Tunisia

About Tunisia

Background:

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 fifth consecutive five-year term as president. 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.

PEOPLE

Population:
10,486,339 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77

Nationality:
noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian

Ethnic groups:
Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Religions:
Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Languages:
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)

GOVERNMENT

Country Name:
conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
conventional short form: Tunisia
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
local short form: Tunis

Government type:
republic

Capital:
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

Independence:
20 March 1956 (from France)

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

ECONOMY

Economy - overview:
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, declined to 4.4% in 2008 and to 0.7% in 2009 because of economic contraction and slowing of import demand in Europe - Tunisia's largest export market. However, development of non-textile manufacturing, a recovery in agricultural production, and strong growth in the services sector somewhat mitigated the economic effect of slowing exports. 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. The challenges ahead include: privatizing industry, liberalizing the investment code to increase foreign investment, improving government efficiency, reducing the trade deficit, and reducing socioeconomic disparities in the impoverished south and west.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$83.55 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
$82.96 billion (2008 est.)
$79.47 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollar

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
$8,000 (2008 est.)
$7,700 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars

Budget:
revenues: $8.711 billion
expenditures: $11.19 billion (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.4% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
5% (2008 est.)

Industries:
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Exports:
$13.39 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
$19.22 billion (2008 est.).

Imports:
$17.37 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
$23.23 billion (2008 est.)

Exchange rates:
Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.3492 (2009), 1.211 (2008), 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005)