Hong Kong (2001) | Tunisia (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | none (special administrative region of China) | 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:
17.73% (male 677,785; female 600,781) 15-64 years: 71.52% (male 2,554,329; female 2,602,662) 65 years and over: 10.75% (male 354,199; female 420,749) (2001 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 | fresh vegetables; poultry | olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds |
Airports | 3 (2000 est.) | 30 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 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 (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:
1,092 sq km land: 1,042 sq km water: 50 sq km |
total: 163,610 sq km
land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km |
Area - comparative | six times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than Georgia |
Background | Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. | 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 | 11.13 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 15.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$20.8 billion expenditures: $24.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00) |
revenues: $6.799 billion
expenditures: $7.573 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2004 est.) |
Capital | - | Tunis |
Climate | tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall | temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south |
Coastline | 733 km | 1,148 km |
Constitution | Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution" | 1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu local short form: Xianggang abbreviation: HK |
conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis |
Currency | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | - |
Death rate | 6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $48.1 billion (1999) | $14.71 billion (2004 est.) |
Dependency status | special administrative region of China | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Consul General Michael KLOSSON consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 464, Box 30, FPO AP 96522-0002 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598 |
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 (special administrative region of China) | 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 | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $114.6 million (2002) |
Economy - overview | Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Indeed, imports and exports, including reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Per capita GDP compares with the level in the four big countries of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% in 1989-97. The widespread Asian economic difficulties in 1998 hit this trade-dependent economy quite hard, with GDP down 5%. The economy is undergoing a rapid recovery, with growth of 10% in 2000 to be followed by projected growth of 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. 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 | 32.202 billion kWh (1999) | 10.05 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 633 million kWh (1999) | 10 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 7.05 billion kWh (1999) | 90 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 27.726 billion kWh (1999) | 10.72 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m |
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m |
Environment - current issues | air and water pollution from rapid urbanization | 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:
Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member) |
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 | Chinese 95%, other 5% | Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
Exchange rates | Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7990 (January 2001), 7.7912 (2000), 7.7575 (1999), 7.7453 (1998), 7.7421 (1997), 7.7343 (1996); note - Hong Kong became a special administrative region of China on 1 July 1997; before then, the Hong Kong dollar was linked to the US dollar at the rate of about 7.8 Hong Kong dollars per US dollar | 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:
President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and 10 appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Anson CHAN (since 29 November 1993), Financial Secretary Donald TSANG (since 7 March 1995), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997) elections: NA |
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 | $204 billion (including reexports; f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA |
Exports - commodities | clothing, textiles, footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys | textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons |
Exports - partners | China 33%, US 24%, Japan 5%, UK 4%, Germany, Singapore (1999) | France 33.1%, Italy 25.3%, Germany 9.2%, Spain 6.1% (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center | 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 - $181 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
0.1% industry: 14.3% services: 85.6% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 13.8%
industry: 31.8% services: 54.4% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $25,400 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7,100 (2004 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 10% (2000 est.) | 5.1% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 22 15 N, 114 10 E | 34 00 N, 9 00 E |
Geography - note | more than 200 islands | strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration |
Heliports | 2 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
1,831 km paved: 1,831 km unpaved: 0 km (1997) |
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%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 31.8% (1995) |
Illicit drugs | a hub for Southeast Asian heroin and regional stimulants trade; transshipment and money-laundering center; increasing indigenous amphetamine abuse | - |
Imports | $215 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | NA |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum; a large share is reexported | textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food |
Imports - partners | China 44%, Japan 12%, US 7%, Taiwan 7%, South Korea, Singapore (1999) | France 25.1%, Italy 19%, Germany 8.5%, Spain 5.3% (2004) |
Independence | none (special administrative region of China) | 20 March 1956 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.1% (2000) | 4.4% (2004 est.) |
Industries | textiles, clothing, tourism, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks | petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages |
Infant mortality rate | 5.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 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) | 3.7% (2000 est.) | 4.1% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, ESCAP (associate), ICC, ICFTU, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO | 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) | 17 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 20 sq km (1997 est.) | 3,800 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | The Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation |
Labor force | 3.39 million (2000 est.) | 3.55 million
note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 31.5%, community and social services 24%, financing, insurance, and real estate 14.5%, transport and communications 11.6%, manufacturing 7.7%, construction 2.6% (October 1999) | services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
30 km border countries: China 30 km |
total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km |
Land use | arable land:
6% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 20% other: 72% (1997 est.) |
arable land: 17.86%
permanent crops: 13.74% other: 68.4% (2001) |
Languages | Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official | Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce) |
Legal system | based on English common law | 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 Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 24 elected by popular vote, and 6 elected by an 800-member election committee; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 12, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong 10, Liberal Party 7, Frontier Party 5, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance 4, New Century Forum 2, Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood 1, independents 19 |
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:
79.67 years male: 76.97 years female: 82.55 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 74.89 years
male: 73.2 years female: 76.71 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 92.2% male: 96% female: 88.2% (1996 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.3% male: 83.4% female: 65.3% (2004 est.) |
Location | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea:
3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm |
Merchant marine | total:
354 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,330,662 GRT/17,227,315 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 208, cargo 36, chemical tanker 7, combination bulk 2, container 59, liquefied gas 6, multi-functional large-load carrier 2, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 3, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Bermuda 2, Belgium 1, Canada 2, China 9, Japan 3, Mongolia 1, Norway 1, South Africa 1, UK 7 (2000 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 - note | defense is the responsibility of China | - |
Military branches | Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region | Army, Navy, Air Force (2003) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA; note - separate budget for Hong Kong not established by China | $356 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 1.5% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
2,020,937 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
1,520,531 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
47,139 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day | Independence Day, 20 March (1956) |
Nationality | noun:
Chinese adjective: Chinese |
noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian |
Natural hazards | occasional typhoons | NA |
Natural resources | outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar | petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt |
Net migration rate | 7.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [leader NA]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong [Jasper TSANG Yok-sing, chairman]; Democratic Party [Martin LEE Chu-ming, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [leader NA]; Hong Kong Progressive Alliance [Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]; New Century Forum [NQ Ching-fai, chairman]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, Citizens Party, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party, New Century Forum |
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 | Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China) [LEE Chark-tim, president]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Liberal Democratic Federation [HU Fa-kuang, chairman] | the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed |
Population | 7,210,505 (July 2001 est.) | 10,074,951 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 7.6% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.3% (2001 est.) | 0.99% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Hong Kong | Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 4.45 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
34 km standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (all electrified) (1996 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 | eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10% | Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 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 | direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies | 20 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe |
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 | 3.839 million (1999) | 1,163,800 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 3.7 million (December 1999) | 1,899,900 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (plus two repeaters) (1997) | 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north | mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara |
Total fertility rate | 1.29 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.5% (2000 est.) | 13.8% (2004 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |