Topic: Photos of El Salvador

Topic: Introduction
Background: El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms. El Salvador is beset by one of the world's highest homicide rates and pervasive criminal gangs.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Geographic coordinates: 13 50 N, 88 55 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 21,041 sq km

land: 20,721 sq km

water: 320 sq km
Area - comparative: about the same size as New Jersey
Land boundaries: total: 590 km

border countries (2): Guatemala 199 km; Honduras 391 km
Coastline: 307 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Elevation: highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 442 m
Natural resources: hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 74.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 33.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 10.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 30.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 13.6% (2018 est.)

other: 11.7% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 452 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: athough it is the smallest country in land area in Central America, El Salvador has a population that is 18 times larger than Belize; at least 20% of the population lives abroad; high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador
Natural hazards: known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanesvolcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Anaknown as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanesvolcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana
Geography - note: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on the Caribbean Sea
Map description: El Salvador map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the North Pacific Ocean.El Salvador map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the North Pacific Ocean.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 6,568,745 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s)

adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups: Mestizo 86.3%, White 12.7%, Amerindian 0.2% (includes Lenca, Kakawira, Nahua-Pipil), Black 0.1%, other 0.6% (2007 est.)
Languages: Spanish (official), Nawat (among some Amerindians)

major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 36%, other 2%, none 12% (2014 est.)
Demographic profile: El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It is well into its demographic transition, experiencing slower population growth, a decline in its number of youths, and the gradual aging of its population. The increased use of family planning has substantially lowered El Salvador's fertility rate, from approximately 6 children per woman in the 1970s to replacement level today. A 2008 national family planning survey showed that female sterilization remained the most common contraception method in El Salvador - its sterilization rate is among the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean - but that the use of injectable contraceptives is growing. Fertility differences between rich and poor and urban and rural women are narrowing.Salvadorans fled during the 1979 to 1992 civil war mainly to the United States but also to Canada and to neighboring Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Emigration to the United States increased again in the 1990s and 2000s as a result of deteriorating economic conditions, natural disasters (Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and earthquakes in 2001), and family reunification. At least 20% of El Salvador's population lives abroad. The remittances they send home account for close to 20% of GDP, are the second largest source of external income after exports, and have helped reduce poverty.El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It is well into its demographic transition, experiencing slower population growth, a decline in its number of youths, and the gradual aging of its population. The increased use of family planning has substantially lowered El Salvador's fertility rate, from approximately 6 children per woman in the 1970s to replacement level today. A 2008 national family planning survey showed that female sterilization remained the most common contraception method in El Salvador - its sterilization rate is among the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean - but that the use of injectable contraceptives is growing. Fertility differences between rich and poor and urban and rural women are narrowing.Salvadorans fled during the 1979 to 1992 civil war mainly to the United States but also to Canada and to neighboring Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Emigration to the United States increased again in the 1990s and 2000s as a result of deteriorating economic conditions, natural disasters (Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and earthquakes in 2001), and family reunification. At least 20% of El Salvador's population lives abroad. The remittances they send home account for close to 20% of GDP, are the second largest source of external income after exports, and have helped reduce poverty.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.83% (male 857,003/female 817,336)

15-24 years: 18.82% (male 619,368/female 600,501)

25-54 years: 40.51% (male 1,221,545/female 1,404,163)

55-64 years: 7.23% (male 198,029/female 270,461)

65 years and over: 7.6% (2020 est.) (male 214,717/female 277,979)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 54.4

youth dependency ratio: 41.1

elderly dependency ratio: 13.4

potential support ratio: 7.5 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 27.7 years

male: 26.2 years

female: 29.3 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.57% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 17.87 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 5.91 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -6.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: athough it is the smallest country in land area in Central America, El Salvador has a population that is 18 times larger than Belize; at least 20% of the population lives abroad; high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador
Urbanization: urban population: 74.8% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.111 million SAN SALVADOR (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.87 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.72 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.8 years (2008 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality ratio: 46 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 12.14 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.79 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.37 years

male: 71.88 years

female: 79.04 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 71.9% (2014)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 99.6% of population

rural: 94.2% of population

total: 98.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population

rural: 5.8% of population

total: 1.8% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 7.2% (2019)
Physicians density: 2.87 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density: 1.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 97.1% of population

total: 99.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 2.9% of population

total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 25,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <1000
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 24.6% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 7.9% (2020 est.)

