Tunisia (2002) | Uzbekistan (2006) | |
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Administrative divisions | 23 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), El Kef (Al Kaf), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), 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) | 12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 27.8% (male 1,412,625; female 1,320,729)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 3,234,770; female 3,233,149) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 303,093; female 311,278) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 32.9% (male 4,572,721/female 4,403,405)
15-64 years: 62.3% (male 8,420,174/female 8,594,478) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 539,336/female 777,020) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds | cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock |
Airports | 30 (2001) | 61 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | 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 (2002) |
total: 34
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2002) |
total: 27
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 25 (2006) |
Area | total: 163,610 sq km
land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km |
total: 447,400 sq km
land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Georgia | slightly larger than California |
Background | 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 diffuse rising pressure for a more open political society. | Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization. |
Birth rate | 16.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 26.36 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $5.7 billion
expenditures: $6.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.5 billion (2001 est.) |
revenues: $2.815 billion
expenditures: $2.917 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
Capital | Tunis | name: Tashkent (Toshkent)
geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 69 18 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south | mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east |
Coastline | 1,148 km | 0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline |
Constitution | 1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988 | new constitution adopted 8 December 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis |
conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi local short form: Ozbekiston former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic |
Currency | Tunisian dinar (TND) | - |
Death rate | 5 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 7.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $11.5 billion (2001 est.) | $5.032 billion (2005 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Rust M. DEMING
embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La Goulette, Tunisia mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 782-566 FAX: [216] 71 789-719 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL
embassy: 3 Moyqo'rq'on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100093 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450 FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Hatem ATALLAH
chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | none | prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation with Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; border delimitation of 130 km of border with Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas |
Economic aid - recipient | $933.2 million (1995) | $91.6 million from the US (2005) |
Economy - overview | 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 averaged 5.4% in the past five years, and inflation is slowing. Growth in tourism and increased trade have been key elements in this steady growth, although tourism revenues have slowed since 11 September 2001 and may take a year or more to fully recover. Tunisia's association agreement with the European Union entered into force on 1 March 1998, the first such accord between the EU and a Mediterranean country. Under the agreement Tunisia will gradually remove barriers to trade with the EU over the next decade. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, and improvements in government efficiency are among the challenges for the future. | Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter and fifth largest producer; it relies heavily on cotton production as the major source of export earnings. Other major export earners include gold, natural gas, and oil. Following independence in September 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. While aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government still sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, its control over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted the obligations of Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund (IMF), providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of convertibility and have also led to some shortages that have further stifled economic activity. The Central Bank often delays or restricts convertibility, especially for consumer goods. Potential investment by Russia and China in Uzbekistan's gas and oil industry would increase economic growth prospects. In November 2005, Russian President Vladimir PUTIN and Uzbekistan President KARIMOV signed an "alliance" treaty, which included provisions for economic and business cooperation. Russian businesses have shown increased interest in Uzbekistan, especially in mining, telecom, and oil and gas. In December 2005, the Russians opened a "Trade House" to support and develop Russian-Uzbek business and economic ties. |
Electricity - consumption | 9.562 billion kWh (2000) | 48.45 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 19 million kWh (2000) | 5.36 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 2 million kWh (2000) | 10.55 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 10.3 billion kWh (2000) | 46.52 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 99%
hydro: 1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m |
lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m |
Environment - current issues | 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 | shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including DDT |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% | Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.) |
Exchange rates | Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.44 (January 2002), 1.3753 (2001), 1.3707 (2000), 1.1862 (1999), 1.1387 (1998), 1.1059 (1997) | Uzbekistani soum per US dollar - 1,020 (2005), 971.265 (2004), 771.029 (2002), 423.832 (2002), 236.61 (2001) |
Executive branch | 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 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a third term without opposition; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI nearly 100% |
chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11 December 2003) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term; previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister, ministers, and deputy ministers appointed by the president election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2% |
Exports | $6.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons | cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998) |
Exports - partners | France 28%, Italy 21%, Germany 14%, Belgium 6%, Libya (2000) | Russia 24.6%, China 12.3%, Turkey 7.1%, Ukraine 5.6%, Bangladesh 4.9%, Poland 4.3%, Tajikistan 4.2% (2005) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | 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 | three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $64.5 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 13%
industry: 33% services: 54% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 34.2%
industry: 22.9% services: 43% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.8% (2001 est.) | 7% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 34 00 N, 9 00 E | 41 00 N, 64 00 E |
Geography - note | strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration | along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world |
Highways | total: 23,100 km
paved: 18,226 km unpaved: 4,874 km (1996) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 32% (1995) (1995) |
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 22% (2000) |
Illicit drugs | - | transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan |
Imports | $8.9 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food | machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals (1998) |
Imports - partners | France 30%, Italy 21%, Germany 11%, Spain 4%, Belgium (2000) | Russia 26.7%, South Korea 15.3%, Germany 8.9%, China 7.2%, Kazakhstan 6.4%, Turkey 4.7%, Ukraine 4.7% (2005) |
Independence | 20 March 1956 (from France) | 1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 5.2% (2001 est.) | 7.7% (2005 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages | textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, gold petroleum, natural gas, chemicals |
Infant mortality rate | 27.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 69.99 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 74.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 65.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.7% (2001 est.) | 6.9% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, BSEC (observer), CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 3,800 sq km (1998 est.) | 42,810 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation | Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Supreme Assembly) |
Labor force | 2.69 million
note: shortage of skilled labor |
14.26 million (2005 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.) | agriculture: 44%
industry: 20% services: 36% (1995) |
Land boundaries | total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km |
total: 6,221 km
border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km |
Land use | arable land: 18.67%
permanent crops: 12.87% other: 68.46% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 10.51%
permanent crops: 0.76% other: 88.73% (2005) |
Languages | Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce) | Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% |
Legal system | based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session | evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (182 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - RCD 92%; seats by party - RCD 148, MDS 13, UDU 7, PUP 7, Al-Tajdid 5, PSL 2; note - reforms enabled opposition parties to win up to 20% of seats, increasing the number of seats they hold from 19 in the last election to 34 now |
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an Upper House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats; elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be held December 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9, unaffiliated 10 note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.16 years
male: 72.56 years female: 75.89 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 64.58 years
male: 61.19 years female: 68.14 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.7% male: 78.6% female: 54.6% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.3% male: 99.6% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya | Central Asia, north of Afghanistan |
Map references | Africa | Asia |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (doubly landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 150,710 GRT/162,616 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 1 (2002 est.) |
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Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary forces, National Guard | Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $356 million (FY99) | $200 million (FY97) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.5% (FY99) | 2% (FY97) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 2,806,881 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,597,565 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 105,146 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 20 March (1956) | Independence Day, 1 September (1991) |
Nationality | noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian |
noun: Uzbekistani
adjective: Uzbekistani |
Natural hazards | NA | NA |
Natural resources | petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt | natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum |
Net migration rate | -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 797 km; petroleum products 86 km; natural gas 742 km | gas 9,594 km; oil 868 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | Al-Tajdid Movement [Adel CHAOUCH]; 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 Democratic Socialists or MDS [Khamis CHAMMARI]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed Belhaj AMOR]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI] | Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TOSHMUHAMMADOVA, chairman]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Xurshid DOSTMUHAMMADOV, chief]; Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHODMONOV, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, chief]; note - Fatherland Progress Party merged with Self-Sacrificers Party |
Political pressure groups and leaders | the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed | Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik Human Rights Society [Vasilia INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigara KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum; Sunshine Coalition [Sanjar UMAROV, chairman] |
Population | 9,815,644 (July 2002 est.) | 27,307,134 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 6% (2000 est.) | 28% (2004 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.12% (2002 est.) | 1.7% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998) |
Radios | 2.06 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total: 2,168 km
standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,687 km 1.000-m gauge dual gauge: 10 km 1.000-m and 1.435-m gauges (three rails) (2001) |
total: 3,950 km
broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2005) |
Religions | Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1% | Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | 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: 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 |
general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of modernization
domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System) international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite earth stations - NA (1998) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 654,000 (1997) | 1,717,100 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 50,000 (1998) | 720,000 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995) | 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals (2003) |
Terrain | mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara | mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west |
Total fertility rate | 1.94 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.91 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 15.6% (2000 est.) | 0.7% officially, plus another 20% underemployed (2005 est.) |
Waterways | none | 1,100 km (2006) |