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Compare Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2008) - Tunisia (2008)

Compare Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2008) z Tunisia (2008)

 Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2008)Tunisia (2008)
 Congo, Democratic Republic of theTunisia
Administrative divisions 10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu


note: according to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the current administrative divisions will be subdivided into 26 new provinces by 2009
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: 47.6% (male 15,718,614/female 15,557,058)


15-64 years: 49.9% (male 16,224,734/female 16,571,549)


65 years and over: 2.6% (male 680,313/female 999,244) (2007 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, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products
Airports 237 (2007) 30 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 26


over 3,047 m: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
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: 211


1,524 to 2,437 m: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 95


under 914 m: 99 (2007)
total: 16


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 7 (2007)
Area total: 2,345,410 sq km


land: 2,267,600 sq km


water: 77,810 sq km
total: 163,610 sq km


land: 155,360 sq km


water: 8,250 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US slightly larger than Georgia
Background Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003. Joseph KABILA as president and four vice presidents represented the former government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil society. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006. Its president, Vital KAMERHE, was chosen in December. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007. 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. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. BEN ALI is currently serving his fourth consecutive five-year term as president; the next elections are scheduled for October 2009. 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 42.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 15.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $700 million


expenditures: $2 billion (2006 est.)
revenues: $8.355 billion


expenditures: $9.476 billion (2007 est.)
Capital name: Kinshasa


geographic coordinates: 4 19 S, 15 18 E


time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October) temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Coastline 37 km 1,148 km
Constitution 18 February 2006 1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002
Country name conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo


conventional short form: none


local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo


local short form: none


former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire


abbreviation: DRC
conventional long form: Tunisian Republic


conventional short form: Tunisia


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah


local short form: Tunis
Death rate 10.34 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 5.17 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $10 billion (2006 est.) $18.56 billion (December 2007)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador William GARVELINK


embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa


mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828


telephone: [243] (81) 556-0151


FAX: [243] (81) 556-0175
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 Faida MITIFU


chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note - Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691


FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609
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 heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC); in 2006, the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) maintained over 18,000 uniformed peacekeepers in the region, first deployed in 1999; despite significant repatriation efforts by governments and international organizations, in 2006, Angolans, Rwandans, Sudanese, and residents of other neighboring states reside as refugees in the DROC; members of Uganda's Lords Resistance Army forces take refuge in DROC's Garamba National Park; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area none
Economic aid - recipient $1.828 billion (2005) $376.5 million (2005)
Economy - overview The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - is slowly recovering from two decades of decline. Conflict, which began in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than 3.5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms, although progress is slow and the International Monetary Fund curtailed their program for the DRC at the end of March 2006 because of fiscal overruns. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth. Government reforms and improved security may lead to increased government revenues, outside budget assistance, and foreign direct investment, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are continuing long-term problems. Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, 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, which averaged almost 5% over the past decade, reached 6.3% in 2007 because of development in non-textile manufacturing, a recovery in agricultural production, and strong growth in the services sector. However, Tunisia will need to reach even higher growth levels to create sufficient employment opportunities for an already large number of unemployed as well as the growing population of university graduates. 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 572 million kWh (2005) 11.17 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 418 million kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 352 million kWh (2005) 12.85 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m


highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
Environment - current issues poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage 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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
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 over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Exchange rates Congolese francs per US dollar - NA (2007), 464.69 (2006), 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003) Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 17 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency which he retained through the 2003-2006 transition; he was subsequently elected president in October 2006


head of government: Prime Minister Antoine GIZENGA (since 30 December 2006);


cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president


elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 30 July 2006 with a second round held on 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: results of 29 October 2006 elections (second round); Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42%


note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president
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 229,700 bbl/day (2004 est.) 75,060 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
Exports - partners Belgium 29.4%, China 21.1%, Brazil 12.3%, Chile 7.8%, Finland 7.2%, US 4.9% (2006) France 28.9%, Italy 20.4%, Germany 8.6%, Spain 6.1%, Libya 4.9%, US 4% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner 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 - composition by sector agriculture: 55%


