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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Tunisia (2004)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) z Tunisia (2004)

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)Tunisia (2004)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryTunisia
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: 26% (male 1,337,546; female 1,253,814)


15-64 years: 67.5% (male 3,373,199; female 3,360,402)


65 years and over: 6.5% (male 315,151; female 334,610) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products - olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds
Airports 1 (2001) 30 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (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: 16


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)
Area total: 60 sq km


land: 60 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
total: 163,610 sq km


land: 155,360 sq km


water: 8,250 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC slightly larger than Georgia
Background Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. 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 - 15.74 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget - revenues: $6.101 billion


expenditures: $6.855 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2003 est.)
Capital - Tunis
Climate tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Coastline 698 km 1,148 km
Constitution - 1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
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 - 5.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external - $14.39 billion (2003 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) 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 none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affaires Tarek Azouz


chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005


telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850


FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858
Disputes - international Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain none
Economic aid - recipient - $378 million (2001)
Economy - overview All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. 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, averaging 5% for the latter half of the last decade, slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought, slow investment, and lackluster tourism. Better rains in 2003, however, pushed GDP growth up to an estimated 6 percent, and tourism also recovered after the end of combat operations in Iraq. GDP growth remained at 6% in 2004. 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 NA kWh 9.748 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports - 1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military 10.48 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m


highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
Environment - current issues NA 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, 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 - Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Exchange rates - Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002), 1.4387 (2001), 1.3707 (2000), 1.1862 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
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 - NA (2001)
Exports - commodities - textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons
Exports - partners - France 32.6%, Italy 21.9%, Germany 10.7%, Spain 4.7%, Libya 4.4% (2003)
Fiscal year - calendar year
Flag description white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the 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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $68.23 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 13.9%


industry: 32.2%


services: 53.9% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 5.1% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 71 30 E 34 00 N, 9 00 E
Geography - note archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility 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: NA km


paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia


unpaved: NA km
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 - NA (2001)
Imports - commodities - textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food
Imports - partners - France 26.1%, Italy 19.8%, Germany 8.9%, Spain 5.2% (2003)
Independence - 20 March 1956 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate - -0.1% (2003 est.)
Industries - petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Infant mortality rate - total: 25.76 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 28.7 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 2.7% (2003 est.)
International organization participation - 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) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) 3,800 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation
Labor force - 3.461 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - 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: NEGL


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land: 17.86%


permanent crops: 13.74%


other: 68.4% (2001)
Languages - Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Legal system the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply 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 (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: 74.66 years


male: 73 years


female: 76.44 years (2004 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 74.2%


male: 84%


female: 64.4% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Map references Political Map of the World Africa
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm
Merchant marine - total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 124,733 GRT/122,664 DWT


by type: bulk 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, short-sea/passenger 3


registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 -
Military branches - Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $356 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.5% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 2,918,524 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,655,910 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 106,565 (2004 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 20 March (1956)
Nationality - noun: Tunisian(s)


adjective: Tunisian
Natural hazards NA NA
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Net migration rate - -0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders - 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 - the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)
9,974,722 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line - 7.6% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate - 1.01% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Diego Garcia Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios NA -
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) (2003)
Religions - Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Sex ratio - at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage - 20 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
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 NA 1,163,800 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 1,899,900 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Total fertility rate - 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate - 14.3% (2003 est.)
Waterways none -
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