Tunisia

Tunisia 

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 1,424 km, Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Coastline

1,148 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

Maritime boundary dispute with Libya; land boundary dispute with Algeria settled in 1993; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

Climate

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

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

2,750 sq km (1989)

Environment

Note: Strategic location in central Mediterranean

PEOPLE

Population

9,019,687 (July 1996 est.)
8,879,845 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

34% (male 1,583,636; female 1,489,784) (July 1996 est.)
35% (male 1,563,411; female 1,507,866) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

61% (male 2,738,013; female 2,719,998) (July 1996 est.)
60% (male 2,672,712; female 2,665,586) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

5% (male 254,403; female 233,853) (July 1996 est.)
5% (male 244,069; female 226,201) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.81% (1996 est.)
1.69% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

24.03 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
22.52 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

5.18 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
4.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

35.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
32.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

2.92 children born/woman (1996 est.)
2.73 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

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

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

Labor Force

2.917 million (1993 est.)

By occupation:

Note: Shortage of skilled labor

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

TS

Type

Republic

Capital

Tunis

Administrative Divisions

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

Independence

20 March 1956 (from France)

National Holiday

National Day, 20 March (1956)

Constitution

1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988

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

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

Chamber of Deputies (Majlis Al-Nuwaab)

Elections last held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - RCD 97.7%, MDS 1.0%, others 1.3%; seats - (163 total) RCD 144, MDS 10, others 9; note - the government changed the electoral code to guarantee that the opposition won seats

Judicial Branch

Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation)

Political Parties and Leaders

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

Other Political or Pressure Groups

The Islamic fundamentalist party, An Nahda (Rebirth), is outlawed

Member of

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, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNAMIR, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

National Anthem

Flag

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

ECONOMY

Overview

Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Detailed governmental control of economic affairs has gradually lessened over the past decade, including increasing privatization of trade and commerce, simplification of the tax structure, and a cautious approach to debt. Real growth has averaged 4.2% in 1991-95, and inflation has been moderate. Growth in tourism and IMF support have been key elements in this solid record. Drought, especially in the south, held back GDP growth in 1995. Further privatization and further improvements in government administrative efficiency are among the challenges for the future.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $37.1 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

4.4% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$4,250 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

5.5% (1995 est.)
4.5% (1993 est.)

Unemployment Rate

16.2% (1993 est.)

Budget

Exports

$4.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
$4.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$6.6 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
$6.5 billion (c.i.f., 1993)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$7.7 billion (1993 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 5% (1989); accounts for 22% of GDP, including petroleum

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Accounts for 16% of GDP and one-third of labor force; output subject to severe fluctuations because of frequent droughts; export crops - olives, dates, oranges, almonds; other products - grain, sugar beets, wine grapes, poultry, beef, dairy; not self-sufficient in food

Economic Aid

Currency

1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes

Exchange Rates

Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1 - 0.9635 (January 1996), 0.9458 (1995), 1.0116 (1994), 1.0037 (1993), 0.8844 (1992), 0.9246 (1991), 0.8783 (1990)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Pipelines

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

Ports

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

Merchant Marine

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

233,000 telephones (1987 est.); the system is above the African average; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 2,354,513; males fit for military service 1,349,728; males reach military age (20) annually 91,866 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $535 million, 2.8% of GDP (1995), $549 million, 3% of GDP (1994)

History
World Atlas