2023 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. 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 held legislative elections on schedule in October 2019. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, was set to expire in 2024. However, on 25 July 2021, SAIED seized exceptional powers allowed under Tunisia's constitution to fire the prime minister and suspend the legislature. Tunisians approved a new constitution through public referendum in July 2022 that expanded presidential powers and created a new bicameral legislature.

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

3,920 sq km (2013)

Land boundaries

border countries

Algeria 1,034 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

24.77% (male 1,529,179/female 1,436,771)

15-64 years

65.26% (male 3,843,642/female 3,971,509)

65 years and over

9.98% (2023 est.) (male 566,265/female 628,816)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

1.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

14.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

1.5% (2018 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.6% (2018)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

50.7% (2018)

Current health expenditure

6.3% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 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 in 2022. 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 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.9

youth dependency ratio

36.3

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 97.3% of population

improved: total

total: 99.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

7.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.95 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

13 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

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

78.8 years

male

75.4 years

total population

77.1 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

82.7% (2021)

male

89.1%

total population

82.7%

Major urban areas - population

2.475 million TUNIS (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

37 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

34.7 years

male

33.2 years

total

34 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Tunisian

noun

Tunisian(s)

Net migration rate

-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

26.9% (2016)

Physicians density

1.3 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

11,976,182 (2023 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

0.63% (2023 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 99.4% of population

improved: total

total: 99% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.2% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2016)

male

14 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.9 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

2% (2020 est.)

male

47.2% (2020 est.)

total

24.6% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.96 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

70.5% of total population (2023)

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

history: several previous; latest - draft published by the president 30 June 2022, approved by referendum 25 July, and adopted 27 July

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 Joey HOOD (since 3 February 2023)

email address and website

tuniswebsitecontact@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 Hanene TAJOURI BESSASSI (since 1 December 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

prime minister appointed by the president; cabinet members appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister

chief of state

President Kais SAIED (since 23 October 2019)

election results

Kais SAIED elected president in second round; percent of vote in 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%; percent of vote in second round - 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)

head of government

Prime Minister Ahmed HACHANI (since 1 August 2023)

note

note: the president can dismiss any member of government on his own initiative or in consultation with the prime minister

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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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 (established in the 2014 and 2022 constitutions, but inception has been delayed; note - in mid-February 2022, President SAIED dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council and replaced it with an interim council in early March

note

note: the Tunisian constitution of January 2014 called for the establishment of a constitutional court by the end of 2015, but the court was never formed; the new constitution of July 2022 calls for the establishment of a constitutional court consisting of 9 members appointed by presidential decree; members to include former senior judges of other courts

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

bicameral legislature (enacted by the 2022 constitution) consists of:newly added National Council of Regions and Districts (Le Conseil National des regions et des districts); (NA seats; members appointed by municipal-level councils; members of each Regional Council elect 3 members among themselves to the National Council; each District Council elects 1 member among themselves to the National Council; members serve 5-year term)Assembly of Representatives of the People (161 seats; 151 members in single seat constituencies and 10 members from Tunisian diaspora directly elected by majoritarian two-round voting system; all members serve 5-year terms)

election results

note: in 2022 President SAIED issued a new electoral law which required all legislative candidates run as independentsresults NA; composition for 154 seats) - men 129, women 25, percent of women 15.2%

elections

National Council of Regions and Districts - dates of first appointments and indirect elections NAAssembly of Representatives of the People - last held on 17 December 2022 with a runoff on 29 January 2023 (next to be held in late 2027)

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 heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Amphitheatre of El Jem (c); Archaeological Site of Carthage (c); Medina of Tunis (c); Ichkeul National Park (n); Punic Town of Kerkuane (c); Kairouan (c); Medina of Sousse (c); Dougga / Thugga (c); Djerba: Testimony to a settlement pattern in an island territory (c)

total World Heritage Sites

9 (8 cultural, 1 natural)

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

note - President SAIED in 2022 issued a decree that forbids political parties' participation in legislative elections; although parties remain a facet of Tunisian political life, they have lost significant influenceAfek Tounes [Fadhel ABDELKEFI]Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative) [Mehdi JOMAA]Al-Amal Party [Ridha BELHAJ]Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes) [Ali HAFSI]Current of Love [Hachemi HAMDI] (formerly the Popular Petition party)Democratic Current [Ghazi CHAOUACHI]Democratic Patriots' Unified Party [Zied LAKHDHAR]Dignity Coalition or Al Karama Coalition [Seifeddine MAKHLOUF]Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance) [Rached GHANNOUCHI]Free Destourian Party or PDL [Abir MOUSSI]Green Tunisia Party [Abdelkader ZITOUNI]Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes) [Nabil KAROUI]Long Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes) [Youssef CHAHED]Machrou Tounes (Project Tunisia) [Mohsen MARZOUK]Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ahmed KHASKHOUSSI]Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard [Kheireddine SOUABNI]People's Movement [Zouheir MAGHZAOUI]Republican Party (Al Joumhouri) [Issam CHEBBI] The Movement Party (Hizb Harak) [Moncef MARZOUKI]Third Republic Party [Olfa HAMDI]Tunisian Ba'ath Movement [Othmen Bel Haj AMOR]Voice of the Republic [Ali HAFSI]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

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

21.9% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$12.375 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$10.866 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B (2020)

Moody's rating

B2 (2018)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

N/A (2013)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$3.391 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$2.533 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$2.781 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$33.79 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$35.911 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

lower middle-income North African economy; drafting reforms for foreign lenders; high unemployment, especially for youth and women; hit hard by COVID-19; high public sector wages; high public debt; protectionist austerity measures; key EU trade partner

Exchange rates

Currency

Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

2.419 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

2.647 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

2.934 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

2.812 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.794 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$19.175 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$16.017 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$19.743 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

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 2015

32.8 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Imports

Imports 2019

$23.546 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$19.603 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$24.269 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

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

8.6% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

6.72% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

5.63% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

5.71% (2021 est.)

