| Introduction - Tunisia: |
| Location - Tunisia: |
| People - Tunisia: |
| Government - Tunisia: |
| Economy - Tunisia: |
Economy overview | Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, 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 slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism. Increased rain helped to push GDP growth to an average rate of 5% in 2003-05. However, a recession in agriculture, weak expansion in the tourism and textile sectors, and increasing import costs due to rising world energy prices cut growth to 4% in 2006. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade with the EU. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead. |
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Gdp purchasing power parity | $89.74 billion (2006 est.) |
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Gdp official exchange rate | $33.29 billion (2006 est.) |
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Gdp real growth rate | 5.1% (2006 est.) |
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Gdp per capita ppp | $8,800 (2006 est.) |
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Gdp composition by sector | agriculture: 12.8%
industry: 31%
services: 56.2% (2006 est.) |
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Labor force | 3.502 million
note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.) |
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Labor force by occupation | agriculture: 55%
industry: 23%
services: 22% (1995 est.) |
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Unemployment rate | 13.9% (2006 est.) |
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Population below poverty line | 7.4% (2005 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 31.8% (1995) |
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Distribution of family income gini index | 40 (2005 est.) |
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Inflation rate consumer prices | 4.6% (2006 est.) |
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Investment gross fixed | 22.3% of GDP (2006 est.) |
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Budget | revenues: $7.728 billion
expenditures: $8.734 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2006 est.) |
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Public debt | 57.3% of GDP (2006 est.) |
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Agriculture products | olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products |
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Industries | petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages |
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Industrial production growth rate | 4.7% (2006 est.) |
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Electricity production | 11.81 billion kWh (2004) |
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Electricity consumption | 10.97 billion kWh (2004) |
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Electricity exports | 15 million kWh (2004) |
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Electricity imports | 5 million kWh (2004) |
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Oil production | 81,530 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil consumption | 89,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil exports | NA bbl/day |
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Oil imports | NA bbl/day |
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Oil proved reserves | 1.7 billion bbl (2006 est.) |
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Natural gas production | 2.4 billion cu m (2004 est.) |
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Natural gas consumption | 3.7 billion cu m (2004 est.) |
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Natural gas exports | 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
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Natural gas imports | 1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.) |
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Natural gas proved reserves | 77.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) |
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Current account balance | -$760 million (2006 est.) |
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Exports | $11.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
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Exports commodities | clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons |
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Exports partners | France 28.9%, Italy 20.4%, Germany 8.6%, Spain 6.1%, Libya 4.9%, US 4% (2006) |
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Imports | $13.89 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
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Imports commodities | textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs |
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Imports partners | France 24.9%, Italy 21.8%, Germany 9.4%, Spain 4.7% (2006) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $6.646 billion (2006 est.) |
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Debt external | $18.37 billion (30 June 2006 est.) |
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Economic aid recipient | $328 million (2004) |
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Currency code | Tunisian dinar (TND) |
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Exchange rates | Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002) |
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| Communications - Tunisia: |
| Transportation - Tunisia: |
| Military - Tunisia: |
This page was last updated on 16 September, 2007