male: 14.1% (2020 est.)

female: 1.7% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5% (2014)
Education expenditures: 3.4% of GDP (2019 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89.1%

male: 91.3%

female: 87.3% (2019)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2018)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 10%

male: 8.3%

female: 12.8% (2019)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 23.42 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 7.17 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 4.71 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Land use: agricultural land: 74.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 33.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 10.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 30.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 13.6% (2018 est.)

other: 11.7% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 74.8% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.6% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,648,996 tons (2010 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 474 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 213 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 1.431 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 26.27 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador

conventional short form: El Salvador

local long form: Republica de El Salvador

local short form: El Salvador

etymology: name is an abbreviation of the original Spanish conquistador designation for the area "Provincia de Nuestro Senor Jesus Cristo, el Salvador del Mundo" (Province of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World), which became simply "El Salvador" (The Savior)
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: San Salvador

geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W

time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: Spanish for "Holy Savior" (referring to Jesus Christ)
Administrative divisions: 14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: history: many previous; latest drafted 16 December 1983, enacted 23 December 1983

amendments: proposals require agreement by absolute majority of the Legislative Assembly membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on basic principles, and citizen rights and freedoms cannot be amended; amended 2003, 2009, 2014
Legal system: civil law system with minor common law influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019); Vice President Felix Augusto Antonio ULLOA Garay (since 1 June 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (since 1 June 2019); Vice President Felix Augusto Antonio ULLOA Garay (since 1 June 2019)

cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president

elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 5-year term; election last held on 3 February 2019 (next to be held on February 2024)

election results:
2019: Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez elected president - Nayib Armando BUKELE Ortez (GANA) 53.1%, Carlos CALLEJA Hakker (ARENA) 31.72%, Hugo MARTINEZ (FMLN) 14.41%, other 0.77%

2014: Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN (FMLN) 48.9%, Norman QUIJANO (ARENA) 39%, Antonio SACA (CN) 11.4%, other 0.7%; percent of vote in second round - Salvador SANCHEZ CEREN 50.1%, Norman QUIJANO 49.9%
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies and a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 3-year terms)

elections: last held on 28 February 2021 (next to be held in 2024)

election results: percent of vote by party - NI 66.46%, ARENA 12.18%, FMLN 6.91%, GANA 5.29%, PCN 4.08%, NT 1.7%, PDC 1.7%, V 1.01%; seats by party - NI 56, ARENA 14, GANA 5, FMLN 4, PCN 2, PDC 1, NT 1, V 1; composition - men 61, women 23, percent of women 27.4%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 15 judges, including its president, and 15 substitute judges organized into Constitutional, Civil, Penal, and Administrative Conflict Chambers)

judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Legislative Assembly on the recommendation of both the National Council of the Judicature, an independent body elected by the Legislative Assembly, and the Bar Association; judges elected for 9-year terms, with renewal of one-third of membership every 3 years; consecutive reelection is allowed

subordinate courts: Appellate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Courts of Peace
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Reynaldo CARBALLO]
Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Oscar ORTIZ]
Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA [Nelson GUARDADO]
National Coalition Party or PCN [Manuel RODRIGUEZ]
Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA [Erick SALGUERO]
New Ideas (Nuevas Ideas) or NI [Xavier Zablah BUKELE]
Our Time (Nuestro Tiempo) or NT [Juan VALIENTE]
Vamos or V [Josue ALVARADO Flores]
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen Milena MAYORGA VALERA (since 23 December 2020)

chancery: 1400 16th Street NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 595-7500

