Tunisia (2003)

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Tunisia 2003 year


Administrative divisions	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)
Age structure	0-14 years: 27% (male 1,388,839; female 1,297,313) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,306,782; female 3,299,883) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 309,103; female 322,822) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds
Airports	30 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	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 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Area	total: 163,610 sq km land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Georgia
Background	Following independence from France in 1956, 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 recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.
Birth rate	16.53 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $5.2 billion expenditures: $5.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2002 est.)
Capital	Tunis
Climate	temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Coastline	1,148 km
Constitution	1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988
Country name	conventional long form: Tunisian Republic conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis
Currency	Tunisian dinar (TND)
Death rate	5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$13.6 billion (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Rust M. DEMING embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La Goulette, Tunisia mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 782-566 FAX: [216] 71 789-719
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Hatem ATALLAH chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858
Disputes - international	none
Economic aid - recipient	$222.7 million (2000)
Economy - overview	Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, 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. Real growth averaged 5.4% in 1997-2001 but slowed to 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought, slow investment, and lackluster tourism. Increased rainfall portends higher growth levels for 2003, but continued regional tension from the war in Iraq will most likely continue to suppress tourism earnings. Tunisia has agreed to gradually remove barriers to trade with the European Union over the next decade. 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 for the future.
Electricity - consumption	9.748 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	10.48 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
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
Environment - international agreements	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
Ethnic groups	Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Exchange rates	Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.42 (2002), 1.44 (2001), 1.37 (2000), 1.19 (1999), 1.14 (1998)
Executive branch	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; election last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a third term without opposition; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI nearly 100%
Exports	0 kWh (2001)
Exports	$6.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports	0 cu m (2001 est.)
Exports	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons
Exports - partners	France 31.3%, Italy 21.6%, Germany 11.5%, Spain 4.8%, Libya 4.7%, Belgium 4.3% (2002)
Fiscal year	calendar year
Flag description	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
GDP	purchasing power parity - $67.13 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 12% industry: 32% services: 56% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	4.8% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	34 00 N, 9 00 E
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
Highways	total: 18,997 km paved: 12,310 km (including 142 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,687 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)
Imports	1 million kWh (2001)
Imports	$8.7 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Imports	1.58 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Imports	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food
Imports - partners	France 25.6%, Italy 19.5%, Germany 8.9%, Spain 5% (2002)
Independence	20 March 1956 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	3.5% (2002 est.)
Industries	petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Infant mortality rate	total: 26.91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, BSEC (observer), ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2000)
Irrigated land	3,800 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation
Labor force	2.69 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Land use	arable land: 18.67% permanent crops: 12.87% other: 68.46% (1998 est.)
Languages	Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Legal system	based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session
Legislative branch	unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (182 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - RCD 92%; seats by party - RCD 148, MDS 13, UDU 7, PUP 7, Al-Tajdid 5, PSL 2; note - reforms enabled opposition parties to win up to 20% of seats, increasing the number of seats they hold from 19 in the last election to 34 now
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 74.4 years male: 72.77 years female: 76.15 years (2003 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.2% male: 84% female: 64.4% (2003 est.)
Location	Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Map references	Africa
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 139,990 GRT/148,394 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$356 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.5% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 2,866,984 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 1,629,241 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	20 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 106,513 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 20 March (1956)
Nationality	noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian
Natural hazards	NA
Natural resources	petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Net migration rate	-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders	Al-Tajdid Movement [Adel CHAOUCH]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Democratic Socialists or MDS [Khamis CHAMMARI]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed Belhaj AMOR]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]
Political pressure groups and leaders	the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed
Population	9,924,742 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	6% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate	1.09% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis
Radio broadcast stations	AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways	total: 2,152 km standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2002)
Religions	Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Sex ratio	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: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	20 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available 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; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches
Telephones - main lines in use	654,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular	50,000 (1998)
Television broadcast stations	26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Total fertility rate	1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	15.4% (2002 est.)
Waterways	none

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