NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Tunisia
Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Following independence from France in 1956, 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 recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to diffuse rising pressure for a more open political society. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya |
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Geographic coordinates:
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34 00 N, 9 00 E |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 163,610 sq km
water: 8,250 sq km land: 155,360 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Georgia |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km |
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Coastline:
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1,148 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south |
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Terrain:
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mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt |
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Land use:
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arable land: 18.67%
permanent crops: 12.87% other: 68.46% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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3,800 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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9,924,742 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 27% (male 1,388,839; female 1,297,313)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,306,782; female 3,299,883) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 309,103; female 322,822) (2003 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 26.2 years
male: 25.7 years female: 26.7 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.09% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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16.53 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 26.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 29.89 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 74.4 years
male: 72.77 years female: 76.15 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.04% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Tunisian(s)
adjective: Tunisian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
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Religions:
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Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1% |
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Languages:
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Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.2% male: 84% female: 64.4% (2003 est.) |