Cameroon (2001) | Tunisia (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | 10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest | 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:
42.37% (male 3,385,898; female 3,310,504) 15-64 years: 54.28% (male 4,305,354; female 4,271,958) 65 years and over: 3.35% (male 244,419; female 285,087) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 24% (male 1,270,208/female 1,191,619)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,571,228/female 3,538,458) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 333,801/female 370,844) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber | olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products |
Airports | 49 (2000 est.) | 30 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
total: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2007) |
Area | total:
475,440 sq km land: 469,440 sq km water: 6,000 sq km |
total: 163,610 sq km
land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than California | slightly larger than Georgia |
Background | The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy. | Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in getting the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first 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. Tunisia has long 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 | 36.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 15.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$2.1 billion expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
revenues: $7.228 billion
expenditures: $8.163 billion (2006 est.) |
Capital | Yaounde | name: Tunis
geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north | temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south |
Coastline | 402 km | 1,148 km |
Constitution | 20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally adopted; revised January 1996 | 1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon former: French Cameroon |
conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis |
Currency | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States | - |
Death rate | 11.99 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 5.17 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $10.9 billion (2000 est.) | $18.55 billion (2006 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador John M. YATES embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 23-40-14, 22-25-89, 23-05-12, 22-17-94 FAX: [237] 23-07-53 branch office(s): Douala |
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC
embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 107-000 FAX: [216] 71 107-090 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Nejib HACHANA
chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858 |
Disputes - international | delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is complete and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; tripartite maritime boundary and economic zone dispute with Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria is currently before the ICJ | none |
Economic aid - recipient | on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; total debt relief now amounts to $1.26 billion | $376.5 million (2005) |
Economy - overview | Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency and privatization. Higher oil prices in 2000 helped to offset the country's lower cocoa export revenues. A rebound in the cocoa market should increase growth to over 5% in 2001. | 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. Increased rain helped to push GDP growth to an average rate of 5% in 2003-05. However, a recession in agriculture, weak expansion in the tourism and textile sectors, and increasing import costs due to rising world energy prices cut growth to 4% in 2006. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade with the EU. 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 | 3.227 billion kWh (1999) | 11.17 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 3.47 billion kWh (1999) | 12.85 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
2.59% hydro: 97.41% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Fako 4,095 m |
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m |
Environment - current issues | water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing | 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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban |
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 | Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1% | Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro | Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19 September 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the Prime Minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 92.6%; note - supporters of the opposition candidates boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares relatively meaningless |
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 (no term limits); election last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be held in 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 | $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton | clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons |
Exports - partners | Italy 24%, France 18%, Netherlands 10% (2000 est.) | France 28.9%, Italy 20.4%, Germany 8.6%, Spain 6.1%, Libya 4.9%, US 4% (2006) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia | 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 - $26 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
43.4% industry: 20.1% services: 36.5% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 12.5%
industry: 33.1% services: 54.4% (2006 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.4% (2000 est.) | 5.2% (2006 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 6 00 N, 12 00 E | 34 00 N, 9 00 E |
Geography - note | sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa | 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:
34,300 km paved: 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km (1995) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 31.5% (2000) |
Imports | $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | machines and electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food | textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | France 29%, Germany 7%, US 6%, Japan 6% (2000 est.) | France 25.1%, Italy 22%, Germany 9.5%, Spain 4.7% (2006) |
Independence | 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) | 20 March 1956 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.2% (1999 est.) | 4.7% (2006 est.) |
Industries | petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber | petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages |
Infant mortality rate | 69.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 22.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (2000 est.) | 4.5% (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC (suspended), OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 210 sq km (1993 est.) | 3,940 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly) | Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation |
Labor force | NA | 3.503 million
note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17% | agriculture: 55%
industry: 23% services: 22% (1995 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
4,591 km border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km |
total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km |
Land use | arable land:
13% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 78% other: 3% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 17.05%
permanent crops: 13.08% other: 69.87% (2005) |
Languages | 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official) | Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce) |
Legal system | based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature)
elections: last held 17 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RDCP 109, SDF 43, UNDP 13, UDC 5, UPC-K 1, MDR 1, MLJC 1; note - results from 7 contested seats were cancelled by the Supreme Court, further elections on 3 August 1997 gave these seats to the RDPC note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established |
bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85 members elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and professional associations and trade unions; 41 members are presidential appointees; members serve six-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); Chamber of Advisors - last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2011) election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2; Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 71 (14 trade union seats vacant (boycotted)) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
54.59 years male: 53.76 years female: 55.44 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 75.34 years
male: 73.6 years female: 77.21 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.4% male: 75% female: 52.1% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.3% male: 83.4% female: 65.3% (2004 census) |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya |
Map references | Africa | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea:
50 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 130,475 GRT/91,013 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 4 foreign-owned: 1 (Libya 1) (2007) |
Military branches | Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard | Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At'tunisia) (2007) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $118.6 million (FY00/01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.4% (FY98/99) | 1.4% (2006) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
3,762,369 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
1,903,149 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
174,308 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Republic Day, 20 May (1972) | Independence Day, 20 March (1956) |
Nationality | noun:
Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian |
noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian |
Natural hazards | recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases | NA |
Natural resources | petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower | petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | -0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 2,945 km; oil 1,227 km; refined products 351 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader NA]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MLJC [Marcel YONDO]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA, chairman]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Cameroonian Populations has two sections UPC-N [Ndeh NTUMAZAH] and UPC-K [Augustin Frederic KODOCK] | Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD (official ruling party) [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI]; Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; 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 [Ahmed INOUBLI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Cameroon Anglophone Movement or CAM [Vishe FAI, secretary general]; Southern Cameroon National Council [Nfor Ngala NFOR, acting] | 18 October Group [collective leadership]; Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR]; Tunisian League for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]; note - the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed |
Population | 15,803,220
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.) |
10,276,158 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 48% (2000 est.) | 7.4% (2005 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.41% (2001 est.) | 0.989% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 11, FM 8, shortwave 3 (1998) | AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 2.27 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
1,104 km narrow gauge: 1,104 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.) |
total: 2,153 km
standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2006) |
Religions | indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% | Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.066 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.009 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.015 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal | 20 years of age; universal except for active duty military |
Telephone system | general assessment:
available only to business and government domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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; 2 international gateway digital switches |
Telephones - main lines in use | 75,000 (1997) | 1.268 million (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 4,200 (1997) | 7.339 million (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1998) | 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north | mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara |
Total fertility rate | 4.8 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.73 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 30% (1998 est.) | 13.9% (2006 est.) |
Waterways | 2,090 km (of decreasing importance) | - |