Introduction
Background
Tunisia has been the nexus of many different colonizations including those of the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and the Ottomans (16th to late 19th centuries). 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 convincing 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. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. Street protests that began in Tunis in December 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in January 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths. On 14 January 2011, the same day BEN ALI dismissed the government, he fled the country, and by late January 2011, a "national unity government" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held in late October 2011, and in December, it elected human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in February 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in January 2014. Parliamentary and presidential elections for a permanent government were held at the end of 2014. Beji CAID ESSEBSI was elected as the first president under the country's new constitution. Following ESSEBSI’s death in office in July 2019, Tunisia moved its scheduled presidential election forward two months and after two rounds of voting, Kais SAIED was sworn in as president in October 2019. Tunisia held legislative elections on schedule in October 2019. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, was set to expire in 2024. However, on 25 July 2021, SAIED seized exceptional powers allowed under Tunisia's constitution to fire the prime minister and suspend the legislature. Tunisians approved a new constitution through public referendum in July 2022 that expanded presidential powers and created a new bicameral legislature.
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Geography
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Geographic coordinates
34 00 N, 9 00 E
Map references
Africa
Land boundaries
total: 1,495 km
border countries (2): Algeria 1,034 km; Libya 461 km
Coastline
1,148 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 12 nm
Climate
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Terrain
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Elevation
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
mean elevation: 246 m
Natural resources
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Land use
agricultural land: 64.8% (2018 est.)
arable land: 18.3% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 15.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 31.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 6.6% (2018 est.)
other: 28.6% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
3,920 sq km (2013)
Major aquifers
North Western Sahara Aquifer System
Population distribution
the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards
flooding; earthquakes; droughts
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
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian
Ethnic groups
Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Languages
Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Berber (Tamazight); note - despite having no official status, French plays a major role in the country and is spoken by about two thirds of the population
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن كتاب تتعلم به المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Muslim (official; Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Shia Muslim, and Baha'i) <1%
Demographic profile
The Tunisian Government took steps in the 1960s to decrease population growth and gender inequality in order to improve socioeconomic development. Through its introduction of a national family planning program (the first in Africa) and by raising the legal age of marriage, Tunisia rapidly reduced its total fertility rate from about 7 children per woman in 1960 to 2 in 2022. Unlike many of its North African and Middle Eastern neighbors, Tunisia will soon be shifting from being a youth-bulge country to having a transitional age structure, characterized by lower fertility and mortality rates, a slower population growth rate, a rising median age, and a longer average life expectancy.
Currently, the sizable young working-age population is straining Tunisia’s labor market and education and health care systems. Persistent high unemployment among Tunisia’s growing workforce, particularly its increasing number of university graduates and women, was a key factor in the uprisings that led to the overthrow of the BEN ALI regime in 2011. In the near term, Tunisia’s large number of jobless young, working-age adults; deficiencies in primary and secondary education; and the ongoing lack of job creation and skills mismatches could contribute to future unrest. In the longer term, a sustained low fertility rate will shrink future youth cohorts and alleviate demographic pressure on Tunisia’s labor market, but employment and education hurdles will still need to be addressed.
Tunisia has a history of labor emigration. In the 1960s, workers migrated to European countries to escape poor economic conditions and to fill Europe’s need for low-skilled labor in construction and manufacturing. The Tunisian Government signed bilateral labor agreements with France, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, and the Netherlands, with the expectation that Tunisian workers would eventually return home. At the same time, growing numbers of Tunisians headed to Libya, often illegally, to work in the expanding oil industry. In the mid-1970s, with European countries beginning to restrict immigration and Tunisian-Libyan tensions brewing, Tunisian economic migrants turned toward the Gulf countries. After mass expulsions from Libya in 1983, Tunisian migrants increasingly sought family reunification in Europe or moved illegally to southern Europe, while Tunisia itself developed into a transit point for Sub-Saharan migrants heading to Europe.
Following the ousting of BEN ALI in 2011, the illegal migration of unemployed Tunisian youths to Italy and onward to France soared into the tens of thousands. Thousands more Tunisian and foreign workers escaping civil war in Libya flooded into Tunisia and joined the exodus. A readmission agreement signed by Italy and Tunisia in April 2011 helped stem the outflow, leaving Tunisia and international organizations to repatriate, resettle, or accommodate some 1 million Libyans and third-country nationals.
