Match 241 DB Rec# - 7,693 Dataset-WOFACT
Title :Tunisia
Text :
Tunisia
Geography
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total area:
163,610 sq km
land area:
155,360 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries:
total 1,424 km, Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Coastline:
1,148 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
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
Natural resources:
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Land use:
arable land:
20%
permanent crops:
10%
meadows and pastures:
19%
forest and woodland:
4%
other:
47%
Irrigated land:
2,750 sq km (1989)
Environment:
current issues:
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
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography
Note:
strategic location in central Mediterranean
People
Population:
8,879,845 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
35% (female 1,507,866; male 1,563,411)
15-64 years:
60% (female 2,665,586; male 2,672,712)
65 years and over:
5% (female 226,201; male 244,069) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.69% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
22.52 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
4.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
32.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
73.25 years
male:
71.16 years
female:
75.44 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.73 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Tunisian(s)
adjective:
Tunisian
Ethnic divisions:
Arab-Berber 98%, European 1%, Jewish less than 1%
Religions:
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish 1%
Languages:
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1989)
total population:
57%
male:
69%
female:
45%
Labor force:
2.25 million
by occupation:
agriculture 32%
note:
shortage of skilled labor
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Tunisia
conventional short form:
Tunisia
local long form:
Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
local short form:
Tunis
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:
chief of state:
President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987); election last
held 20 March 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - President Zine el
Abidine BEN ALI was reelected without opposition
head of government:
Prime Minister Hamed KAROUI (since 26 September 1989)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
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
Government
Member of:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAPEC (withdrew
from active membership in 1986), OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, UN, UNAMIR,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNPROFOR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Mohamed Azzouz ENNAIFER
chancery:
1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone:
[1] (202) 862-1850
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Mary Ann CASEY
embassy:
144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[216] (1) 782-566
FAX:
[216] (1) 789-719
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 roughly
5% in 1991-94, and inflation has been moderate. Growth in tourism and IMF
support have been key elements in this solid record. 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):
4.5% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
16.2% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$4.3 billion
expenditures:
$5.5 billion, including capital expenditures to $NA (1993 est.)
Exports:
$4.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities:
hydrocarbons, agricultural products, phosphates and chemicals
partners:
EC countries 75%, Middle East 10%, Algeria 2%, India 2%, US 1%
Imports:
$6.5 billion (c.i.f., 1993)
commodities:
industrial goods and equipment 57%, hydrocarbons 13%, food 12%, consumer
goods
partners:
EC countries 70%, US 5%, Middle East 2%, Japan 2%, Switzerland 1%, Algeria
1%
External debt:
$7.7 billion (1993 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 5% (1989); accounts for 22% of GDP, including petroleum
Electricity:
capacity:
1,410,000 kW
production:
5.4 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
595 kWh (1993)
Industries:
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles,
footwear, food, beverages
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
Economy
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $730 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89) $52 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $684 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $410
million
Currency:
1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes
Exchange rates:
Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1 - 0.9849 (January 1995), 1.0116 (1994), 1.0037
(1993), 0.8844 (1992), 0.9246 (1991), 0.8783 (1990)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Transportation
Railroads:
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
Highways:
total:
29,183 km
paved:
bituminous 17,510 km
unpaved:
improved, unimproved earth 11,673 km
Pipelines:
crude oil 797 km; petroleum products 86 km; natural gas 742 km
Ports:
Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis
Merchant marine:
total:
19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 129,035 GRT/168,032 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 6, cargo 5, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2,
short-sea passenger 1
Airports:
total:
31
with paved runways over 3,047 m:
3
with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:
6
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:
2
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
3
with paved runways under 914 m:
8
with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m:
2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
7
Communications
Telephone system:
233,000 telephones; 28 telephones/1,000 persons; the system is above the
African average; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis
local:
NA
intercity:
facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio
relay
international:
5 submarine cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 ARABSAT earth station
with back-up control station; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to
Algeria and Libya
Radio:
broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 8, shortwave 0
radios:
NA
Television:
broadcast stations:
19
televisions:
NA
Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 2,294,912; males fit for military service 1,317,642; males
reach military age (20) annually 93,601 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $549 million, 3% of GDP (1994)
| Index to 1995 World Factbook... | UMSL Govt. Docs... | UMSL Libraries... | UMSL Home... |
This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).
The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995
Select this link for contact information about the UM-St. Louis Librarians maintaining this site. Updated: March 12, 1996