Australia (2002) | Tunisia (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia | 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: 20.4% (male 2,046,052; female 1,949,725)
15-64 years: 67% (male 6,610,840; female 6,480,354) 65 years and over: 12.6% (male 1,078,506; female 1,381,315) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 25.3% (male 1,316,308/female 1,234,309)
15-64 years: 68.1% (male 3,437,880/female 3,418,591) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 321,287/female 346,576) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry | olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds |
Airports | 421 (2001) | 30 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 294
over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 126 914 to 1,523 m: 134 under 914 m: 13 (2002) |
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 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 150
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 116 under 914 m: 14 (2002) |
total: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 7,686,850 sq km
land: 7,617,930 sq km water: 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island |
total: 163,610 sq km
land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states | slightly larger than Georgia |
Background | Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in 1901. It was able to take advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999. | 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 | 12.71 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 15.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $86.8 billion
expenditures: $84.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est. ) |
revenues: $6.799 billion
expenditures: $7.573 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2004 est.) |
Capital | Canberra | Tunis |
Climate | generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north | temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south |
Coastline | 25,760 km | 1,148 km |
Constitution | 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 | 1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002 |
Country name | conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia |
conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | - |
Death rate | 7.25 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $176.8 billion (2001 est.) | $14.71 billion (2004 est.) |
Dependent areas | Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600 FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970 consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney |
chief of mission: Ambassador William J. HUDSON
embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La Goulette, Tunisia mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 107-000 FAX: [216] 71 962-115 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco |
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Nejib HACHANA
chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858 |
Disputes - international | Australia-East Timor-Indonesia are working to resolve maritime boundary and sharing of seabed resources in "Timor Gap"; Australia asserts a territorial claim to Antarctica and to its continental shelf | none |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $894 million (FY99/00 ) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $114.6 million (2002) |
Economy - overview | Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains robust. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is another key factor behind the economy's strength. The stagnant economic conditions in major export partners and the impact of the worst drought in 100 years cast a shadow over prospects for 2003. | 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. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism. Better rains in 2003 and 2004, however, helped push GDP growth above 5% for these years. Tourism also recovered after the end of combat operations in Iraq. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade with the European Union. 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 188.49 billion kWh (2000) | 10.05 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 10 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 90 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 202.68 billion kWh (2000) | 10.72 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 90%
hydro: 8% nuclear: 0% other: 2% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m |
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m |
Environment - current issues | soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources | 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: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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 |
Ethnic groups | Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1% | Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997) | Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002), 1.4387 (2001), 1.3707 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter HOLLINGWORTH (since 29 June 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999) cabinet: Cabinet Parliament nominates, from among its members, a list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list, the governor general makes the final selections for the Cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party |
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 2004 (next to be held 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% |
Exports | $66.3 billion (2002 est.) | NA |
Exports - commodities | coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment | textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons |
Exports - partners | Developing countries 45.6%, Japan 19.7%, ASEAN 13.3%, EU 11.7%, US 9.7% (2001) | France 33.1%, Italy 25.3%, Germany 9.2%, Spain 6.1% (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars | 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 - $528 billion (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3%
industry: 26% services: 71% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: 13.8%
industry: 31.8% services: 54.4% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $27,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7,100 (2004 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.6% (2002 est.) | 5.1% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 27 00 S, 133 00 E | 34 00 N, 9 00 E |
Geography - note | world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer | 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: 913,000 km
paved: 353,331 km (including 1,363 km of expressways) unpaved: 559,669 km (1996) |
total: 18,997 km
paved: 12,424 km (including 142 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,573 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 25% (1994) |
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 31.8% (1995) |
Illicit drugs | Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate | - |
Imports | $68 billion (2002 est.) | NA |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products | textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food |
Imports - partners | Developing countries 31.7%, EU 21.6%, US 18.9%, ASEAN 14.8%, Japan 13.0% (2001) | France 25.1%, Italy 19%, Germany 8.5%, Spain 5.3% (2004) |
Independence | 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies) | 20 March 1956 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.3% (2002 est.) | 4.4% (2004 est.) |
Industries | mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel | petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages |
Infant mortality rate | 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 24.77 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 27.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.8% (2002 est.) | 4.1% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC | ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 571 (2002) | - |
Irrigated land | 24,000 sq km (1998 est.) | 3,800 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general) | Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation |
Labor force | 9.2 million (December 2001 ) | 3.55 million
note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.) | services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km |
Land use | arable land: 6.88%
permanent crops: 0.03% other: 93.09% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 17.86%
permanent crops: 13.74% other: 68.4% (2001) |
Languages | English, native languages | Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce) |
Legal system | based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session |
Legislative branch | bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001 election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Democrats 8, Green Party 2, One Nation Party 1, Country Labor Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 82, Australian Labor Party 65, independent and other 3 |
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 80 years
male: 77.15 years female: 83 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 74.89 years
male: 73.2 years female: 76.71 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1980 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.3% male: 83.4% female: 65.3% (2004 est.) |
Location | Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya |
Map references | Oceania | Africa |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,469,362 GRT/1,869,262 DWT
ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 5, chemical tanker 4, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 6, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 2, United Kingdom 2, United States 14 (2002 est.) |
total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 124,733 GRT/122,664 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 5, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 3 (2005) |
Military branches | Royal Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force | Army, Navy, Air Force (2003) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $9.3 billion (FY01/02 est.) | $356 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2% (FY01/02) | 1.5% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 5,013,406 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 4,321,387 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 142,686 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Independence Day, 20 March (1956) |
Nationality | noun: Australian(s)
adjective: Australian |
noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian |
Natural hazards | cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires | NA |
Natural resources | bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum | petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt |
Net migration rate | 4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km | gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Australian Democrats [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor Party [Simon CREAN]; Country Labor Party [leader NA]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; National Party [John ANDERSON]; One Nation Party [Pauline HANSON] | Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; 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 Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian Republican Movement [leader NA] | the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed |
Population | 19,546,792 (July 2002 est.) | 10,074,951 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 7.6% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.96% (2002 est.) | 0.99% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville | Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 25.5 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total: 33,819 km (2,540 km electrified)
broad gauge: 3,719 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 15,422 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 14,506 km 1.067-m gauge dual gauge: 172 km NA gauges (1999 est.) |
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) (2004) |
Religions | Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11%, other 12.6% | Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 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: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 20 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998) |
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: country code - 216; 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 | 10.05 million (2000) | 1,163,800 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 8.6 million (2000) | 1,899,900 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 104 (1997) | 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast | mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara |
Total fertility rate | 1.77 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6.3% (2002) | 13.8% (2004 est.) |
Waterways | 8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft) | - |