Age structure
0-14 years: 24.77% (male 1,529,179/female 1,436,771)
15-64 years: 65.26% (male 3,843,642/female 3,971,509)
65 years and over: 9.98% (2023 est.) (male 566,265/female 628,816)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 50.9
youth dependency ratio: 36.3
elderly dependency ratio: 13.3
potential support ratio: 7.5 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 34 years (2023 est.)
male: 33.2 years
female: 34.7 years
comparison ranking: total 101
Population distribution
the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization
urban population: 70.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.475 million TUNIS (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 120
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.1 years (2023 est.)
male: 75.4 years
female: 78.8 years
comparison ranking: total population 93
Gross reproduction rate
0.95 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
50.7% (2018)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 97.3% of population
total: 99.2% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 2.7% of population
total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
6.3% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
1.3 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Hospital bed density
2.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 98.8% of population
rural: 99.4% of population
total: 99% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population
rural: 0.6% of population
total: 1% of population (2020 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 1.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 139
Tobacco use
total: 24.6% (2020 est.)
male: 47.2% (2020 est.)
female: 2% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 52
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
53.9% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 1.5% (2018 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.7%
male: 89.1%
female: 82.7% (2021)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 15 years
male: 14 years
female: 16 years (2016)
Environment
Environment - current issues
toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural freshwater resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Climate
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Land use
agricultural land: 64.8% (2018 est.)
arable land: 18.3% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 15.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 31.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 6.6% (2018 est.)
other: 28.6% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 70.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 26.52 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 29.94 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 7.89 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.7 million tons (2014 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 108,000 tons (2014 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4% (2014 est.)
Major aquifers
North Western Sahara Aquifer System
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 820 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 2.71 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
4.62 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Tunisia
conventional short form: Tunisia
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
local short form: Tunis
etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Tunis
Government type
parliamentary 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)
etymology: three possibilities exist for the derivation of the name; originally a Berber settlement (earliest reference 4th century B.C.), the strategic site fell to the Carthaginians (Phoenicians) and the city could be named after the Punic goddess Tanit, since many ancient cities were named after patron deities; alternatively, the Berber root word "ens," which means "to lie down" or "to pass the night," may indicate that the site was originally a camp or rest stop; finally, the name may be the same as the city of Tynes, mentioned in the writings of some ancient authors
Administrative divisions
24 governorates (wilayat, singular - wilayah); 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), L'Ariana (Aryanah), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bouzid (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); Revolution and Youth Day, 14 January (2011)
Constitution
history:
history: several previous; latest - draft published by the president 30 June 2022, approved by referendum 25 July, and adopted 27 July
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by one third of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People membership; following review by the Constitutional Court, approval to proceed requires an absolute majority vote by the Assembly and final passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; the president can opt to submit an amendment to a referendum, which requires an absolute majority of votes cast for passage
Legal system
mixed legal system of civil law, based on the French civil code and Islamic (sharia) law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Tunisia
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months
Executive branch
chief of state: President Kais SAIED (since 23 October 2019)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed HACHANI (since 1 August 2023)
cabinet: prime minister appointed by the president; cabinet members appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 15 September 2019 with a runoff on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in 2024)
election results:
Kais SAIED elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 18.4%, Nabil KAROUI (Heart of Tunisia) 15.6%, Abdelfattah MOUROU (Nahda Movement) 12.9%, Abdelkrim ZBIDI (independent) 10.7%, Youssef CHAHED (Long Live Tunisia) 7.4%, Safi SAID (independent) 7.1%, Lotfi MRAIHI (Republican People's Union) 6.6%, other 21.3%; percent of vote in second round - Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3%