industry: 11%


services: 34% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 11.5%


industry: 30%


services: 58.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 7% (2007 est.) 6.3% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 0 00 N, 25 00 E 34 00 N, 9 00 E
Geography - note straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.3%


highest 10%: 31.5% (2000)
Illicit drugs one of Africa's biggest producers of cannabis, but mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center -
Imports 8,220 bbl/day (2006 est.) 85,680 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners South Africa 17.7%, Belgium 10.9%, France 8.5%, Zimbabwe 8.1%, Zambia 6.9%, Kenya 6.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.4% (2006) France 25%, Italy 21.9%, Germany 9.7%, Spain 4.9% (2006)
Independence 30 June 1960 (from Belgium) 20 March 1956 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 4.1% (2007 est.)
Industries mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Infant mortality rate total: 65.52 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 71.55 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 59.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 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) 18.2% (2006 est.) 2.9% (2007 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO 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, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 110 sq km (2003) 3,940 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court; Appeals Court or Cour de Cassation; Council of State; High Military Court; plus civil and military courts and tribunals Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation
Labor force 15 million (2006 est.) 3.591 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 55%


industry: 23%


services: 22% (1995 est.)
Land boundaries total: 10,730 km


border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
total: 1,424 km


border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Land use arable land: 2.86%


permanent crops: 0.47%


other: 96.67% (2005)
arable land: 17.05%


permanent crops: 13.08%


other: 69.87% (2005)
Languages French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Legal system a new constitution was adopted by referendum 18 December 2005; 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly (500 seats; 61 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies, 439 members elected by open list proportional-representation in multi-member constituencies; to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve five-year terms)


elections: National Assembly - last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011); Senate - last held 19 January 2007 (next to be held by 2012)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15, independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political parties that won 10 or fewer seats); Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single seat)
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: 57.2 years


male: 54.97 years


female: 59.5 years (2007 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 French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba


total population: 65.5%


male: 76.2%


female: 55.1% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 74.3%


male: 83.4%


female: 65.3% (2004 census)
Location Central Africa, northeast of Angola Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 12 nm
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,004 GRT/1,640 DWT


by type: petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2007)
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 Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC): Army, Navy, Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC) (2008) Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At'tunisia) (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.5% (2006) 1.4% (2006)
National holiday Independence Day, 30 June (1960) Independence Day, 20 March (1956); also the anniversary of BEN ALI's assumption of the presidency, 7 November (1987)
Nationality noun: Congolese (singular and plural)


adjective: Congolese or Congo
noun: Tunisian(s)


adjective: Tunisian
Natural hazards periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes NA
Natural resources cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Net migration rate 1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 62 km; oil 71 km (2007) gas 2,665 km; oil 1,235 km; refined products 353 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]; Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]; Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC; Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph KABILA]; Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]; Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI]; Union of Mobutuist Democrats or UDEMO [MOBUTU Nzanga] Al-Tajdid Movement [Ahmed IBRAHIM]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD (official ruling party) [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI]; Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR]; Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mondher THABET]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Maya JERIBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA 18 October Group [collective leadership]; Tunisian League for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]; note - the Islamist Party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed
Population 65,751,512


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 2007 est.)
10,276,158 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 7.4% (2005 est.)
Population growth rate 3.39% (2007 est.) 0.989% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001) AM 7, FM 38, shortwave 2 (2007)
Railways total: 5,138 km


narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2006)
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 Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10% Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.979 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.681 male(s)/female


total population: 0.985 male(s)/female (2007 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 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 18 years of age; universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months
Telephone system general assessment: Inadequate; state-owned fixed-line operator has been unable to expand fixed-line connections and there are now fewer than 10,000 connections; given the backdrop of a wholly inadequate fixed-line infrastructure, the use of cellular services has surged and subscribership now exceeds 4 million - roughly 7 per 100 persons


domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations


international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available


domestic: in an effort jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line network, the government has awarded a concession to build and operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; competition between the two mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation and usage charges and a strong surge in subscribership; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 85 telephones per 100 persons


international: country code - 216; a landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; 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 9,700 (2006) 1.268 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4.415 million (2006) 7.339 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 4 (2001) 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Total fertility rate 6.37 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.73 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 13.9% (2007 est.)
Waterways 15,000 km (2005) -
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