FAX: [1] (202) 232-3763

email address and website:
correo@elsalvador.org

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Brentwood (NY), Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas (NV), Loreado (TX), Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), New York, San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Tucson (AZ), Washington (DC), Woodbridge (VA)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Patrick H. VENTRELL

embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador

mailing address: 3450 San Salvador Place, Washington, DC 20521-3450

telephone: [503] 2501-2999

FAX: [503] 2501-2150

email address and website:
ACSSanSal@state.gov

https://sv.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of cobalt blue (top), white, and cobalt blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water, as well as peace and prosperity

note: similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
National symbol(s): turquoise-browed motmot (bird); national colors: blue, white
National anthem: name: "Himno Nacional de El Salvador" (National Anthem of El Salvador)

lyrics/music: Juan Jose CANAS/Juan ABERLE

note: officially adopted 1953, in use since 1879; at 4:20 minutes, the anthem of El Salvador is one of the world's longest
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The smallest country in Central America geographically, El Salvador has the fourth largest economy in the region. With the global recession, real GDP contracted in 2009 and economic growth has since remained low, averaging less than 2% from 2010 to 2014, but recovered somewhat in 2015-17 with an average annual growth rate of 2.4%. Remittances accounted for approximately 18% of GDP in 2017 and were received by about a third of all households.   In 2006, El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, which has bolstered the export of processed foods, sugar, and ethanol, and supported investment in the apparel sector amid increased Asian competition. In September 2015, El Salvador kicked off a five-year $277 million second compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation - a US Government agency aimed at stimulating economic growth and reducing poverty - to improve El Salvador's competitiveness and productivity in international markets.   The Salvadoran Government maintained fiscal discipline during reconstruction and rebuilding following earthquakes in 2001 and hurricanes in 1998 and 2005, but El Salvador's public debt, estimated at 59.3% of GDP in 2017, has been growing over the last several years.The smallest country in Central America geographically, El Salvador has the fourth largest economy in the region. With the global recession, real GDP contracted in 2009 and economic growth has since remained low, averaging less than 2% from 2010 to 2014, but recovered somewhat in 2015-17 with an average annual growth rate of 2.4%. Remittances accounted for approximately 18% of GDP in 2017 and were received by about a third of all households. In 2006, El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, which has bolstered the export of processed foods, sugar, and ethanol, and supported investment in the apparel sector amid increased Asian competition. In September 2015, El Salvador kicked off a five-year $277 million second compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation - a US Government agency aimed at stimulating economic growth and reducing poverty - to improve El Salvador's competitiveness and productivity in international markets. The Salvadoran Government maintained fiscal discipline during reconstruction and rebuilding following earthquakes in 2001 and hurricanes in 1998 and 2005, but El Salvador's public debt, estimated at 59.3% of GDP in 2017, has been growing over the last several years.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $52.26 billion (2020 est.)

$56.77 billion (2019 est.)

$55.31 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 2.3% (2017 est.)

2.6% (2016 est.)

2.4% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $8,100 (2020 est.)

$8,800 (2019 est.)

$8,600 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $27.023 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0% (2019 est.)

1% (2018 est.)

1% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: B- (2017)

Moody's rating: B3 (2018)

Standard & Poors rating: B- (2018)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 12% (2017 est.)

industry: 27.7% (2017 est.)

services: 60.3% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 84.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 15.8% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 16.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 27.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -44.9% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: sugar cane, maize, milk, poultry, sorghum, beans, coconuts, eggs, apples, oranges
Industries: food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals
Industrial production growth rate: 3.6% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 2.908 million (2019 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 21%

industry: 20%

services: 58% (2011 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7% (2017 est.)

6.9% (2016 est.)

note: data are official rates; but underemployment is high
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 10%

male: 8.3%

female: 12.8% (2019)
Population below poverty line: 22.8% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 38.6 (2018 est.)

38 (2014)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2%

highest 10%: 32.3% (2014 est.)
Budget: revenues: 5.886 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 6.517 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -2.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 67.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

66.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: El Salvador's total public debt includes non-financial public sector debt, financial public sector debt, and central bank debt
Taxes and other revenues: 23.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$501 million (2017 est.)

-$500 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $6.29 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$7.98 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$7.56 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: United States 40%, Guatemala 15%, Honduras 15%, Nicaragua 6% (2019)
Exports - commodities: textiles and apparel, electrical capacitors, plastic lids, raw sugar, toilet paper (2019)
Imports: $10.82 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$12.45 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$12.32 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: United States 30%, China 14%, Guatemala 13%, Mexico 8%, Honduras 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, packaged medicines, clothing, broadcasting equipment, natural gas (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.567 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.238 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $17.24 billion (2019 est.)