note: the president can dismiss any member of government on his own initiative or in consultation with the prime minister
Legislative branch
description: bicameral legislature (enacted by the 2022 constitution) consists of:
newly added National Council of Regions and Districts (Le Conseil National des regions et des districts); (NA seats; members appointed by municipal-level councils; members of each Regional Council elect 3 members among themselves to the National Council; each District Council elects 1 member among themselves to the National Council; members serve 5-year term)
Assembly of Representatives of the People (161 seats; 151 members in single seat constituencies and 10 members from Tunisian diaspora directly elected by majoritarian two-round voting system; all members serve 5-year terms)
elections: National Council of Regions and Districts - dates of first appointments and indirect elections NA
Assembly of Representatives of the People - last held on 17 December 2022 with a runoff on 29 January 2023 (next to be held in late 2027)
election results: note: in 2022 President SAIED issued a new electoral law which required all legislative candidates run as independents
results NA; composition for 154 seats) - men 129, women 25, percent of women 15.2%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Court of Cassation (consists of the first president, chamber presidents, and magistrates and organized into 27 civil and 11 criminal chambers)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council, an independent 4-part body consisting mainly of elected judges and the remainder legal specialists; judge tenure based on terms of appointment; Constitutional Court (established in the 2014 and 2022 constitutions, but inception has been delayed; note - in mid-February 2022, President SAIED dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council and replaced it with an interim council in early March
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; administrative courts; Court of Audit; Housing Court; courts of first instance; lower district courts; military courts
note: the Tunisian constitution of January 2014 called for the establishment of a constitutional court by the end of 2015, but the court was never formed; the new constitution of July 2022 calls for the establishment of a constitutional court consisting of 9 members appointed by presidential decree; members to include former senior judges of other courts
Political parties and leaders
note - President SAIED in 2022 issued a decree that forbids political parties' participation in legislative elections; although parties remain a facet of Tunisian political life, they have lost significant influence
Afek Tounes [Fadhel ABDELKEFI]
Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative) [Mehdi JOMAA]
Al-Amal Party [Ridha BELHAJ]
Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes) [Ali HAFSI]
Current of Love [Hachemi HAMDI] (formerly the Popular Petition party)
Democratic Current [Ghazi CHAOUACHI]
Democratic Patriots' Unified Party [Zied LAKHDHAR]
Dignity Coalition or Al Karama Coalition [Seifeddine MAKHLOUF]
Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance) [Rached GHANNOUCHI]
Free Destourian Party or PDL [Abir MOUSSI]
Green Tunisia Party [Abdelkader ZITOUNI]
Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes) [Nabil KAROUI]
Long Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes) [Youssef CHAHED]
Machrou Tounes (Project Tunisia) [Mohsen MARZOUK]
Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ahmed KHASKHOUSSI]
Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard [Kheireddine SOUABNI]
People's Movement [Zouheir MAGHZAOUI]
Republican Party (Al Joumhouri) [Issam CHEBBI]
The Movement Party (Hizb Harak) [Moncef MARZOUKI]
Third Republic Party [Olfa HAMDI]
Tunisian Ba'ath Movement [Othmen Bel Haj AMOR]
Voice of the Republic [Ali HAFSI]
Workers' Party [Hamma HAMMAMI]
International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Hanene TAJOURI BESSASSI (since 1 December 2021)
chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858
email address and website:
AT.Washington@Tunisiaembassy.org
https://www.tunisianembassy.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Joey HOOD (since 3 February 2023)
embassy: Les Berges du Lac, 1053 Tunis
mailing address: 6360 Tunis Place, Washington DC 20521-6360
telephone: [216] 71-107-000
FAX: [216] 71-107-090
email address and website:
tuniswebsitecontact@state.gov
https://tn.usembassy.gov/
Flag description
red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; resembles the Ottoman flag (red banner with white crescent and star) and recalls Tunisia's history as part of the Ottoman Empire; red represents the blood shed by martyrs in the struggle against oppression, white stands for peace; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam
note: the flag is based on that of Turkey, itself a successor state to the Ottoman Empire
National symbol(s)
encircled red crescent moon and five-pointed star; national colors: red, white
National anthem
name: "Humat Al Hima" (Defenders of the Homeland)
lyrics/music: Mustafa Sadik AL-RAFII and Aboul-Qacem ECHEBBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB
note: adopted 1957, replaced 1958, restored 1987; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of the United Arab Emirates
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 9 (8 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Amphitheatre of El Jem (c); Archaeological Site of Carthage (c); Medina of Tunis (c); Ichkeul National Park (n); Punic Town of Kerkuane (c); Kairouan (c); Medina of Sousse (c); Dougga / Thugga (c); Djerba: Testimony to a settlement pattern in an island territory (c)
Economy
Economic overview
lower middle-income North African economy; drafting reforms for foreign lenders; high unemployment, especially for youth and women; hit hard by COVID-19; high public sector wages; high public debt; protectionist austerity measures; key EU trade partner
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$127.509 billion (2021 est.)
