phic 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)

Constitution:
1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002

Legal system:
based on French civil law system and Shari'a law; some judicial
review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal except for active duty military

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 24 October 2004 (next to be
held October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a
fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%,
Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%

Legislative branch:
bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Deputies or Majlis
al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms) and the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85 members
elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and professional
associations and trade unions; 41 members are presidential
appointees; members serve six-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held 24 October 2004 (next to
be held October 2009); Chamber of Advisors - last held 3 July 2005
(next to be held July 2011)
election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3,
PSL 2; Chamber of Advisors - per