Labor force

4.226 million (2021 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) 2019

$133.757 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$122.226 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$127.509 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

1.5% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-8.62% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.32% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$11,100 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$10,100 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$10,400 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$7.92 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$9.811 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$8.846 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

24.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

15.13% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

16.59% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

16.82% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

41.2%

male

37.1%

total

38.3% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

16,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

10.694 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

12.982 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

23.692 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

5,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

5,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

16,737,180,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

631 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports

472 million kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

5.777 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

3.641 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

99.6% (2021)

electrification - total population

99.9% (2020)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2021)

population without electricity

(2020) less than 1 million

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

95.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

1.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

2.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

35.62 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

5,279,951,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

4,305,994,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

1,025,974,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

65.129 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

29,400 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

10,200 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

425 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

107,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

42,500 bbl/day (2021 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 (2020 est.)

total

1,334,059 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

2 state-owned TV stations; 10 private TV stations broadcast locally; satellite TV service is available; state-owned radio network with 2 stations; several dozen private radio stations and community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2019)

Internet country code

.tn

Internet users

percent of population

79% (2021 est.)

total

9.48 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is nearly 14 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 130 telephones per 100 persons (2021)

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 continue to discuss plans for future 5G networks and services; one operator has signed an agreement to pursue 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 some integrated circuits and broadcasting equipment (including radio, television, and communications transmitters) from the PRC (2022)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1.7 million (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

130 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

16 million (2021 est.)

Airports

29 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

15

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

14

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TS

Merchant marine

by type

container ship 1, general cargo 8, oil tanker 1, other 60

total

70 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

13.23 million (2018) mt-km

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, 3,111 km gas, 1,381 km oil, 453 km refined products (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Bizerte, Gabes, Rades, Sfax, Skhira

Railways

dual gauge

8 km (2014) 1.435-1.000-m gauge

narrow gauge

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

standard gauge

471 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total

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

Roadways

paved

20,000 km (2015)

Military - note

the FAT is responsible for territorial defense and internal security; its operational areas of focus are countering Islamic terrorist groups and assisting with securing the border; it is conducting counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations against militant groups linked to al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Islamic State of ash-Sham (ISIS) who are 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 has the lead role for security in this area and also routinely conducts joint operations with Algerian security forces against these groups, as well to counter smuggling and trafficking activities; the FAT 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 system 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 counterterrorism efforts; outside of these border areas, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) has the responsibility for counterterrorism, particularly for urban areas; the National Police Anti-Terrorism Brigade and the National Guard Special Unit have the lead for MOI counterterrorism operationsthe FAT is a conscript-based, but professional force that has historically remained largely apolitical and stayed out of the country’s economy; following Tunisia’s 1956 independence, FAT officers were legally prohibited from joining political parties, and the military did not intervene to prop up BEN ALI in 2011; nevertheless, President SAIED’s use of military courts to try civilians and placement of military troops outside of the parliament building after he dissolved the Assembly has raised concerns of military politicization the FAT conducts bilateral and multinational training exercises with a variety of countries, including Algeria and other North African and Middle Eastern countries, France, and the US, as well as NATO; it also participates in UN peacekeeping operations; the Army has 5 combat brigades, including 3 mechanized infantry, a desert patrol, and a special forces brigade, as well as an armored reconnaissance regiment; the Navy is a coastal defense force with a small inventory of offshore patrol ships complemented by a mix of fast attack and patrol craft; the Air Force largely supports the Army’s operations; it has a handful of older US-made fighter aircraft and a few dozen combat helicopters, mostly of French and US origin Tunisia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2023)

Military and security forces

Tunisian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Tunisiennes, FAT): Tunisian Army (includes Air Defense Force), Tunisian Navy, Tunisia Air ForceMinistry of Interior: National Police, National Guard (2023)

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

approximately 35,000 active-duty personnel (25,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force); estimated 10,000 National Guard (2023)

Military deployments

775 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Tunisian military's inventory includes mostly older or second-hand US and European equipment; in recent years, the Netherlands, Turkey, and US have been the leading suppliers of arms to Tunisia (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

3.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

3.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

20-23 years of age for compulsory service for men with a 12-month service obligation; individuals engaged in higher education or vocational training programs prior to their military drafting are allowed to delay service until they have completed their programs (up to age 35); 18-23 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (2023)

note

note 1: as of 2021, approximately 20-25,000 active military personnel were conscriptsnote 2: women have been allowed in the service since 1975 as volunteers only, although as recently as 2018, the Tunisian Government has discussed the possibility of conscripting women; as of 2018, women constituted less than 7% of the military and served in all three services

Disputes - international

none identified

Illicit drugs

NA

Space agency/agencies

the National Center of Cartography and Remote Sensing (Centre National de la Cartographie et de la Télédétection or CNCT; established in 1988 and directs Tunisia’s space activities; is a non-administrative public company under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense); Tunisian National Commission for Outer Space Affairs (NCOSA; established 1984 to oversee the space-related activities of government ministries); note – the Tunisian Space Agency is a non-profit, non-governmental scientific association created in June 2012 to promote the field of aerospace in Tunisia (2023)

Space program overview

has a small space program with a focus on exploiting satellite imagery and developing small satellites and satellite components; has established relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, France, Japan, and Russia (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Terrorist group(s)

Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) network in Tunisia (known locally as Ajnad al-Khilafah or the Army of the Caliphate); 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

26.52 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.21% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

4.62 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

2.71 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

820 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

70.5% of total population (2023)

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.)