Short facts about the economy in 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. Real growth averaged 5.5% in the past four years, and inflation is slowing. Growth in tourism and increased trade have been key elements in this steady growth. Tunisia's association agreement with the European Union entered into force on 1 March 1998, the first such accord between the EU and Mediterranean countries to be activated. Under the agreement Tunisia will gradually remove barriers to trade with the EU over the next decade. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, and improvements in government efficiency are among the challenges for the future.

GDP:	purchasing power parity - $62.8 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:

purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture:  14% industry:  32% services:  54% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:

6% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%:  2.3% highest 10%:  30.7% (1990)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

2.65 million (2000 est.) note:  shortage of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation:

services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15.6% (2000 est.)

Budget:

revenues:  $7.5 billion expenditures:  $8.1 billion, including capital expenditures to $1.6 billion (2000 est.)

Industries:

petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, food, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:

4.1% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:

9.173 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel:  99.2% hydro:  0.8% nuclear:  0% other:  0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:

8.677 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:

19 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:

165 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products:

olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Exports:

$6.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:

textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural products, hydrocarbons

Exports - partners:

Germany 28%, France 22%, Italy 17%, Belgium 5%, Libya 4% (1999)

Imports:

$8.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food

Imports - partners:

France 23%, Germany 23%, Italy 15%, Belgium 3% (1999)

Debt - external:

$13 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:

$933.2 million (1995); note - ODA, $90 million (1998 est.)

Currency:

Tunisian dinar (TND)

Currency code:

TND

Exchange rates:

Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.3753 (January 2001), 1.4667 (November 2000), 1.1862 (1999), 1.1387 (1998), 1.1059 (1997), 0.9734 (1996)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Source: World Factbook