sian

Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce),
French (commerce)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 66.7% male: 78.6% female: 54.6% (1995 est.)

Government Tunisia

Country name: Republic of Tunisia conventional short form: Tunisiyah

Government type: republic

Capital: Tunis

Administrative divisions: 23 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja
(Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), El Kef (Al Kaf), Gabes
(Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan),
Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), 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 12 July 1988

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

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal

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
Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: held 24
October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed
by the president election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI
reelected for a third term without opposition; percent of vote - Zine
El Abidine BEN ALI nearly 100%

Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab
(182 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election
results: percent of vote by party - RCD 92%; seats by party - RCD 148, MDS
13, UDU 7, PUP 7, Al-Tajdid 5, PSL 2; note - reforms enabled opposition
parties to win up to 20% of seats, increasing the number of seats they
hold from 19 in the last election to 34 now

Judicial branch: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders: Al-Tajdid Movement [Adel CHAOUCH];
Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel
Democratique)