Tunisia

Parliamentary RepublicPop12.0MGDP (PPP)$156.1BCI39Beta CP0.0→Beta

Tunisia

⌘K

Overview

Background: Many empires have controlled Tunisia, including the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and Ottomans (16th to late-19th centuries). Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades after World War I finally convinced the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women. In 1987, Zine el Abidine BEN ALI replaced BOURGUIBA in a bloodless coup.

Street protests that began in Tunis in 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths and later became known as the start of the regional Arab Spring uprising. BEN ALI dismissed the government and fled the country, and a "national unity government" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held later that year, and human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI was elected as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in 2014. Parliamentary and presidential elections for a permanent government were held at the end of 2014. Beji CAID ESSEBSI was elected as the first president under the country's new constitution. After ESSEBSI’s death in office in 2019, Kais SAIED was elected. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, was set to expire in 2024. However, in 2021, SAIED used the exceptional powers allowed under Tunisia's constitution to dismiss the prime minister and suspend the legislature. Tunisians approved a new constitution through public referendum in 2022, expanding presidential powers and creating a new bicameral legislature.

Geography

Area

Land: 155,360 sq km
Water: 8,250 sq km
Total: 163,610 sq km

Climate: temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Terrain: mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara

Land Use

Other: 33.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 4.5% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 62.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 18.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 13.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 30.6% (2023 est.)

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Coastline: 1,148 km

Elevation

Lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
Highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
Mean elevation: 246 m

Irrigated land: 3,920 sq km (2013)
Major aquifers: North Western Sahara Aquifer System
Map references: Africa

Land Boundaries

Total: 1,495 km
Border countries: Algeria 1,034 km; Libya 461 km

Maritime Claims

Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 12 nm

Natural hazards: flooding; earthquakes; droughts
Geography note: strategic location in central Mediterranean
Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Area comparative: slightly larger than Georgia
Geographic coordinates: 34 00 N, 9 00 E
Population distribution: the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated, as shown in this population distribution map

People & Society

Literacy

Male: 92.7% (2023 est.)
Female: 80.1% (2023 est.)
Total population: 86.2% (2023 est.)

Languages

Note: note: despite having no official status, French plays a major role in the country and is spoken by about two thirds of the population
Languages: Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Tamazight
Major language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن كتاب تتعلم به المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Muslim (official; Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Shia Muslim, and Baha'i) <1%

Sex Ratio

At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0 14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15 64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 11.35 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 33.6 years
Total: 34.1 years (2025 est.)
Female: 35.1 years

Population

Male: 5,926,741
Total: 11,962,995 (2025 est.)
Female: 6,036,254

Nationality

Noun: Tunisian(s)
Adjective: Tunisian

Tobacco Use

Male: 37.6% (2025 est.)
Total: 19% (2025 est.)
Female: 1.4% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 70.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Age Structure

0 14 years: 24.4% (male 1,516,871/female 1,426,522)
15 64 years: 65.2% (male 3,861,731/female 3,990,802)
65 years and over: 10.4% (2024 est.) (male 593,640/female 659,281)

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

Child Marriage

Men married BY age 18: 0% (2018)
Women married BY age 15: 0% (2018)
Women married BY age 18: 1.5% (2018)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 50.7 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 35.6 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio: 6.6 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 15.1 (2025 est.)

Physician density: 1.32 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Health Expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 7% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 11.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density: 2.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural: rural: 93.4% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 97.2% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 6.6% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 2.8% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

Education Expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 6.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 17.3% national budget (2025 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: 0.38% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.77 (2025 est.)
Population distribution: the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated, as shown in this population distribution map

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 75.7 years
Female: 79.1 years
Total population: 77.3 years (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 36 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: rural: rural: 99.4% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 99% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 0.6% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 1% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer: 0.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 1.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Major urban areas population: 2.475 million TUNIS (capital) (2023)
Obesity adult prevalence rate: 26.9% (2016)
Currently married women (ages 15 49): 52.5% (2023 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.6% (2018 est.)

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

Male: 14 years (2016 est.)
Total: 14 years (2016 est.)
Female: 15 years (2016 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

ExecutiveLegislative

Flag: description: red with a white disk in the center that displays a red crescent around a five-pointed red star

meaning: red stands for martyrs' blood shed the fight against oppression, and white for peace; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam

history: resembles the Ottoman flag (red banner with white crescent and star), a reference to Tunisia's history as part of the Ottoman Empire

Capital

Name: Tunis
Etymology: the origin of the ancient name is unclear; it is sometimes associated with the name of the Phoenician goddess Tanith
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E

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

Citizenship

Citizenship BY birth: no
Citizenship BY descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Tunisia
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

History: several previous; latest draft published by the president 30 June 2022, approved by referendum 25 July 2022, and adopted 27 July 2022
Amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or one third of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People membership; following Constitutional Court review, approval to proceed requires an absolute majority vote in the Assembly, and final passage requires a two-thirds Assembly majority vote; the president can opt to submit an amendment to a referendum, which requires an absolute majority of votes cast for passage

Country Name

Etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Tunis
Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
Local short form: Tunis
Conventional long form: Republic of Tunisia
Conventional short form: Tunisia

Independence: 20 March 1956 (from France)
Legal system: mixed system of civil law, based on the French civil code and Islamic (sharia) law; Supreme Court reviews some legislative acts in joint session
Government type: parliamentary republic

Judicial Branch

Note: note: the Tunisian constitution of January 2014 called for the establishment of a constitutional court by the end of 2015, but the court was never formed; the new constitution of July 2022 calls for the establishment of a constitutional court consisting of 9 members appointed by presidential decree; members to include former senior judges of other courts
Highest court(s): Court of Cassation (consists of the first president, chamber presidents, and magistrates; organized into 27 civil and 11 criminal chambers)
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; administrative courts; Court of Audit; Housing Court; courts of first instance; lower district courts; military courts
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Supreme Judicial Council, an independent 4-part body consisting mainly of elected judges and the remainder legal specialists; judge tenure based on terms of appointment; Constitutional Court (established in the 2014 and 2022 constitutions, but never implemented)

Executive Branch

Note: note: the president can dismiss any member of government on his own initiative or in consultation with the prime minister
Cabinet: prime minister appointed by the president; cabinet members appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister
Chief of state: President Kais SAIED (since 23 October 2019)
Election results: 2024: Kais SAIED reelected president in first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 90.7%, Ayachi ZAMMEL (Long Live Tunisia) 7.3%, Zouhair MAGHZAOUI (People's Movement) 2%

2019: Kais SAIED elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 18.4%, Nabil KAROUI (Heart of Tunisia) 15.6%, Abdelfattah MOUROU (Nahda Movement) 12.9%, Abdelkrim ZBIDI (independent) 10.7%, Youssef CHAHED (Long Live Tunisia) 7.4%, Safi SAID (independent) 7.1%, Lotfi MRAIHI (Republican People's Union) 6.6%, other 21.3%; percent of vote in second round - Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3%
Head of government: Prime Minister Sarra ZAAFRANI Zenzri (since 21 March 2025)
Most recent election date: 6 October 2024
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
Expected date of next election: 2029

National holiday: Independence Day, 20 March (1956); Revolution and Youth Day, 14 January (2011)
National color(s): red, white

National Heritage

Total world heritage sites: 9 (8 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales: Amphitheatre of El Jem (c); Archaeological Site of Carthage (c); Medina of Tunis (c); Ichkeul National Park (n); Punic Town of Kerkuane (c); Kairouan (c); Medina of Sousse (c); Dougga / Thugga (c); Djerba: Testimony to a settlement pattern in an island territory (c)

Political parties: Afek Tounes
Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative)
Al-Amal Party
Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes)
Current of Love (formerly the Popular Petition party)
Democratic Current
Democratic Patriots' Unified Party
Dignity Coalition or Al Karama Coalition
Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance)
Ettakatol Party
Free Destourian Party or PDL
Green Tunisia Party
Harakat Hak
Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes)
July 25 Movement
Labor and Achievement Party
Long Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes)
Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS
National Coalition Party
National Salvation Front
New Carthage Party
Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard
People's Movement
Republican Party (Al Joumhouri)
The Movement Party (Hizb Harak)
Third Republic Party
Tunisian Ba'ath Movement
Voice of the Republic
Workers' Party

Legislative Branch

Note: note: in 2022, President SAIED issued a new electoral law that requires all legislative candidates to run as independents
Legislative structure: bicameral

National Anthem(s)

Title: "Humat Al Hima" (Defenders of the Homeland)
History: adopted 1957, replaced 1958, restored 1987; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of the United Arab Emirates
Lyrics/music: Mustafa Sadik AL-RAFII and Aboul-Qacem ECHEBBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB

National symbol(s): red crescent moon and five-pointed star in a white circle
Administrative divisions: 24 governorates (wilayat, singular - wilayah); 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), L'Ariana (Aryanah), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bouzid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

Legislative Branch Lower Chamber

Chamber name: Assembly of People's Representatives (Majlis Nawwab ash-Sha'ab)
Term in office: 5 years
Number of seats: 161 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Most recent election date: 12/17/2022 to 1/29/2023
Expected date of next election: December 2027
Percentage of women in chamber: 15.8%

Legislative Branch Upper Chamber

Chamber name: National Council of Regions and Districts
Term in office: 5 years
Number of seats: 77 (all indirectly elected)
Scope of elections: full renewal
Most recent election date: 4/19/2024
Expected date of next election: April 2029
Percentage of women in chamber: 13%

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax: [1] (202) 862-1858
Chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Anis HAJRI (since 1 August 2025)
Email address and website: AT.Washington@Tunisiaembassy.org

https://www.tunisianembassy.org/

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Fax: [216] 71-107-090
Embassy: Les Berges du Lac, 1053 Tunis
Telephone: [216] 71-107-000
Mailing address: 6360 Tunis Place, Washington DC  20521-6360
Chief of mission: Ambassador Bill BAZZI (since 21 November 2025)
Email address and website: tuniswebsitecontact@state.gov

https://tn.usembassy.gov/

International organisations: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Legislature

TUNISIA · LOWER HOUSE

Assembly of People's Representatives

161 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

161

Majority line

Largest party

—

Parties

—

Upper house

TUNISIA · UPPER HOUSE

National Council of Regions and Districts

77 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

Majority line

Largest party

—

Parties

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Leaders

Current

KS
Kais Saied
- Head of StateSince 2019
SZ
Sarra Zaafrani
- Head of GovernmentSince 2025

Economy

Budget

Revenues: $10.866 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $12.375 billion (2019 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $25.7B

Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2021: $14.054 billion (2021 est.)
Exports 2022: $17.254 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $19.732 billion (2023 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $28.9B

Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2021: $18.178 billion (2021 est.)
Imports 2022: $22.453 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $21.953 billion (2023 est.)

Industries: petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate, iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Labor force: 4.247 million (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled): 62.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2016: 62.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Remittances

Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2021: 6.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022: 6.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Exchange Rates

Currency: Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020: 2.812 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 2.794 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 3.104 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 3.106 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024: 3.107 (2024 est.)

Debt External

Note: note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt external 2023: $21.212 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview: lower middle-income North African economy; drafting reforms for foreign lenders; high unemployment, especially for youth and women; hit hard by COVID-19; high public sector wages; high public debt; protectionist austerity measures; key EU trade partner

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 15.1%

Note: note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022: 15.3% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 15.2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024: 16.3% (2024 est.)

Exports partners: France 22%, Italy 17%, Germany 13%, USA 4%, Libya 4% (2023)
Imports partners: Italy 13%, France 12%, China 10%, Russia 8%, Germany 7% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled): $14,521

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022: $12,700 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $12,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024: $12,700 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 1.6%

Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 2.7% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 0% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024: 1.4% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products: milk, tomatoes, olives, onions, chillies/peppers, watermelons, potatoes, wheat, dates, oranges (2023)
Exports commodities: garments, insulated wire, olive oil, refined petroleum, crude petroleum (2023)
Imports commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, plastic products, cars, plastics (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled): -$775.3M

Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2021: -$2.77 billion (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$3.969 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$1.111 billion (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): $53.41 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption: 76.2% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 18.6% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 13.4% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 48.4% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -56.6% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line: 16.6% (2021 est.)

Average Household Expenditures

On food: 22.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 3.3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled): 7.2%

Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 8.3% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 9.3% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 7.2% (2024 est.)

Industrial production growth rate: -2.5% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled): $156.086 billion (2024 est.)

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $153.945 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $154.006 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $156.086 billion (2024 est.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male: 41.1% (2024 est.)
Note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 40.1% (2024 est.)
Female: 37.6% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $8.094 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $9.24 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $9.344 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry: 23.6% (2023 est.)
Services: 62.1% (2023 est.)
Agriculture: 9.3% (2023 est.)

Note: note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Lowest 10%: 3.1% (2021 est.)
Highest 10%: 27% (2021 est.)

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Note: note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2021: 33.7 (2021 est.)

Energy

Coal

Exports: 28 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 2,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum

Total petroleum production: 35,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 425 million barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 104,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Electricity

Exports: 80 million kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 2.576 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Consumption: 19.153 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 6.639 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 4.629 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Natural Gas

Imports: 3.887 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Production: 1.313 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 5.131 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 65.129 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification rural areas: 99.7%
Electrification urban areas: 100%
Electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 33.754 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Wind: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Solar: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels: 96.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 72% (2023 est.)

Broadcast media: 2 state-owned TV stations; 10 private local TV stations; satellite TV service available; state-owned radio network with 2 stations; several dozen private radio stations and community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2019)
Internet country code: .tn

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions: 1.863 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (2023 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions: 14.4 million (2024 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2024 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total: 1.73 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2023 est.)

Transport

Ports

Large: 0
Small: 7
Medium: 3
Key ports: Ashtart Oil Terminal, Banzart, Didon Terminal, Gabes, La Goulette, Menzel Bourguiba, Mersa Sfax, Sousse, Tazerka Oil Terminal, Tunis
Very small: 6
Total ports: 16 (2024)
Ports with oil terminals: 10

Airports: 14 (2025)

Railways

Total: 2,173 km (2014) (1,991 in use)
Dual gauge: 8 km (2014) 1.435-1.000-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 1,694 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)
Standard gauge: 471 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Heliports: 11 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total: 72 (2023)
BY type: container ship 1, general cargo 8, oil tanker 1, other 62

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TS

Environment

Climate: temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south

Land Use

Other: 33.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 4.5% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: 62.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 18.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 13.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 30.6% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 70.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Methane Emissions

Other: 3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste: 97.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Energy: 88 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Agriculture: 94.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and Recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.7 million tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.9% (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal; water pollution from raw sewage; limited freshwater resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Total Water Withdrawal

Municipal: 815.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Industrial: 61.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Agricultural: 2.71 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions: 24.645 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 10.392 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 4,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 14.249 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions: 26.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 4.615 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

International Environmental Agreements

Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Military & Security

Military note: the Tunisian Armed Forces (FAT) are responsible for territorial defense and internal security; operational areas of focus include counterterrorism and assisting with securing the border regions, particularly along the frontiers with Algerian and Libya

the FAT conducts bilateral and multinational training exercises with a variety of countries, including Algeria and other North African and Middle Eastern countries, France, and the US, as well as NATO; it also participates in UN peacekeeping operations; Tunisia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025)
Military deployments: 840 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)

Military Expenditures

Civica canonical (reconciled): 2.5%

Military expenditures 2020: 3% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military expenditures 2021: 3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military expenditures 2022: 2.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military expenditures 2023: 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military expenditures 2024: 2.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military and security forces: Tunisian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Tunisiennes, FAT): Tunisian Army (includes Air Defense Force), Tunisian Navy, Tunisia Air Force

Ministry of Interior (MoI): Internal Security Forces (National Police, National Guard) (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; men 20-35 years of age subject to 12 months of compulsory national service (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Tunisian military's inventory consists mostly of older or secondhand equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Austria, France, Italy, Türkiye, and the US (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 35,000 active-duty Armed Forces (2025)

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) network in Tunisia (known locally as Ajnad al-Khilafah or the Army of the Caliphate); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb

Transnational Issues

Trafficking in Persons

Tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Tunisia was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to:
https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/tunisia

Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

Refugees: 12,575 (2024 est.)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of

Civica Index39.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4117 / 1902024-Q4

V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.26as of 2024-Q4102 / 1702024-Q4

Freedom House StatusNot Free (50/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4

Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (55/100)as of 2024—2024

Cite this page

Cite this pageAPA · BibTeX · Chicago · JSON

Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Tunisia — vintage 2026-Q1: Tunisia factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/tunisia

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Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata

Tunisia

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Kais Saied

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