World Facts Index
 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.
Geography of Tunisia
|
Location:
|
Northern Africa, bordering
the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya |
|
Coordinates:
|
34 00 N, 9 00 E |
|
Area:
|
total: 163,610 sq km
water: 8,250 sq km
land: 155,360 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
slightly larger than
Georgia |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km |
|
Coastline:
|
1,148 km |
|
Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
|
Climate:
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temperate in north with
mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south |
|
Terrain:
|
mountains in north; hot,
dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Shatt
al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
petroleum, phosphates, iron
ore, lead, zinc, salt |
|
Environment current issues:
|
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 |
|
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
|
Population of Tunisia
|
Population:
|
10,383,577 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 24.6% (male 1,293,235/female 1,212,994)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 3,504,283/female 3,478,268)
65 years and over: 6.7% (male 327,521/female 358,713) |
|
Median age:
|
27.8 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
0.99% |
|
Infant mortality:
|
23.84 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 75.12 years
male: 73.4 years
female: 76.96 years |
|
Fertility rate:
|
1.74 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
|
Religions:
|
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other
1% |
|
Languages:
|
Arabic (official and one of the languages
of commerce), French (commerce) |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.3%
male: 83.4%
female: 65.3%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Tunisian
Republic
conventional short form: Tunisia
local short form: Tunis
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah |
|
Government type:
|
republic |
|
Capital:
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Tunis |
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Administrative divisions:
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24 governorates |
|
Independence:
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20 March 1956 (from France) |
|
National holiday:
|
Independence Day, 20 March (1956) |
|
Constitution:
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1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on French civil law system and
Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint
session |
|
Suffrage:
|
20 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits);
prime minister appointed by the president |
|
Legislative branch:
|
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) |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation |
Economy
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.
|
GDP:
|
$76.07 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
4.3% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$8,300 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 13.2%
industry: 31.8%
services: 55% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
2.1% |
|
Labor force:
|
3.41 million
note: shortage of skilled labor |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% |
|
Unemployment:
|
14.2% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $7.322 billion
expenditures: $8.304 billion |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 99.5%
hydro: 0.5%
other: 0% |
|
Industries:
|
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate
and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages |
|
Agriculture:
|
olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products,
tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds |
|
Exports:
|
textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and
chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons |
|
Export partners:
|
France 31.1%, Italy 20.9%, Germany 9.7%, Spain 5.5%, Libya
4.2% |
|
Imports:
|
textiles, machinery and equipment,
hydrocarbons, chemicals, food |
|
Import partners:
|
France 24.7%, Italy 22.1%, Germany 9.2%, Spain 5.3% |
|
Currency:
|
Tunisian dinar (TND) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |