10.93 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-11.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67 years male: 66.07 years female: 67.98 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.73 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
29,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,900 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian
Ethnic groups:
Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%,Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, otherChristian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000census)
Languages:
English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi),French, Spanish, Chinese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99.1% female: 98% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (200)
People - note:
in 2007, the government of Trinidad and Tobago estimated the population to be 1.3 million
GovernmentTrinidad and Tobago
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Port-of-Spain geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3 borough corporations, 1 ward regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando borough corporations: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin ward: Tobago
Independence:
31 August 1962 (from UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
Constitution:
1 August 1976
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 February 2008 (next to be held by February 2013); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS reelected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, nine by the President, six by the opposition party to serve a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held on 5 November 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 46%, UNC 29.7%; seats by party - PNM 26, UNC 15 note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members serving four-year terms; last election held in January 2005; seats by party - PNM 11, DAC 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Caribbean Court of Appeals member; Court of Appeals; the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London
Political parties and leaders:
Congress of the People [Winston DOOKERAN]; Democratic ActionCongress or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES] (only active in Tobago); DemocraticNational Alliance or DNA [Gerald YETMING] (coalition of NAR, DDPT,MND); Movement for National Development or MND [Garvin NICHOLAS];National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Dr. Carson CHARLES];People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; United NationalCongress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]
International organization participation:
ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO,ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Glenda MOREAN-PHILLIP chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490 FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376 FAX: [1] (868) 822-5905
Flag description:
red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side
EconomyTrinidad and Tobago
Economy - overview:
Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses and has one of the highest growth rates and per capita incomes in Latin America. Recent growth has been fueled by investments in liquefied natural gas (LNG), petrochemicals, and steel. Additional petrochemical, aluminum, and plastics projects are in various stages of planning. Trinidad and Tobago is the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas, and its economy is heavily dependent upon these resources but it also supplies manufactured goods, notably food and beverages, as well as cement to the Caribbean region. Oil and gas account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports, but only 5% of employment. The country is also a regional financial center, and tourism is a growing sector, although it is not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from a growing trade surplus. Economic growth reached 12.6% in 2006 and 5.5% in 2007 as prices for oil, petrochemicals, and LNG remained high, and as foreign direct investment continued to grow to support expanded capacity in the energy sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$26.79 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$20.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$25,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.6% industry: 62% services: 37.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
622,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 4%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 12.9%, construction and utilities 17.5%, services 65.6% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.5% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
17% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
16.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $6.332 billion expenditures: $5.969 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Public debt:
27.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.75% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$2.646 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.707 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.721 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry
Industries:
petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
6.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
7.704 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - consumption:
7.083 billion kWh (2007)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0.2% (2001)
Oil - production:
163,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
28,730 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
218,800 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
72,780 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
728.3 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
39 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
20.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
18.1 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
531.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$5.378 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$13.39 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, cereal and cereal products, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers
Exports - partners:
US 57.5%, Jamaica 6.5%, Spain 3.9% (2007)
Imports:
$7.67 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
mineral fuels, lubricants, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals, grain
Imports - partners:
US 28.2%, Brazil 11%, Venezuela 8.2%, Colombia 5.4%, Gabon 4.9%,China 4.2% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$200,000 (2007 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$6.745 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.869 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$12.44 billion (2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.419 billion (2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$15.57 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar - 6.3275 (2007), 6.3107 (2006), 6.2842 (2005), 6.299 (2004), 6.2951 (2003)
CommunicationsTrinidad and Tobago
Telephones - main lines in use:
323,800 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.008 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent international service; good local service domestic: mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 125 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 1-868; submarine cable systems provide connectivity to US and parts of the Caribbean and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios:
680,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (2005)
Televisions:
425,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.tt
Internet hosts:
155,722 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
17 (2000)
Internet users:
430,800 (2007)
TransportationTrinidad and Tobago
Airports:
6 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 245 km; gas 1,320 km; oil 563 km (2007)
Roadways:
total: 8,320 km paved: 4,252 km unpaved: 4,068 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 9 by type: passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: 1 (US 1) registered in other countries: 2 (Bahamas 1, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain
MilitaryTrinidad and Tobago
Military branches:
Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Trinidad and TobagoRegiment, Coast Guard, Air Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (16 years of age with parental consent); no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 301,561 females age 16-49: 264,225 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 215,310 females age 16-49: 180,526 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 8,671 female: 8,153 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational IssuesTrinidad and Tobago
Disputes - international:
in April 2006, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a decision that delimited a maritime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago and compelled Barbados to enter a fishing agreement that limited Barbadian fishermen's catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UNCLOS challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to include itself in the arbitration as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela maritime boundary may extend into its waters as well
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Tunisia
IntroductionTunisia
Background:
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.
