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 TUNISIA

 

  

 

  

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Official Name
 

Geography
  People
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OFFICIAL NAME:

Tunisian Republic

 

GEOGRAPHY:

Area: 163,610 sq. km. (63,378 sq. mi.), slightly smaller than Missouri.
Cities: Capital--Tunis; Greater Tunis urban area: pop. 2,255,900 (includes Tunis, Ariana, Ben Arous, and Manouba governorates) Sfax (pop. 858,300).
Terrain: Arable land in north and along central coast; south is mostly semiarid or desert.
Climate: Hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.

 

PEOPLE:

Nationality: Noun and adjective--Tunisian(s).
Population (2004): 9,941,000.
Annual growth rate (2003): 1.03%.
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 98%, European 1%, other 1%.
Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish less than 1%.
Languages: Arabic (official), French.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Literacy--77.1% (male 85.2%; female 69%).
Health (2003): Infant mortality rate--21.1/1,000. Life expectancy--71.1 years male, 75.1 years female.
Work force (2004, 3.33 million) Services--49.4%; industry--34.3%; agriculture--16.3%.

 

GOVERNMENT:

Type: Republic.
Constitution: June 1, 1959; amended July 12, 1988, June 29, 1999, and June 1, 2002.
Independence: March 20, 1956.
Branches: Executive--chief of state President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since November 7, 1987) head of government, Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since November 17, 1999) cabinet, Council of Ministers appointed by the president; president elected by popular vote for a 5-year term; election last held October 24, 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president. Election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a fourth term; candidates from opposition: Mohamed Bouchiha (PUP), Mohamed Ali Halouani (Et-tajdid) and Mounir Beji (PSL); percent of vote--Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.49% (officially).
Legislative--bicameral. Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; 5-year terms; 152 seats are elected by popular vote for party lists on a winner-take-all basis). An additional 37 seats (20% of the total) are distributed to opposition parties on a proportional basis as provided for in 1999 constitutional amendments. Elections last held October 24, 2004 (next to be held in October 2009). Election results: percent of vote by party--RCD 92%; seats by party--RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Et-tajdid 3, PSL 2. Note: The opposition increased number of seats from 34 to 37. A referendum in 2002 created a second chamber, the Chamber of Advisors. Elections for the Chamber of Advisors were held in July 2005.
Judicial--independent District Courts, Courts of Appeal, Highest Court (Cour de Cassation). Judges of the Highest Court are appointed by the President.
Political parties: Et-tajdid Movement (Mohamed Harmel); Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD, President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party); Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL (Mustapha Ben Jaafar); Social Democratic Liberal Party or PSDL (Mounir Beji); Movement of Democratic Socialists or MDS (Ismail Boulahia); Popular Unity Party or PUP (Mohamed Bouchiha); Unionist Democratic Union or UDU (Ahmed Inoubli); Democratic Progressive Party or PDP (Nejib Chebbi).
Political pressure groups and leaders: Legal--Tunisian Human Rights League or LTDH (Mokhtar Trifi). Outlawed--An-Nahda (Renaissance) the Islamic fundamentalist party (Rached El Ghanouchi); National Council for Liberties in Tunisia or CNLT (Sihem Ben Sedrine); Congress for the Republic or CPR (Moncef Marzouki); Tunisian Communist Labor Party or POCT (Hamma Hammami); Tunisian Green Party or PVT (Abdelkader Zitouni).
Administrative divisions: 24 governorates--Ariana, Beja, Ben Arous, Bizerte, El Kef, Gabes, Gafsa, Jendouba, Kairouan, Kasserine, Kebili, Mahdia, Manouba, Medenine, Monastir, Nabeul, Sfax, Sidi Bou Zid, Siliana, Sousse, Tataouine, Tozeur, Tunis, Zaghouan.
Suffrage: Universal at 20. (Active duty members of the military cannot vote.)