$16.712 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: note: the US dollar is used as a medium of exchange and circulates freely in the economy

1 (2017 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 97% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 99% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 93% (2019)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 2.586 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 6,443,200,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 158 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 1.45 billion kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 795.8 million kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 28.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 7.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 30% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 22.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 12.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 59,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 347 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 49,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 7.632 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 2,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 7.63 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 24.124 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 894,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 9.949 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 153 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: El Salvador is the smallest country in central America geographically, it has the fourth largest economy in the region; the country’s telecom sector has been restricted by poor infrastructure and unequal income distribution; there have been organizational delays which have slowed the development of telecom services; El Salvador’s fixed-line teledensity is substantially lower than the Latin American and Caribbean average; there has been a significant drop in the number of fixed lines since 2010, particularly in 2017, largely due to the substitution for mobile-only alternatives; about 94% of all telephony lines in the country are on mobile networks; mobile subscriptions are remarkably high considering El Salvador’s economic indicators, being about a third higher than average for Latin America and the Caribbean; the country was one of the last in the region to provide LTE services, mainly due to the inadequate provision of suitable spectrum; the multi-spectrum auction conducted at the end of 2019 has allowed MNOs to improve the reach and quality of their service offerings; El Salvador’s telecom legislation is one of the more liberal in Latin America, encouraging competition in most areas and permitting foreign investment; there are no regulations which promote wholesale broadband, and thus in the DSL market leader Claro retains a virtual monopoly; the only effective cross-platform competition in the broadband market comes from the few cable operators; there has been some market consolidation in recent years, including Telemóvil’s acquisition of the regional cable TV provider Caribena Cable; in May 2019, the competition authority began assessing the sale of Telefónica El Salvador to América Móvil, which operates in the country under the Claro brand; Telefónica sold the unit in October 2021, though at a considerably reduced price. (2021)

domestic: fixed-line services, roughly 14 per 100, has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition now at 161 subscribers per 100 inhabitants (2019)

international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: multiple privately owned national terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by cable TV networks that carry international channels; hundreds of commercial radio broadcast stations and two known government-owned radio broadcast station; transition to digital transmission to begin in 2018 along with adaptation of the Japanese-Brazilian Digital Standard (ISDB-T) (2022)
Internet country code: .sv
Internet users: total: 3,567,410 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 55% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 586,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 13

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,545,105 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 10.73 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: YS
Airports: total: 68 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 5

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 63

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m: 51 (2021)
Heliports: 2 (2021)
Railways: total: 12.5 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 12.5 km (2014) 0.914-mm gauge
Roadways: total: 9,012 km (2017)

paved: 5,341 km (2017)

unpaved: 3,671 km (2017)
Waterways: 422 km (2022) (Rio Lempa River is partially navigable by small craft)
Merchant marine: total: 2

by type: other 2 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Puerto Cutuco

oil terminal(s): Acajutla offshore terminal

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: the Armed Force of El Salvador (La Fuerza Armada de El Salvador, FAES): Army of El Salvador (Ejercito de El Salvador, ES), Navy of El Salvador (Fuerza Naval de El Salvador, FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS); Ministry of Justice and Public Security: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil, PNC) (2022)

note: in 2016, El Salvador created a combined Army commando and National Civil Police unit to combat criminal gang violence
Military expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.2% of GDP (2019) (approximately $570 million)

1.1% of GDP (2018) (approximately $540 million)

