Tunisia

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 getting 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. BEN ALI is currently serving his fourth consecutive five-year term as president; the next elections are scheduled for October 2009. Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Tunisia

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

34 00 N, 9 00 E

Africa

total: 163,610 sq km

land: 155,360 sq km

water: 8,250 sq km

slightly larger than Georgia

total: 1,424 km

border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

1,148 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 12 nm

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

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

lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m

highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

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

arable land: 17.05%

permanent crops: 13.08%

other: 69.87% (2005)

3,940 sq km (2003)

4.6 cu km (2003)

total: 2.64 cu km/yr (14%/4%/82%)

per capita: 261 cu m/yr (2000)

NA

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

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

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

Tunisia

10,383,577 (July 2008 est.)

0-14 years: 23.2% (male 1,246,105/female 1,167,379)

15-64 years: 69.7% (male 3,638,062/female 3,595,254)

65 years and over: 7.1% (male 345,590/female 391,187) (2008 est.)

total: 28.8 years

male: 28.2 years

female: 29.3 years (2008 est.)

0.989% (2008 est.)

15.5 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

5.17 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

-0.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

total: 23.43 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

total population: 75.56 years

male: 73.79 years

female: 77.46 years (2008 est.)

1.73 children born/woman (2008 est.)

less than 0.1% (2005 est.)

1,000 (2003 est.)

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

noun: Tunisian(s)

adjective: Tunisian

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

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

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

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 74.3%

male: 83.4%

female: 65.3% (2004 census)

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2006)

7.3% (2005)

Tunisia

conventional long form: Tunisian Republic

conventional short form: Tunisia

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

local short form: Tunis

republic

name: Tunis

geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E

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

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), 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), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

20 March 1956 (from France)

Independence Day, 20 March (1956); also the anniversary of BEN ALI's assumption of the presidency, 7 November (1987)

1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002

based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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

chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987)

head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17 November 1999)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%, Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%

bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85 members elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and professional associations and trade unions; 41 members are presidential appointees; members serve six-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); Chamber of Advisors - last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2011)

election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2; Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 71 (14 trade union seats vacant (due to boycott))

Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Al-Tajdid Movement [Ahmed IBRAHIM]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD (official ruling party) [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI]; Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR]; Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mondher THABET]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Maya JERIBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]

18 October Group [collective leadership]; Tunisian League for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]; note - the Islamist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Nejib HACHANA

chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850

FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC

embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053

mailing address: use embassy street address

telephone: [216] 71 107-000

FAX: [216] 71 107-090

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

Tunisia

Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth, which averaged almost 5% over the past decade, reached 6.3% in 2007 because of development in non-textile manufacturing, a recovery in agricultural production, and strong growth in the services sector. However, Tunisia will need to reach even higher growth levels to create sufficient employment opportunities for an already large number of unemployed as well as the growing population of university graduates. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.

$77 billion (2007 est.)

$35.01 billion (2007 est.)

6.3% (2007 est.)

$7,500 (2007 est.)

agriculture: 11.6%

industry: 25.7%

services: 62.8% (2007 est.)

3.593 million (2007 est.)

agriculture: 55%

industry: 23%

services: 22% (1995 est.)

14.1% (2007 est.)

7.4% (2005 est.)

lowest 10%: 2.3%

highest 10%: 31.5% (2000)

40 (2005 est.)

3.1% (2007 est.)

23.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

revenues: $8.466 billion

expenditures: $9.475 billion (2007 est.)

55.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

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

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

7.2% (2007 est.)

12.85 billion kWh (2005)

fossil fuel: 99.5%

hydro: 0.5%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (2001)

11.17 billion kWh (2005)

0 kWh (2005)

0 kWh (2005)

76,900 bbl/day (2005 est.)

90,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

75,060 bbl/day (2004)

85,680 bbl/day (2004)

1.7 billion bbl (2007 est.)

2.398 billion cu m (2005 est.)

4.124 billion cu m (2005 est.)

0 cu m (2005 est.)

1.726 billion cu m (2005)

74.68 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

-$860 million (2007 est.)

$15.15 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment

France 30.7%, Italy 20.6%, Germany 8.4%, Spain 5.4%, Libya 5.1% (2006)

$18.03 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs

France 24.1%, Italy 22.2%, Germany 9.8%, Spain 5.1% (2006)

$376.5 million (2005)

$7.854 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

$19.27 billion (December 2007)

$21.78 billion (2007 est.)

$88 million (2007 est.)

$4.446 billion (2006)

Tunisian dinar (TND)

TND

Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003)

calendar year

Tunisia

1.268 million (2006)

7.842 million (2007)

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

domestic: in an effort jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line network, the government has awarded a concession to build and operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; competition between the two mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation and usage charges and a strong surge in subscribership; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 85 telephones per 100 persons

international: country code - 216; a landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and 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

AM 7, FM 38, shortwave 2 (2007)

2.06 million (1997)

26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

920,000 (1997)

.tn

1,163 (2007)

1 (2000)

1.295 million (2006)

Tunisia

30 (2007)

total: 14

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)

total: 16

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 7 (2007)

gas 2,665 km; oil 1,235 km; refined products 353 km (2007)

total: 2,153 km

standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)

dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2006)

total: 19,232 km

paved: 12,655 km (includes 262 km of expressways)

unpaved: 6,577 km (2004)

total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 118,908 GRT/72,506 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)

Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Rades, Sfax, Skhira

Tunisia

Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At'tunisia) (2008)

20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

males age 16-49: 2,992,249

females age 16-49: 2,912,819 (2008 est.)

males age 16-49: 2,539,962

females age 16-49: 2,465,295 (2008 est.)

males age 16-49: 101,794

females age 16-49: 95,198 (2008 est.)

1.4% (2006)

Tunisia

none