances contributed to the January 2011 overthrow of BEN ALI, further depressing Tunisia's economy as tourism and investment declined sharply.Tunisia’s government remains under pressure to boost economic growth quickly to mitigate chronic socio-economic challenges, especially high levels of youth unemployment, which has persisted since the 2011 revolution. Successive terrorist attacks against the tourism sector and worker strikes in the phosphate sector, which combined account for nearly 15% of GDP, slowed growth from 2015 to 2017. Tunis is seeking increased foreign investment and working with the IMF through an Extended Fund Facility agreement to fix fiscal deficiencies.

Exchange rates

currency

Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

1.6976 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

1.9617 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

2.95875 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

2.8518 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.71795 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$19.42 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$19.17 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities

insulated wiring, clothing and apparel, crude petroleum, olive oil, vehicle parts (2019)

Exports - partners

France 29%, Italy 17%, Germany 13% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

43.2% (2017 est.)

government consumption

20.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption

71.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-55.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.4% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

10.1% (2017 est.)

industry

26.2% (2017 est.)

services

63.8% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$38.884 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 1995

41.7 (1995 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

32.8 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Imports

Imports 2018

$24.65 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$23.42 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, natural gas, low-voltage protection equipment, cars, insulated wiring (2019)

Imports - partners

France 17%, Italy 16%, Germany 8%, China 8%, Algeria 7% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

0.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

5.3% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

7.2% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

6.7% (2019 est.)

Labor force

4.054 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

14.8%

industry

33.2%

services

51.7% (2014 est.)

Population below poverty line

15.2% (2015 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

62.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

70.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$124.48 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$125.78 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$114.97 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

1.2% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

1.1% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

2% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$10,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$10,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$9,700 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$5.941 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$5.594 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

24.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

15.5% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

15.5% (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

37.2% (2017 est.)

male

33.8%

total

34.9%

Crude oil - exports

39,980 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

17,580 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

39,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

425 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

15.27 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

500 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

94% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

5% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

134 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

5.768 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

18.44 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

5.125 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

3.851 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

1.274 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

65.13 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

102,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

13,660 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

85,340 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

27,770 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11.29 (2020 est.)

total

1,334,551 (2020)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station with multiple transmission sites; 5 private TV stations broadcast locally; cable TV service is available; state-owned radio network with 2 stations; several dozen private radio stations and a few community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2019)

Internet country code

.tn

Internet users

percent of population

66.7% (2019 est.)

total

7.92 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

in an effort to jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line network, the government awarded a concession to build and operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; rural areas are served by wireless local loops; competition between several mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation and usage charges and a strong surge in subscribership; fixed-line is 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity has reached about 126 telephones per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

Tunisia has one of the most sophisticated telecom infrastructures in North Africa; penetration rates for mobile and Internet services are among the highest in the region; government program of regulation and infrastructure projects aims to improve Internet connectivity to underserved areas; operators built extensive LTE infrastructure in 2019, and are developing 5G networks and services; Chinese company Huawei invested in LTE network; operator planning nano-satellite launches in 2023; Internet censorship abolished, though concerns of government surveillance remain; legislation passed in 2017 supporting e-commerce and active e-government; importer of integrated circuits and broadcasting equipment from China (2020)

international

country code - 216; landing points for the SEA-ME-WE-4, Didon, HANNIBAL System and Trapani-Kelibia submarine cable systems that provides links to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Southeast Asia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; 2 international gateway digital switches (2020)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

12.97 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

1,533,273 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

125.7 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

14,852,857 (2020)

Airports

total

29 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

2

2,438 to 3,047 m

6

914 to 1,523 m

3 (2013)

over 3,047 m

4

total

15

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

5

total

14

under 914 m

8 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TS

Merchant marine

by type

container ship 1, general cargo 8 oil tanker 1, other 61 (2021)

total

71

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

13.23 million mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

4,274,199 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

53

number of registered air carriers

7 (2020)

Pipelines

68 km condensate, 3111 km gas, 1381 km oil, 453 km refined products (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Bizerte, Gabes, Rades, Sfax, Skhira

Railways

dual gauge

8 km 1.435-1.000-m gauge (2014)

narrow gauge

1,694 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) (2014)

standard gauge

471 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

total

2,173 km (1,991 in use) (2014)

Roadways

paved

20,000 km (2015)

Military - note

as of 2021, the Tunisian military’s primary operational areas of focus were counter-terrorism, counterinsurgency, and border security; it was conducting counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency operations against al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Islamic State of ash-Sham (ISIS)-linked militants who have been fighting a low-intensity insurgency, mostly in the mountainous region along the border with Algeria, particularly the Chaambi Mountains near the city of Kasserine; the military maintained the lead role for security in this area and also routinely conducted joint operations with Algerian security forces against these  groups, as well to counter smuggling and trafficking activities; the military in recent years also has increased its role in securing the southern border against militant activity, smuggling, and trafficking from war-torn Libya; since 2015, Tunisia has constructed a complex structure of berms, trenches, and water-filled moats, complemented by electronic surveillance equipment such as motion detectors, ground surveillance radars, and infrared sensors along the 220-kilometer border with Libya; in the remote southern areas of the border with Libya, buffer/exclusion zones have also been established where the military has the lead for counter-terrorism efforts; outside of these border areas, the Ministry of Interior has the lead responsibility for counter-terrorism in Tunisia, particularly for urban areas; the National Police Anti-Terrorism Brigade (BAT) and the National Guard Special Unit have the lead for MOI counterterrorism operationsTunisia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments

Military and security forces

Tunisian Armed Forces (Forces Armees Tunisiennes, FAT): Tunisian Army (includes Tunisian Air Defense Force), Tunisian Navy, Tunisia Air Force; Ministry of Interior: National Police, National Guard (2021)

note

note - the National Police has primary responsibility for law enforcement in the major cities, while the National Guard (gendarmerie) oversees border security and patrols smaller towns and rural areas

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Tunisian Armed Forces (FAT) have approximately 36,000 active personnel (27,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 4,000 Air Force); est. 10,000 National Guard (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Tunisian military's inventory includes mostly older or secondhand US and European equipment; since 2010, the Netherlands and US are the leading suppliers of arms to Tunisia (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

2.4% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

2.1% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

2.1% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.5% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

20-23 years of age for compulsory service, 1-year service obligation; 18-23 years of age for voluntary service (2021)

Disputes - international

none

Terrorist group(s)

Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) network in Tunisia; al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

29.94 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

7.89 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

35.66 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south

Environment - current issues

toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural freshwater resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Marine Life Conservation

Land use

agricultural land

64.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 18.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 15.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 31.1% (2018 est.)

forest

6.6% (2018 est.)

other

28.6% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

North Western Sahara Aquifer System

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.21% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

4.615 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

3.773 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

965 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

137 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

69.9% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2.7 million tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

108,000 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

4% (2014 est.)