 

ECONOMY:

GDP (2004): $16.2 billion (constant price of 1990).
Growth rate (2004): 5.8%.
Per capita current GDP (2004): $2,667.
Natural resources: crude oil, gas, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt.
Agriculture (12.9% of GDP): Products--olives, beets, dates, oranges, almonds, grain, sugar.
Industry (28.3% of GDP): Types--petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate), textiles, footwear, food processing.
Services (38.6% of GDP): Tourism, commerce, transport, communications.
Trade (2004): Exports--$9.5 billion: hydrocarbons, agricultural products, phosphates, chemicals, textiles, mechanical, electric components. By region--Africa 6.8%, Americas 2.1%, Asia 3.1%, Europe 84.8%. By country (U.S.$ million)--France $3145.1, Italy $2407.2, Germany, $871.9, Belgium, $283.9, Libya, $341.2, U.S. $113.2, Spain $575.4. Imports ($10.7 billion)--industrial goods and equipment, hydrocarbons, food, consumer goods. By region--Africa 5.4%, Americas 6.0% Asia 9.5%, Europe 78.5%. By country (U.S.$ million)--France $3138.3, Italy $2375.4, Germany $1056.6, Belgium $351.0, Libya $415.7, U.S. $351.6, Spain $662.0.
Trade balance deficit (2004): $3 billion.

 

HISTORY:
  Modern Tunisians are the descendents of indigenous Berbers and of people from numerous civilizations that have invaded, migrated to, and been assimilated into the population over the millennia. Recorded history in Tunisia begins with the arrival of Phoenicians, who founded Carthage and other North African settlements in the 8th century B.C. Carthage became a major sea power, clashing with Rome for control of the Mediterranean until it was defeated and captured by the Romans in 146 B.C. The Romans ruled and settled in North Africa until the 5th century when the Roman Empire fell and Tunisia was invaded by European tribes, including the Vandals. The Muslim conquest in the 7th century transformed Tunisia and the make-up of its population, with subsequent waves of migration from around the Arab and Ottoman world, including significant numbers of Spanish Moors and Jews at the end of the 15th century. Tunisia became a center of Arab culture and learning and was assimilated into the Turkish Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. It was a French protectorate from 1881 until independence in 1956, and retains close political, economic, and cultural ties with France.

Nearly all Tunisians (98% of the population) are Muslim. There has been a Jewish population on the southern island of Djerba for 2000 years, and there remains a small Jewish population in Tunis, which is descended from those who fled Spain in the late 15th century. There is no indigenous Christian population. Small nomadic indigenous minorities have been mostly assimilated into the larger population.

 

PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS:

President--Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali
Prime Minister--Mohamed Ghannouchi
Minister of State--Abdelaziz Ben Dhia
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Abdelbaki Hermassi
Minister of National Defense--Hédi M’henni

 

TRAVEL & BUSINESS INFORMATION:

 

Following are are the top 10 tips you need to make your trip easier:


1. Make sure you have a signed, valid passport and visas, if required. Also, before you go, fill in the emergency information page of your passport!

2. Read the Consular Information Sheets (and Public Announcements or Travel Warnings, if applicable) for the countries you plan to visit.

3. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are travelling. While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws.

4. Make 2 copies of your passport identification page. This will facilitate replacement if your passport is lost or stolen. Leave one copy at home with friends or relatives. Carry the other with you in a separate place from your passport.

5. Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency.

6. Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas. Do not accept packages from strangers.

7. You should register with the nearest embassy or consulate of your country. Registration will make your presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an emergency. Remember to leave a detailed itinerary and the numbers or copies of your passport or other citizenship documents with a friend or relative in your own country.

8. To avoid being a target of crime, try not to wear conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of money or unnecessary credit cards.

9. In order to avoid violating local laws, deal only with authorized agents when you exchange money or purchase art or antiques.

10. If you get into trouble, contact the nearest embassy of your country.

 

USEFUL LINKS:

 
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