the languages of commerce), French
(commerce)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.3%
male: 83.4%
female: 65.3% (2004 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

7.3% of GDP (2005)

Government
Tunisia

Country name:

conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
conventional short form: Tunisia
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
local short form: Tunis

Government type:

republic

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

Administrative divisions:

24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin
'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba
(Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili
(Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah),
Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax
(Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse
(Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan
(Zaghwan)

Independence:

20 March 1956 (from France)

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal except for active government security
forces (including the police and the military), people with mental
disabilities, people who have served more than three months in
prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence
of more than six months

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November
1987)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17
November 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(no term limits); election last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be
held in October 2009); prime minister a