$122.226 billion (2020 est.)
$133.757 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 83
Real GDP per capita
$10,400 (2021 est.)
$10,100 (2020 est.)
$11,100 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 143
GDP (official exchange rate)
$38.884 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.71% (2021 est.)
5.63% (2020 est.)
6.72% (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 55
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: B (2020)
Moody's rating: B2 (2018)
Standard & Poors rating: N/A (2013)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 10.1% (2017 est.)
industry: 26.2% (2017 est.)
services: 63.8% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 100; industry 106; agriculture 90
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 71.7% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 20.8% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 19.4% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 43.2% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -55.2% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
wheat, milk, tomatoes, barley, olives, watermelons, green chillies/peppers, potatoes, dates, green onions/shallots
Industries
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate, iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 38.3% (2021 est.)
male: 37.1%
female: 41.2%
comparison ranking: total 19
Population below poverty line
15.2% (2015 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food: 21.9% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 27% (2010 est.)
Budget
revenues: $10.866 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $12.375 billion (2019 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$2.781 billion (2021 est.)
-$2.533 billion (2020 est.)
-$3.391 billion (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 169
Exports
$19.743 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$16.017 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$19.175 billion (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 88
Exports - partners
France 29%, Italy 17%, Germany 13% (2019)
Exports - commodities
insulated wiring, clothing and apparel, crude petroleum, olive oil, vehicle parts (2019)
Imports
$24.269 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$19.603 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$23.546 billion (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 82
Imports - partners
France 17%, Italy 16%, Germany 8%, China 8%, Algeria 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, natural gas, low-voltage protection equipment, cars, insulated wiring (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$8.846 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$9.811 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$7.92 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 87
Exchange rates
Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
2.794 (2021 est.)
2.812 (2020 est.)
2.934 (2019 est.)
2.647 (2018 est.)
2.419 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
population without electricity: (2020) less than 1 million
electrification - total population: 99.9% (2020)
electrification - urban areas: 100% (2021)
electrification - rural areas: 99.6% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 5.777 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 16,737,180,000 kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 631 million kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 472 million kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.641 billion kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 81; transmission/distribution losses 58; imports 89; exports 71; consumption 77
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 95.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 5,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 5,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 42,500 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 107,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 29,400 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 10,200 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 425 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 1,025,974,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
consumption: 5,279,951,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 4,305,994,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
proven reserves: 65.129 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
23.692 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 16,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 12.982 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 10.694 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 81
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 1.7 million (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 57
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 16 million (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 130 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 69
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: Tunisia has one of the most sophisticated telecom infrastructures in North Africa; penetration rates for mobile and Internet services are among the highest in the region; government program of regulation and infrastructure projects aims to improve Internet connectivity to underserved areas; operators built extensive LTE infrastructure in 2019, and continue to discuss plans for future 5G networks and services; one operator has signed an agreement to pursue nano-satellite launches in 2023; internet censorship abolished, though concerns of government surveillance remain; legislation passed in 2017 supporting e-commerce and active e-government; importer of some integrated circuits and broadcasting equipment (including radio, television, and communications transmitters) from the PRC (2022)
domestic: fixed-line is nearly 14 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity is 130 telephones per 100 persons (2021)
international: country code - 216; landing points for the SEA-ME-WE-4, Didon, HANNIBAL System and Trapani-Kelibia submarine cable systems that provides links to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Southeast Asia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; 2 international gateway digital switches (2020)
Broadcast media
2 state-owned TV stations; 10 private TV stations broadcast locally; satellite TV service is available; state-owned radio network with 2 stations; several dozen private radio stations and community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2019)
Internet users
total: 9.48 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 79% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 60
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 1,334,059 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 67
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 7 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 53
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,274,199 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 13.23 million (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
15
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
14
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Pipelines
68 km condensate, 3,111 km gas, 1,381 km oil, 453 km refined products (2013)
Railways
total: 2,173 km (2014) (1,991 in use)
standard gauge: 471 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 1,694 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)
dual gauge: 8 km (2014) 1.435-1.000-m gauge
comparison ranking: total 70
Roadways
paved: 20,000 km (2015)
Merchant marine
total: 70 (2022)
by type: container ship 1, general cargo 8, oil tanker 1, other 60
comparison ranking: total 108
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Bizerte, Gabes, Rades, Sfax, Skhira
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Tunisian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Tunisiennes, FAT): Tunisian Army (includes Air Defense Force), Tunisian Navy, Tunisia Air Force
Ministry of Interior: National Police, National Guard (2023)
note: the National Police has primary responsibility for law enforcement in the major cities, while the National Guard (gendarmerie) oversees border security and patrols smaller towns and rural areas
Military expenditures
2.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
3% of GDP (2021 est.)
