nue NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William J. HUDSON
embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La
Goulette, Tunisia
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [216] 71 107-000
FAX: [216] 71 962-115

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 Tunisia

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, averaging 5%
for the latter half of the last decade, slowed to a 15-year low of
1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought, slow investment, and
lackluster tourism. Better rains in 2003, however, pushed GDP growth
up to an estimated 6 percent, and tourism also recovered after the
end of combat operations in Iraq. GDP growth remained at 6% in 2004.
Tunisia has agreed to gradually remove barriers to trade with the
European Union over the next decade. Broader privatization, further
liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign
investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of
the trade deficit are among the challenges for the future.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $68.23 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.9%
industry: 32.2%
services: 53.9% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.2% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
7.6% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
3.461 million
note: shortage of skilled labor (2003 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
14.3% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $6.101 billion
expenditures: $6.855 billion, including cap