1% of GDP (2017) (approximately $500 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 21,000 active military personnel (17,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2022)

note: in 2021, El Salvador announced intentions to double the size of the military, although no time frame was given
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the FAES is dependent on a mix of mostly older imported platforms, largely from the US; since 2010, the FAES has received small amounts of equipment from several countries, including Chile, Israel, Spain, and the US (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation is 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs (2022)

note: as of 2016, women made up about 6% of the active duty military
Military deployments: 175 Mali (MINUSMA) (May 2022)
Military - note: the National Civilian Police (Ministry of Justice and Public Security) is responsible for maintaining public security, while the Ministry of Defense is responsible for maintaining national security; the constitution separates public security and military functions, but allows the president to use the armed forces in exceptional circumstances to maintain internal peace and public security; in November 2019, President BUKELE signed a decree authorizing military involvement in police duties to combat gang violence, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking, as well as assisting with border security; as of 2022, a considerable portion of the Army was deployed in support of the National Police (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of FonsecaInternational Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 71,500 (2021)
Illicit drugs: a transit country for illicit drugs destined for the United States  a transit country for illicit drugs destined for the United States


Topic: Photos of Tunisia

Topic: Introduction
Background: Tunisia has been the nexus of many different colonizations including those of the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and the 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 following World War I was finally successful in convincing 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. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. Street protests that began in Tunis in December 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in January 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths. On 14 January 2011, the same day BEN ALI dismissed the government, he fled the country, and by late January 2011, a "national unity government" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held in late October 2011, and in December, it elected human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in February 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in January 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. Following ESSEBSI’s death in office in July 2019, Tunisia moved its scheduled presidential election forward two months and after two rounds of voting, Kais SAIED was sworn in as president in October 2019. Tunisia also held legislative elections on schedule in October 2019. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, expires in 2024. On 25 July 2021, SAIED seized exceptional powers allowed under Tunisia's constitution to fire the prime minister and suspend the legislature.Tunisia has been the nexus of many different colonizations including those of the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and the 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 following World War I was finally successful in convincing 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. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. Street protests that began in Tunis in December 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in January 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths. On 14 January 2011, the same day BEN ALI dismissed the government, he fled the country, and by late January 2011, a "national unity government" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held in late October 2011, and in December, it elected human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in February 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in January 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. Following ESSEBSI’s death in office in July 2019, Tunisia moved its scheduled presidential election forward two months and after two rounds of voting, Kais SAIED was sworn in as president in October 2019. Tunisia also held legislative elections on schedule in October 2019. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, expires in 2024. On 25 July 2021, SAIED seized exceptional powers allowed under Tunisia's constitution to fire the prime minister and suspend the legislature.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Geographic coordinates: 34 00 N, 9 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 163,610 sq km

land: 155,360 sq km

water: 8,250 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries: total: 1,495 km

border countries (2): Algeria 1,034 km; Libya 461 km
Coastline: 1,148 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 12 nm
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
Elevation: highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m

mean elevation: 246 m
Natural resources: petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Land use: agricultural land: 64.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 18.3% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 15.4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 31.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 6.6% (2018 est.)

other: 28.6% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,590 sq km (2012)
Major aquifers: North Western Sahara Aquifer System
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
Natural hazards: flooding; earthquakes; droughts
Geography - note: strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration
Map description: Tunisia map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Mediterranean Sea.Tunisia map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Mediterranean Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 11,896,972 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Tunisian(s)

adjective: Tunisian
Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Languages: Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Berber (Tamazight); note - despite having no official status, French plays a major role in the country and is spoken by about two thirds of the population

