O, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Ismail KHELIL; Chancery at 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington DC 20005; telephone (202) 862-1850
US:
Ambassador John T. McCARTHY; Embassy at 144 Avenue de la Liberte, 1002
Tunis-Belvedere; telephone [216] (1) 782-566; FAX [216] (1) 789-719
Flag:
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

:Tunisia Economy

Overview:
The economy depends primarily on petroleum, phosphates, tourism, and exports
of light manufactures. Following two years of drought-induced economic
decline, the economy made a strong recovery in 1990 as a result of a
bountiful harvest, continued export growth, and higher domestic investment.
Continued high inflation and unemployment have eroded popular support for
the government, however, and forced Tunis to slow the pace of economic
reform. Nonetheless, the government appears committed to implementing its
IMF-supported structural adjustment program and to servicing its foreign
debt.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $10.9 billion, per capita $1,320; real growth
rate 3.5% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.2% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
15% (1991)
Budget:
revenues $3.8 billion; expenditures $5.4 billion, including capital
expenditures of $970 million (1992 est.)
Exports:
$3.7 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
hydrocarbons, agricultural products, phosphates and chemicals
partners:
EC 74%, Middle East 11%, US 2%, Turkey, USSR
Imports:
$4.9 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
industrial goods and equipment 57%, hydrocarbons 13%, food 12%, consumer
goods
partners:
EC 67%, US 6%, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Turkey, Algeria
External debt:
$8.6 billion (1991)
Industrial production:
growth rate 5% (1989); accounts for about 25% of GDP, including petroleum
Electricity:
1,493,000 kW capacity; 4,210 million kWh produced, 530 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries:
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles,
footwear, food, beverages
Agriculture:
accounts for 16% of GDP and one-third