Tunisia

TUNISIA

Information about travelling to Tunisia

Tunisia is located in Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya

Facts about Tunisia
Population10,383,577 (July 2008 est
CapitalTunis
Time zoneUTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begin
Location Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya

General info about Tunisia
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 getting 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 unmatched by any other Arab nation. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. BEN ALI is currently serving his fourth consecutive five-year term as president; the next elections are scheduled for October 2009. Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.
Languages spoken
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Ethnic division
Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate
less than 0.1% (2005 est.)
Climate
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Resources
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Economy
Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, 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, which averaged almost 5% over the past decade, declined to 4.7% in 2008 and probably will decline further in 2009 because of economic contraction and slowing of import demand in Europe - Tunisia's largest export market. However, development of non-textile manufacturing, a recovery in agricultural production, and strong growth in the services sector somewhat mitigated the economic effect of slowing exports. Tunisia will need to reach even higher growth levels to create sufficient employment opportunities for an already large number of unemployed as well as the growing population of university graduates. The challenges ahead include: privatizing industry, liberalizing the investment code to increase foreign investment, improving government efficiency, reducing the trade deficit, and reducing socioeconomic disparities in the impoverished south and west.
Environment
toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Cities in Tunisia

akkudah     aryanah     bajah     bardaw     bin qirdan     bu salim     duz     harqalah     jabinyanah     jammal     jamnah     jarjis     jilmah     jundubah     kasra     lamtah     manubah     manzil bu ruqaybah     manzil bu zalafah     manzil jamil     manzil kamil     manzil salim     manzil tamim     maqrin     masakin     matir     nabul     naftah     nibbar     qabis     qafsah     qasr hallal     qibili     quballat     qurbah     qurbus     qurunbaliyah     radis     rafraf     sabibah     safaqis     sajanan     sidi bin nur     sidi bu zayd     silyanah     subaytilah     sulayman     susah     tabarqah     tabulbah     taburbah     tabursuq     taklisah     talah     tastur     tatawin     tawzar     tazirkah     tinjah     tunis     tuzah     wadi maliz     zawiyat susah    


Airports in Tunisia
MelitaDJE
El BormaEBM
GabesGAE
GafsaGAF
Habib Bourguiba InternationalMIR
Sfax El MaouSFA
TabarkaTBJ
TozeurTOE
CarthageTUN


Beer in Tunisia (0.33l)
Monastir~ 1.4 EUR
Nabeul~ 1.5 EUR
Sidi Bou Said~ 2.3 EUR
Sousse~ 0.7 EUR
Tunis~ 1.8 EUR

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