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%
Demographic profile: The Tunisian Government took steps in the 1960s to decrease population growth and gender inequality in order to improve socioeconomic development. Through its introduction of a national family planning program (the first in Africa) and by raising the legal age of marriage, Tunisia rapidly reduced its total fertility rate from about 7 children per woman in 1960 to 2 today. Unlike many of its North African and Middle Eastern neighbors, Tunisia will soon be shifting from being a youth-bulge country to having a transitional age structure, characterized by lower fertility and mortality rates, a slower population growth rate, a rising median age, and a longer average life expectancy.Currently, the sizable young working-age population is straining Tunisia’s labor market and education and health care systems. Persistent high unemployment among Tunisia’s growing workforce, particularly its increasing number of university graduates and women, was a key factor in the uprisings that led to the overthrow of the BEN ALI regime in 2011. In the near term, Tunisia’s large number of jobless young, working-age adults; deficiencies in primary and secondary education; and the ongoing lack of job creation and skills mismatches could contribute to future unrest. In the longer term, a sustained low fertility rate will shrink future youth cohorts and alleviate demographic pressure on Tunisia’s labor market, but employment and education hurdles will still need to be addressed.Tunisia has a history of labor emigration. In the 1960s, workers migrated to European countries to escape poor economic conditions and to fill Europe’s need for low-skilled labor in construction and manufacturing. The Tunisian Government signed bilateral labor agreements with France, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, and the Netherlands, with the expectation that Tunisian workers would eventually return home. At the same time, growing numbers of Tunisians headed to Libya, often illegally, to work in the expanding oil industry. In the mid-1970s, with European countries beginning to restrict immigration and Tunisian-Libyan tensions brewing, Tunisian economic migrants turned toward the Gulf countries. After mass expulsions from Libya in 1983, Tunisian migrants increasingly sought family reunification in Europe or moved illegally to southern Europe, while Tunisia itself developed into a transit point for Sub-Saharan migrants heading to Europe.Following the ousting of BEN ALI in 2011, the illegal migration of unemployed Tunisian youths to Italy and onward to France soared into the tens of thousands. Thousands more Tunisian and foreign workers escaping civil war in Libya flooded into Tunisia and joined the exodus. A readmission agreement signed by Italy and Tunisia in April 2011 helped stem the outflow, leaving Tunisia and international organizations to repatriate, resettle, or accommodate some 1 million Libyans and third-country nationals.The Tunisian Government took steps in the 1960s to decrease population growth and gender inequality in order to improve socioeconomic development. Through its introduction of a national family planning program (the first in Africa) and by raising the legal age of marriage, Tunisia rapidly reduced its total fertility rate from about 7 children per woman in 1960 to 2 today. Unlike many of its North African and Middle Eastern neighbors, Tunisia will soon be shifting from being a youth-bulge country to having a transitional age structure, characterized by lower fertility and mortality rates, a slower population growth rate, a rising median age, and a longer average life expectancy.Currently, the sizable young working-age population is straining Tunisia’s labor market and education and health care systems. Persistent high unemployment among Tunisia’s growing workforce, particularly its increasing number of university graduates and women, was a key factor in the uprisings that led to the overthrow of the BEN ALI regime in 2011. In the near term, Tunisia’s large number of jobless young, working-age adults; deficiencies in primary and secondary education; and the ongoing lack of job creation and skills mismatches could contribute to future unrest. In the longer term, a sustained low fertility rate will shrink future youth cohorts and alleviate demographic pressure on Tunisia’s labor market, but employment and education hurdles will still need to be addressed.Tunisia has a history of labor emigration. In the 1960s, workers migrated to European countries to escape poor economic conditions and to fill Europe’s need for low-skilled labor in construction and manufacturing. The Tunisian Government signed bilateral labor agreements with France, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, and the Netherlands, with the expectation that Tunisian workers would eventually return home. At the same time, growing numbers of Tunisians headed to Libya, often illegally, to work in the expanding oil industry. In the mid-1970s, with European countries beginning to restrict immigration and Tunisian-Libyan tensions brewing, Tunisian economic migrants turned toward the Gulf countries. After mass expulsions from Libya in 1983, Tunisian migrants increasingly sought family reunification in Europe or moved illegally to southern Europe, while Tunisia itself developed into a transit point for Sub-Saharan migrants heading to Europe.Following the ousting of BEN ALI in 2011, the illegal migration of unemployed Tunisian youths to Italy and onward to France soared into the tens of thousands. Thousands more Tunisian and foreign workers escaping civil war in Libya flooded into Tunisia and joined the exodus. A readmission agreement signed by Italy and Tunisia in April 2011 helped stem the outflow, leaving Tunisia and international organizations to repatriate, resettle, or accommodate some 1 million Libyans and third-country nationals.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.28% (male 1,529,834/female 1,433,357)

15-24 years: 12.9% (male 766,331/female 745,888)

25-54 years: 42.85% (male 2,445,751/female 2,576,335)

55-64 years: 10.12% (male 587,481/female 598,140)

65 years and over: 8.86% (2020 est.) (male 491,602/female 546,458)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 49.6

youth dependency ratio: 36.3

elderly dependency ratio: 13.3

potential support ratio: 7.5 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 32.7 years

male: 32 years

female: 33.3 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.69% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 14.62 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 6.36 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 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
Urbanization: urban population: 70.2% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 2.439 million TUNIS (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 43 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 11.87 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 13.32 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.82 years

male: 75.14 years

female: 78.6 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 50.7% (2018)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 97.3% of population

total: 99.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 2.7% of population

total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 7% (2019)
Physicians density: 1.3 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Hospital bed density: 2.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 98.8% of population

rural: 99.4% of population

total: 99% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.2% of population

rural: 0.6% of population

total: 1% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: (2020 est.) <.1%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 4,500 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <200
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 26.9% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 1.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 0.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.32 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.)
Tobacco use: total: 24.6% (2020 est.)

male: 47.2% (2020 est.)

female: 2% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.6% (2018)
Education expenditures: 7.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 81.8%

male: 89.6%

female: 74.2% (2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 16 years (2016)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 34.9%

male: 33.8%

female: 37.2% (2017 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural freshwater resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international 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
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 35.66 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 29.94 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 7.89 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Land use: agricultural land: 64.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 18.3% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 15.4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 31.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 6.6% (2018 est.)

other: 28.6% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 70.2% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.21% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.7 million tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 108,000 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4% (2014 est.)
Major aquifers: North Western Sahara Aquifer System
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 137 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 965 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 3.773 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 4.615 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Tunisia

conventional short form: Tunisia

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah

local short form: Tunis

etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Tunis
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Tunis

geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: three possibilities exist for the derivation of the name; originally a Berber settlement (earliest reference 4th century B.C.), the strategic site fell to the Carthaginians (Phoenicians) and the city could be named after the Punic goddess Tanit, since many ancient cities were named after patron deities; alternatively, the Berber root word "ens," which means "to lie down" or "to pass the night," may indicate that the site was originally a camp or rest stop; finally, the name may be the same as the city of Tynes, mentioned in the writings of some ancient authors
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)
Independence: 20 March 1956 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 20 March (1956); Revolution and Youth Day, 14 January (2011)
Constitution: history: history: several previous; latest approved by Constituent Assembly 26 January 2014, signed by the president, prime minister, and Constituent Assembly speaker on 27 January 2014; note - in September 2021, President Kais SAIED issued a decree granting him certain executive, legislative, and judiciary powers, and the authority to rule by decree, but allowed continued implementation of the preamble and chapters one and two of the Constitution, which guarantee rights and freedoms; note - in a 25 July 2022 referendum, voters supported a new constitution proposed by the president

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by one third of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People membership; following review by the Constitutional Court, approval to proceed requires an absolute majority vote by the Assembly and final passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; the president can opt to submit an amendment to a referendum, which requires an absolute majority of votes cast for passagehistory: several previous; latest approved by Constituent Assembly 26 January 2014, signed by the president, prime minister, and Constituent Assembly speaker on 27 January 2014; note - in September 2021, President Kais SAIED issued a decree granting him certain executive, legislative, and judiciary powers, and the authority to rule by decree, but allowed continued implementation of the preamble and chapters one and two of the Constitution, which guarantee rights and freedoms; note - in a 25 July 2022 referendum, voters supported a new constitution proposed by the president
Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law, based on the French civil code and Islamic (sharia) law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
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
Executive branch: chief of state: President Kais SAIED (elected 13 October, sworn in 23 October 2019)

head of government: Prime Minister Najla BOUDEN Romdhane (since 11 October 2021)

cabinet: selected by the prime minister and approved by the Assembly of the Representatives of the People; note - on 11 October 2021, SAIED and BOUDEN appointed a new cabinet without approval by the suspended parliament