3% of GDP (2020 est.)
3.8% of GDP (2019 est.)
3.9% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 35
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 35,000 active-duty personnel (25,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force); estimated 10,000 National Guard (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Tunisian military's inventory includes mostly older or second-hand US and European equipment; in recent years, the Netherlands, Turkey, and US have been the leading suppliers of arms to Tunisia (2023)
Military service age and obligation
20-23 years of age for compulsory service for men with a 12-month service obligation; individuals engaged in higher education or vocational training programs prior to their military drafting are allowed to delay service until they have completed their programs (up to age 35); 18-23 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (2023)
note 1: as of 2021, approximately 20-25,000 active military personnel were conscripts
note 2: women have been allowed in the service since 1975 as volunteers only, although as recently as 2018, the Tunisian Government has discussed the possibility of conscripting women; as of 2018, women constituted less than 7% of the military and served in all three services
Military deployments
775 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2023)
Military - note
the FAT is responsible for territorial defense and internal security; its operational areas of focus are countering Islamic terrorist groups and assisting with securing the border; it is conducting counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations against militant groups linked to al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Islamic State of ash-Sham (ISIS) who are fighting a low-intensity insurgency, mostly in the mountainous region along the border with Algeria, particularly the Chaambi Mountains near the city of Kasserine; the military has the lead role for security in this area and also routinely conducts joint operations with Algerian security forces against these groups, as well to counter smuggling and trafficking activities; the FAT in recent years also has increased its role in securing the southern border against militant activity, smuggling, and trafficking from war-torn Libya; since 2015, Tunisia has constructed a system of berms, trenches, and water-filled moats, complemented by electronic surveillance equipment such as motion detectors, ground surveillance radars, and infrared sensors along the 220-kilometer border with Libya; in the remote southern areas of the border with Libya, buffer/exclusion zones have also been established where the military has the lead for counterterrorism efforts; outside of these border areas, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) has the responsibility for counterterrorism, particularly for urban areas; the National Police Anti-Terrorism Brigade and the National Guard Special Unit have the lead for MOI counterterrorism operations
the FAT is a conscript-based, but professional force that has historically remained largely apolitical and stayed out of the country’s economy; following Tunisia’s 1956 independence, FAT officers were legally prohibited from joining political parties, and the military did not intervene to prop up BEN ALI in 2011; nevertheless, President SAIED’s use of military courts to try civilians and placement of military troops outside of the parliament building after he dissolved the Assembly has raised concerns of military politicization
the FAT conducts bilateral and multinational training exercises with a variety of countries, including Algeria and other North African and Middle Eastern countries, France, and the US, as well as NATO; it also participates in UN peacekeeping operations; the Army has 5 combat brigades, including 3 mechanized infantry, a desert patrol, and a special forces brigade, as well as an armored reconnaissance regiment; the Navy is a coastal defense force with a small inventory of offshore patrol ships complemented by a mix of fast attack and patrol craft; the Air Force largely supports the Army’s operations; it has a handful of older US-made fighter aircraft and a few dozen combat helicopters, mostly of French and US origin
Tunisia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2023)
Space
Space agency/agencies
the National Center of Cartography and Remote Sensing (Centre National de la Cartographie et de la Télédétection or CNCT; established in 1988 and directs Tunisia’s space activities; is a non-administrative public company under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense); Tunisian National Commission for Outer Space Affairs (NCOSA; established 1984 to oversee the space-related activities of government ministries); note – the Tunisian Space Agency is a non-profit, non-governmental scientific association created in June 2012 to promote the field of aerospace in Tunisia (2023)
Space program overview
has a small space program with a focus on exploiting satellite imagery and developing small satellites and satellite components; has established relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Brazil, China, France, Japan, and Russia (2023)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) network in Tunisia (known locally as Ajnad al-Khilafah or the Army of the Caliphate); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T