| 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 | 1.4% (2006) |
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| GDP - real growth rate | 5.1% (2006 est.) |
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| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 12.8%
industry: 31%
services: 56.2% (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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| 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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| Budget | revenues: $7.728 billion
expenditures: $8.734 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2006 est.) |
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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 -
production by source | fossil fuel: 99.5%
hydro: 0.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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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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| Agriculture - products | olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products |
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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 32.9%, Italy 24%, Germany 8.4%, Spain 5.5%, Libya 4.5% (2005) |
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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 23.5%, Italy 20.9%, Germany 8.2%, Spain 5.1% (2005) |
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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 | 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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| Fiscal year | calendar year |
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