GeographyTunisia
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 163,610 sq km land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 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 extremes:
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Land use:
arable land: 17.05% permanent crops: 13.08% other: 69.87% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,940 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
4.6 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.64 cu km/yr (14%/4%/82%) per capita: 261 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Environment - current issues:
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
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
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
PeopleTunisia
Population:
10,383,577 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.2% (male 1,246,105/female 1,167,379) 15-64 years: 69.7% (male 3,638,062/female 3,595,254) 65 years and over: 7.1% (male 345,590/female 391,187) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.8 years male: 28.2 years female: 29.3 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.989% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
15.5 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.17 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.56 years male: 73.79 years female: 77.46 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.73 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
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: 74.3% male: 83.4% female: 65.3% (2004 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
7.3% of GDP (2005)
GovernmentTunisia
Country name:
conventional long form: Tunisian Republic conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis
Government type:
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) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
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); also the anniversary of BEN ALI's assumption of the presidency, 7 November (1987)
Constitution:
1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 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 (no term limits); election last held on 24 October 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; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%, Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%
Legislative branch:
bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85 members elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and professional associations and trade unions; 41 members are presidential appointees; members serve six-year terms) elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); Chamber of Advisors - last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2011) election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2; Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 71 (14 trade union seats vacant (due to boycott))
Judicial branch:
Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation
Political parties and leaders:
Al-Tajdid Movement [Ahmed IBRAHIM]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD (official ruling party) [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI]; Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR]; Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mondher THABET]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Maya JERIBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]; note - the Islamist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
18 October Group [collective leadership]; Tunisian League for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA,MONUC, NAM, OAPEC (suspended), OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE(partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Tarek Ben YOUSSEF chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 107-000 FAX: [216] 71 963-263
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
EconomyTunisia
Economy - overview:
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, reached 6.3% in 2007 because of development in non-textile manufacturing, a recovery in agricultural production, and strong growth in the services sector. However, 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. 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$76.07 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$35.01 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.6% industry: 25.7% services: 62.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
3.593 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 55% industry: 23% services: 22% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate:
14.1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
7.4% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.5% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40 (2005 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $8.466 billion expenditures: $9.475 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
55.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.1% (2007 est.)
Stock of money:
$9.491 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$13.56 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$25.23 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products
Industries:
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:
7.2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
12.65 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
10.75 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
135 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
86,210 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
91,110 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
73,790 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
89,130 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
400 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
2.55 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
3.85 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
65.13 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$905 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$15.15 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
Exports - partners:
France 31.3%, Italy 21%, Germany 8.5%, Spain 5.5%, Libya 5.5% (2007)
Imports:
$18.02 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
France 23.8%, Italy 21.9%, Germany 9.7%, Spain 5%, Libya 4.4% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$376.5 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.854 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$19.27 billion (December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$26.22 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$118 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$4.446 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Tunisian dinar (TND)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003)
CommunicationsTunisia
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.273 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
7.842 million (2007)
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: in an effort jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line network, the government has awarded a concession to build and operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; competition between the two mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation and usage charges and a strong surge in subscribership; expansion of mobile-cellular services to include multimedia messaging and e-mail and Internet to mobile phone services also leading to a surge in subscribership; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 90 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 216; a landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and 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
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 7, FM 38, shortwave 2 (2007)
Radios:
2.06 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions:
920,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.tn
Internet hosts:
376 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
1.722 million (2007)
TransportationTunisia
Airports:
30 (2007)
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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2007)
Pipelines:
gas 2,665 km; oil 1,235 km; refined products 353 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,153 km standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 19,232 km paved: 12,655 km (includes 262 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,577 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
total: 7 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 4 registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Rades, Sfax, Skhira
MilitaryTunisia
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At'tunisia) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,992,249 females age 16-49: 2,912,819 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,539,962 females age 16-49: 2,465,295 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 101,794 female: 95,198 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.4% of GDP (2006)
Transnational IssuesTunisia
Disputes - international:
none
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Turkey
IntroductionTurkey
Background:
Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or "Father of the Turks." Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives. After the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy enabling it to begin accession membership talks with the European Union.
GeographyTurkey
Location:
Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 780,580 sq km land: 770,760 sq km water: 9,820 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 2,648 km border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km
Coastline:
7,200 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR
Climate:
temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior
Terrain:
high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m
Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 29.81% permanent crops: 3.39% other: 66.8% (2005)
Irrigated land:
52,150 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
234 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 39.78 cu km/yr (15%/11%/74%) per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)
Natural hazards:
severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
Environment - current issues:
water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country
PeopleTurkey
Population:
71,892,808 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 24.4% (male 8,937,515/female 8,608,375) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 25,030,793/female 24,253,312) 65 years and over: 7% (male 2,307,236/female 2,755,576) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 29 years male: 28.8 years female: 29.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.013% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
16.15 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 36.98 deaths/1,000 live births male: 40.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 33.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.14 years male: 70.67 years female: 75.73 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.87 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Turk(s) adjective: Turkish
Ethnic groups:
Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)
Religions:
Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Languages:
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the European part of Turkey
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 95.3% female: 79.6% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 12 years female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4% of GDP (2004)
GovernmentTurkey
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Turkey conventional short form: Turkey local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti local short form: Turkiye
Government type:
republican parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name: Ankara geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions: