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 following World War I was finally successful in getting 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 unmatched by any other Arab nation.

Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations.

Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 10,276,158 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 1,270,208/female 1,191,619) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,571,228/female 3,538,458) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 333,801/female 370,844) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 28.3 years male: 27.7 years female: 28.8 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 0.989% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 15.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 5.17 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: -0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.066 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.009 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.015 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 22.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.34 years male: 73.6 years female: 77.21 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2005 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 1,000 (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)

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Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2007)

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Nationality: noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian

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

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

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Languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.3% male: 83.4% female: 65.3% (2004 census)

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. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism. Increased rain helped to push GDP growth to an average rate of 5% in 2003-05. However, a recession in agriculture, weak expansion in the tourism and textile sectors, and increasing import costs due to rising world energy prices cut growth to 4% in 2006. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade with the EU. 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 ahead.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $91.04 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $33.33 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $8,900 (2006 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.8% industry: 31% services: 56.2% (2006 est.)

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Labor force: 3.502 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.)

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

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Unemployment rate: 13.9% (2006 est.)

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Population below poverty line: 7.4% (2005 est.)

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

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Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40 (2005 est.)

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.6% (2006 est.)

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Investment (gross fixed): 22.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $7.728 billion expenditures: $8.734 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2006 est.)

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Public debt: 57.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Agriculture - products: olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products

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

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Industrial production growth rate: 4.7% (2006 est.)

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Electricity - production: 11.81 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 10.97 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 15 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 5 million kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 81,530 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 89,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 1.7 billion bbl (2006 est.)

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Natural gas - production: 2.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 3.7 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - imports: 1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - proved reserves: 77.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

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Current account balance: -$760 million (2006 est.)

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Exports: $11.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Exports - commodities: clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons

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Exports - partners: France 28.8%, Italy 20.3%, Germany 8.5%, Spain 6%, Libya 4.9%, US 4% (2006)

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Imports: $13.89 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Imports - commodities: textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs

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Imports - partners: France 25%, Italy 21.9%, Germany 9.4%, Spain 4.7% (2006)

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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.646 billion (2006 est.)

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Debt - external: $18.37 billion (30 June 2006 est.)

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Economic aid - recipient: $328 million (2004)

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Currency (code): Tunisian dinar (TND)

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Exchange rates: Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002)

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Fiscal year: calendar year