Tunisia (2004) | Guernsey (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | 24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan) | none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including St. Peter Port, St. Sampson, Vale, Castel, St. Saviour, St. Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, St. Martin, St. Andrew |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 26% (male 1,337,546; female 1,253,814)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 3,373,199; female 3,360,402) 65 years and over: 6.5% (male 315,151; female 334,610) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 16% (male 5,250; female 5,101)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 21,356; female 21,728) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 4,622; female 6,530) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds | tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle |
Airports | 30 (2003 est.) | 2 (2001) |
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 (2004 est.) |
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
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: 163,610 sq km
land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km |
total: 78 sq km
land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Georgia | slightly larger than Washington, DC |
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 defuse rising pressure for a more open political society. | The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. |
Birth rate | 15.74 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 9.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $6.101 billion
expenditures: $6.855 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2003 est.) |
revenues: $381.3 million
expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Tunis | St. Peter Port |
Climate | temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south | temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast |
Coastline | 1,148 km | 50 km |
Constitution | 1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988 | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
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: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey |
Currency | Tunisian dinar (TND) | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound |
Death rate | 5.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $14.39 billion (2003 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | British crown dependency |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
none (British crown dependency) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d' Affaires Tarek Azouz
chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858 |
none (British crown dependency) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $378 million (2001) | $NA |
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, averaging 5% for the latter half of the last decade, slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought, slow investment, and lackluster tourism. Better rains in 2003, however, pushed GDP growth up to an estimated 6 percent, and tourism also recovered after the end of combat operations in Iraq. GDP growth remained at 6% in 2004. Tunisia has agreed to gradually remove barriers to trade with the European Union over the next decade. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges for the future. | Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which Guernsey operates. |
Electricity - consumption | 9.748 billion kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - imports | 1 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | 10.48 billion kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 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 | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
- |
Ethnic groups | Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% | UK and Norman-French descent |
Exchange rates | Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002), 1.4387 (2001), 1.3707 (2000), 1.1862 (1999) | Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6944 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound |
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 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% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff De Vic G. CAREY (since NA) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch |
Exports | NA (2001) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons | tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables |
Exports - partners | France 32.6%, Italy 21.9%, Germany 10.7%, Spain 4.7%, Libya 4.4% (2003) | UK (regarded as internal trade) |
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 | white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $68.23 billion (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 13.9%
industry: 32.2% services: 53.9% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10% services: 87% (2000) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.1% (2003 est.) | 5.7% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 34 00 N, 9 00 E | 49 28 N, 2 35 W |
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 | large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port |
Highways | total: 18,997 km
paved: 12,310 km (including 142 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,687 km (2000) |
total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 31.8% (1995) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA (2001) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food | coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment |
Imports - partners | France 26.1%, Italy 19.8%, Germany 8.9%, Spain 5.2% (2003) | UK (regarded as internal trade) |
Independence | 20 March 1956 (from France) | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | -0.1% (2003 est.) | NA% |
Industries | petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages | tourism, banking |
Infant mortality rate | total: 25.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.7% (2003 est.) | 3.99% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | NA |
Irrigated land | 3,800 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation | Royal Court |
Labor force | 3.461 million
note: shortage of skilled labor (2003 est.) |
31,322 (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 17.86%
permanent crops: 13.74% other: 68.4% (2001) |
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce) | English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
Legal system | based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session | English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court |
Legislative branch | unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2 |
unicameral Assembly of the States; consists of the bailiff, 10 Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 people's deputies elected by popular vote, 2 representatives from Alderney, Her Majesty's Procureur (Attorney General), Her Majesty's Comptroller (Solicitor General) and Her Majesty's Greffier (Court Recorder and Registrar General); note - Alderney and Sark have their own parliaments
elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.66 years
male: 73 years female: 76.44 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 79.9 years
male: 76.91 years female: 83.01 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.2% male: 84% female: 64.4% (2003 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya | Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France |
Map references | Africa | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm |
exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 124,733 GRT/122,664 DWT
by type: bulk 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, short-sea/passenger 3 registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.) |
none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $356 million (FY99) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.5% (FY99) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 2,918,524 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,655,910 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 106,565 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 20 March (1956) | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
Nationality | noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian |
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
Natural hazards | NA | NA |
Natural resources | petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt | cropland |
Net migration rate | -0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 3.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI] | none; all independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed | none |
Population | 9,974,722 (July 2004 est.) | 64,587 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 7.6% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.01% (2004 est.) | 0.37% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis | St. Peter Port, Saint Sampson |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | NA |
Railways | total: 2,152 km
standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2003) |
5 km |
Religions | Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1% | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 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: 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 |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,163,800 (2003) | 44,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,899,900 (2003) | 12,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara | mostly level with low hills in southwest |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 1.36 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 14.3% (2003 est.) | 0.5% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |