ssy: 144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere
mailing address: use embassy street address

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

Economy

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 4.0% in 1993-97 and reached
5.0% in 1998. Inflation has been moderate. 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--$49 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$5,200 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 28%
services: 58% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: 14.1% (1990 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 30.7% (1990)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 3.3 million (1995 est.)
note: shortage of skilled labor

Labor force--by occupation: services 55%, industry 23%,
agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15.6% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $5.8 billion
expenditures: $6.5 billion, including capital expenditures to $1.4
billion (1998 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (1997 est.)

Electricity--production: 7.535 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.54%
hydro: 0.46%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 7.616 bill