|
|
| Overview | People | Geography | Economy | Government | Communications | Transport | Military | Map |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Flag |  |
| 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 |
| Population | 10,486,339 (July 2009 est.) |
| GMT | +1 |
| Location | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya see map |
| Area | total: 163,610 sq km land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km |
| 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) |
| Government type | republic |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| Internet country code | .tn |
