Tunisia

Find a country's flag, map or national anthem here. Click on a letter to find the country:

Tunisia

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Al-Jumhuriyya at-Tunisiyya/Tunisian Republic Area 164,150 sq km/63,378 sq mi Capital Tunis (and chief port) Language Arabic (official), French Religion Sunni Muslim (state religion); Jewish and Christian minorities Time difference GMT +1 Major holidays 1, 18 January, 20 March, 9 April, 1 May, 1–2 June, 25 July, 3, 13 August, 3 September, 15 October; variable: Eid-ul-Adha (2 days), end of Ramadan (2 days), New Year (Muslim), Prophet's Birthday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Sfax, L'Ariana, Bizerte, Gabès, Sousse, Kairouan, Ettadhamen Major ports Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte Physical features arable and forested land in north graduates towards desert in south; fertile island of Jerba, linked to mainland by causeway (identified with island of lotus-eaters); Shott el Jerid salt lakes Airports seven international airports; 32 airports in total, of which 15 have paved runways; total passengers carried: 1.7 million (2003 est) Railways total length: 2,260 km/1,404 mi; total passenger journeys: 35.7 million (2003) Roads total road network: 18,997 km/11,804 mi, of which 65.4% paved (2001 est); passenger cars: 88 per 1,000 people (2002 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali from 1987 Head of government Muhammad Ghannouchi from 1999 Political system nationalistic socialist Political executive unlimited presidency Administrative divisions 23 governorates Political parties Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), nationalist, moderate, socialist; Popular Unity Movement (MUP), radical, left of centre; Democratic Socialists Movement (MDS), left of centre; Renovation Movement (MR), reformed communists Death penalty retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes but can be considered abolitionist in practice Armed forces 35,300; plus paramilitary forces of 12,000 (2006 est) Conscription military service is by selective conscription for 12 months Defence spend (% GDP) 1.6 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 6.4 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.8 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Tunisian dinar GDP (US$) 28.7 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 5.8 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 29 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 7,900 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 3.9% (2006 est) Unemployment 14.2% (2005 est) Labour force 22% agriculture, 33% industry, 45% services (2003) Foreign debt (US$) 19.6 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners France, Italy, Germany, Spain Resources petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, iron, zinc, lead, aluminium fluoride, fluorspar, sea salt Industries processing of agricultural and mineral products (including superphosphate and phosphoric acid), textiles and clothing, machinery, chemicals, paper, wood, motor vehicles, radio and television sets, tourism Exports textiles and clothing, electrical equipment, crude petroleum, phosphates and fertilizers, electricity, gas, water, olive oil, fruit, leather and shoes, fishery products. Principal market: France 29.3% (2005) Imports textiles, petroleum and petroleum products, electrical equipment, machinery, vehicles, cycles, tractors, food and live animals. Principal source: France: 28.2% (2005) Arable land 17.1% (2006 est) Agricultural products wheat, barley, olives, citrus fruits, dates, almonds, grapes, melons, apples, apricots and other fruits, chickpeas, sugar beet, tobacco; fishing


POPULATION

Population 10,210,300 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 62 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 64 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 26%, 15–59 65%, 60+ 9% (2005 est) Ethnic groups about 10% of the population is Arab; the remainder are of Berber-Arab descent. There are small Jewish and French communities Life expectancy 72 (men); 76 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 25 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 11 Literacy rate 83% (men); 63% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 7 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 1.7 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.1 (2005 est) AIDS deaths <100 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 94 (urban); 60 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 12.5 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 56.3 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 158 (1999) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 218 (2005 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 5.6 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 9.5 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

814 BC Phoenician emigrants from Tyre, in Lebanon, founded Carthage, near modern Tunis, as a trading post. By 6th century BC Carthaginian kingdom dominated western Mediterranean. 146 BC Carthage destroyed by Punic Wars with Rome, which began in 264 BC; Carthage became part of Rome's African province. AD 533 Came under control of Byzantine Empire. 7th century Invaded by Arabs, who introduced Islam. Succession of Islamic dynasties followed, including Aghlabids (9th century), Fatimids (10th century), and Almohads (12th century). 1574 Became part of Islamic Turkish Ottoman Empire and base for ‘Barbary Pirates’ who operated against European shipping until 19th century. 1705 Husayn Bey founded local dynasty, which held power under rule of Ottomans. early 19th century Ahmad Bey launched programme of economic modernization, which nearly bankrupted the country. 1881 Became French protectorate, with bey retaining local power. 1920 Destour (Constitution) Party, named after the original Tunisian constitution of 1861, founded to campaign for equal Tunisian participation in French-dominated government. 1934 Habib Bourguiba founded radical splinter Neo-Destour Party to spearhead nationalist movement. 1942–43 Brief German occupation during World War II. 1956 Independence achieved as monarchy under bey, with Bourguiba as prime minister. 1957 Bey deposed; Tunisia became one-party republic with Bourguiba as president. 1975 Bourguiba made president for life. 1981 Multiparty elections held, as a sign of political liberalization, but won by Bourguiba's Destourian Socialist Party (DSP). 1982 Government allowed Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to use Tunis as headquarters. 1985 Diplomatic relations with Libya severed; Israel attacked PLO headquarters. 1987 New prime minister Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali declared Bourguiba (aged 84) incompetent for government and seized power as president. 1988 2,000 political prisoners freed. Diplomatic relations with Libya restored. Ruling DSP renamed Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD). 1991 Opposition to US military action in Gulf War; crackdown on religious fundamentalists. 1994 Ben Ali and RCD re-elected. PLO transferred headquarters to Gaza City in Palestine. 1999 Ben Ali won third term in first multiparty presidential poll; Muhammad Ghannouchi elected prime minister. 2002 Terrorist bomb attack in Djerba; significant impact on tourist industry. 2004 Ben Ali re-elected for fourth term. 2005 Ruling RCD secured majority of seats in new upper house of parliament. 2006 Opposition Progressive Democratic Party became first Tunisian party to elect female leader.


© Research Machines plc 2008. All rights reserved. Helicon Publishing is a division of Research Machines plc.