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| Introduction | Tunisia |
| 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. |
| People | Tunisia |
| Population: | 9,974,722 (July 2004 est.) |
| 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.) |
| Median age: | total: 26.8 years male: 26.3 years female: 27.3 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.01% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 15.74 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 5.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| 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.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 25.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 28.7 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 74.66 years male: 73 years female: 76.44 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.04% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| 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) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.2% male: 84% female: 64.4% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Tunisia |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Tunisian Republic conventional short form: Tunisia local short form: Tunis local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | Tunis |
| 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) |
| Independence: | 20 March 1956 (from France) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 20 March (1956) |
| Constitution: | 1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988 |
| Legal system: | based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session |
| Suffrage: | 20 years of age; universal |
| 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% |
| 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 NA 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 |
| Judicial branch: | Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation |
| 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] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed |
| 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, MICAH, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Hatem ATALLAH FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Communications | Tunisia |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 1,163,800 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1,899,900 (2003) |
| 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 |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998) |
| Radios: | 2.06 million (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995) |
| Televisions: | 920,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .tn |
| Internet hosts: | 281 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 630,000 (2003) |
| Transportation | Tunisia |
| Railways: | total: 2,152 km standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2003) narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) |
| Highways: | total: 18,997 km paved: 12,310 km (including 142 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,687 km (2000) |
| Pipelines: | gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, Zarzis |
| Merchant marine: | total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 124,733 GRT/122,664 DWT registered in other countries: 2 (2003 est.) by type: bulk 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 1, short-sea/passenger 3 |
| Airports: | 30 (2003 est.) |
| 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.) |
| 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.) |
| Military | Tunisia |
| Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004) |
| 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.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $356 million (FY99) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.5% (FY99) |
| Transnational Issues | Tunisia |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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