ess, the government may have to slow its
implementation to head off labor unrest. The increasing foreign
debt--$7.6 billion at yearend 1989--is also a key problem. Tunis
probably will seek debt relief in 1990.

GDP: $8.7 billion, per capita $1,105; real growth rate 3.1% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 25% (1989)

Budget: revenues $2.9 billion; expenditures $3.2 billion,
including capital expenditures of $0.8 billion (1989 est.)

Exports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989);
commodities--hydrocarbons, agricultural products, phosphates and
chemicals; partners--EC 73%, Middle East 9%, US 1%, Turkey, USSR

Imports: $4.4 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--industrial
goods and equipment 57%, hydrocarbons 13%, food 12%, consumer goods;
partners--EC 68%, US 7%, Canada, Japan, USSR, China, Saudi Arabia,
Algeria

External debt: $7.6 billion (December 1989)

Industrial production: growth rate 3.5% (1988)

Electricity: 1,493,000 kW capacity; 4,210 million kWh produced,
530 kWh per capita (1989)

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

Agriculture: accounts for 16% of GDP and one-third of labor force; output
subject to severe fluctuations because of frequent droughts; export
crops--olives, dates, oranges, almonds; other products--grain, sugar
beets, wine grapes, poultry, beef, dairy; not self-sufficient in food;
fish catch of 99,200 metric tons (1986)

Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $694 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $4.6 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $684 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$410 million

Currency: Tunisian dinar (plural--dinars);
1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes

Exchange rates: Tunisian dinars (TD) per US$1--0.9055 (January 1990),
0.9493 (1989), 0.8578 (1988), 0.8287 (1987), 0.7940 (1986), 0.8345 (1985)

Fiscal year: calendar year

- Communications
Railroads: 2,154 km total; 465 km 1.435-meter standard gauge;
1,689 km 1.000-meter gauge

Highways: 17,700 km total; 9,100 km bituminous; 8,600 km improved and
unimproved earth

Pipelines: 797 km crude oil; 86 km refined products; 742 km natural gas

Ports: Bizerte, Gabes, Sfax, Sousse, Tunis, La Goulette, Zarzis

Merchant marine: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 160,172 GRT/218,970
DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 4 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off