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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

olives, dates, oranges, almonds, grain, sugar beets, grapes; poultry, beef, dairy products

Budget [time series]

revenues: $6.3 billion expenditures: $6.8 billion, including capital expenditures to $1.5 billion (1997 est.)

Communications - note (Communications-note) [time series]

Internet access is available through two private service providers licensed by the government

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$10.6 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $221 million (1993)

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization of trade and commerce, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Real growth averaged 4.6% in 1992-96 and reached 5.6% in 1997, down from 6.9% in 1996, which benefited from a record cereal crop. Inflation has been moderate. Growth in tourism and increased trade have been key elements in this solid record. Tunisia's association agreement with the European Union entered into force on 1 March 1998, the first such accord between the EU and Mediterranean countries to be activated. Under the agreement Tunisia will gradually remove barriers to trade with the EU over the next decade. Further privatization, the attraction of increased foreign investment, and improvements in government efficiency are among the challenges for the future.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

1.414 million kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

696 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

6.165 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1-1.1612 (January 1998), 1.1059 (1997), 0.9734 (1996), 0.9458 (1995), 1.0116 (1994), 1.0037 (1993)

Exports [time series]

total value: $5.6 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: hydrocarbons, textiles, agricultural products, phosphates and chemicals partners: EU 80%, North African countries 6%, Asia 4%, US 1% (1996)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year Communications

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$56.5 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 14% industry: 28% services: 58% (1996 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$6,100 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

5.6% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $7.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.) commodities: industrial goods and equipment 57%, hydrocarbons 13%, food 12%, consumer goods partners: EU countries 80%, North African countries 5.5%, Asia 5.5%, US 5% (1996)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3.5% (1995)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

4.6% (1997 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total: 2.917 million (1993 est.) by occupation: services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.) note: shortage of skilled labor

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 7, FM 8, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

1,693,527 (1991 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

the system is above the African average; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat with back-up control station; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

560,000 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

1.4 million

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% (1997 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 163,610 sq km land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly larger than Georgia

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

1,148 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point: Jabal ash Shanabi 1,544 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

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 [time series]

34 00 N, 9 00 E

Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]

strategic location in central Mediterranean

Irrigated land [time series]

3,850 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 19% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 4% other: 44% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

23 governorates; Beja, Ben Arous, Bizerte, Gabes, Gafsa, Jendouba, Kairouan, Kasserine, Kebili, L'Ariana, Le Kef, Mahdia, Medenine, Monastir, Nabeul, Sfax, Sidi Bou Zid, Siliana, Sousse, Tataouine, Tozeur, Tunis, Zaghouan

Constitution [time series]

1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Tunisia conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Robin L. RAPHEL embassy: 144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] (1) 782-566

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Noureddine MEJDOUB chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850

Executive branch [time series]

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%

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[216] (1) 789-719

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

20 March 1956 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, BSEC (observer), CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation)

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Legislative branch [time series]

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

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Tunis

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 20 March (1956)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (RCD), President BEN ALI (official ruling party); Movement of Democratic Socialists (MDS); five other political parties are legal, including the Communist Party

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed

Suffrage [time series]

20 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$535 million (1995)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

2.8% (1995)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 2,534,929 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]

males: 1,450,442 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - military age (Military manpower-military age) [time series]

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower-reaching military age annually) [time series]

males: 96,966 (1998 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 32% (male 1,526,743; female 1,433,503) 15-64 years: 63% (male 2,933,487; female 2,947,189) 65 years and over: 5% (male 275,411; female 264,071) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

20.07 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.06 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

32.64 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.1 years male: 71.72 years female: 74.58 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.7% male: 78.6% female: 54.6% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

9,380,404 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.43% (1998 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.44 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

32 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 15 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 7 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 23,100 km paved: 18,226 km unpaved: 4,874 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 157,475 GRT/165,922 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 5, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (1997 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 797 km; petroleum products 86 km; natural gas 742 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis

Railways [time series]

total: 2,260 km standard gauge: 492 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,758 km 1.000-m gauge dual gauge: 10 km 1.000-m and 1.435-m gauges (1993 est.)