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 15 September 2019 with a runoff on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in 2024); following legislative elections, the prime minister is selected by the winning party or winning coalition and appointed by the president

election results: 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%; runoff - Kais SAIED elected president; Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3%            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%; runoff - Kais SAIED elected president; Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3%
Legislative branch: description: note: on 25 July 2021, President SAIED suspended indefinitely the Assembly, and on 30 March 2022 he dissolved the Assembly
unicameral Assembly of the Representatives of the People or Majlis Nuwwab ash-Sha'b (Assemblee des representants du peuple) (217 seats; 199 members directly elected in Tunisian multi-seat constituencies and 18 members in multi-seat constituencies living abroad by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: initial election held on 6 October 2019 (next to be held in December 2022)

election results: percent of vote by party - Ennahda 19.6%, Heart of Tunisia 14.6%, Free Destourian Party 6.6%, Democratic Current 6.4%, Dignity Coalition 5.9%, People's Movement 4.5%, TahyaTounes 4.1%, other 35.4%, independent 2.9%; seats by party -  Ennahda 52, Heart of Tunisia 38, Free Destourian Party 17, Democratic Current 22, Dignity Coalition 21, People's Movement 16, Long Live Tunisia 14, other 25, independent 12; composition (as of October 2021) - men 160, women 57, percent of women 26.3%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Court of Cassation (consists of the first president, chamber presidents, and magistrates and organized into 27 civil and 11 criminal chambers)

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 constitution but inception has been delayed; note - in mid-February 2022, President SAIED dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council and replaced it with an interim council in early March

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; administrative courts; Court of Audit; Housing Court; courts of first instance; lower district courts; military courts

note: the new Tunisian constitution of January 2014 called for the creation of a constitutional court by the end of 2015, but as November 2021, the court had not been appointed; the court to consist of 12 members - 4 each to be appointed by the president, the Supreme Judicial Council (an independent 4-part body consisting mainly of elected judges and the remainder are legal specialists), and the Chamber of the People's Deputies (parliament); members are to serve 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
Political parties and leaders: Afek Tounes [Yassine BRAHIM]Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative) [Mehdi JOMAA]
Amal Party [Ridha BELHAJ]
Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes) [Ali HAFSI]
Current of Love [Hachemi HAMDI] (formerly the Popular Petition party)
Democratic Current [Ghazi CHAOUACHI]
Democratic Patriots' Unified Party [Zied LAKHDHAR]
Dignity Coalition or Al Karama Coalition [Seifeddine MAKHIOUF]
Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance) [Rached GHANNOUCHI]
Free Destourian Party or PDL [Abir MOUSSI]
Green Tunisia Party [Abdelkader ZITOUNI]
Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes) [Nabil KAROUI]
Long Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes) [Youssef CHAHED]
Machrou Tounes (Tunisia Project) [Mohsen MARZOUK]
Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ahmed KHASKHOUSSI]
Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard [Kheireddine SOUABNI]
People's Movement [Zouheir MAGHZAOUI]
Republican Party (Al Joumhouri) [Issam CHEBBI]
The Movement Party (Hizb Harak) [Moncef MARZOUKI]
Third Republic Party [Olfa Hamdi]
Tunisian Ba'ath Movement [Othmen Bel Haj AMOR]
Workers' Party [Hamma HAMMAMI]
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, 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, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hanene TAJOURI Bessassi (since 4 October 2021)

chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005

telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850

FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

email address and website:
AT.Washington@Tunisiaembassy.org

https://www.tunisianembassy.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Natasha FRANCESCHI (since April 2022)

embassy: Les Berges du Lac, 1053 Tunis

mailing address: 6360 Tunis Place, Washington DC  20521-6360

telephone: [216] 71-107-000

FAX: [216] 71-107-090

email address and website:
tunisacs@state.gov

https://tn.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; resembles the Ottoman flag (red banner with white crescent and star) and recalls Tunisia's history as part of the Ottoman Empire; red represents the blood shed by martyrs in the struggle against oppression, white stands for peace; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam

note: the flag is based on that of Turkey, itself a successor state to the Ottoman Empire
National symbol(s): encircled red crescent moon and five-pointed star; national colors: red, white
National anthem: name: "Humat Al Hima" (Defenders of the Homeland)

lyrics/music: Mustafa Sadik AL-RAFII and Aboul-Qacem ECHEBBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB

note: adopted 1957, replaced 1958, restored 1987; Mohamad Abdel WAHAB also composed the music for the anthem of the United Arab Emirates
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 8 (7 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)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Tunisia's economy – structurally designed to favor vested interests – faced an array of challenges exposed by the 2008 global financial crisis that helped precipitate the 2011 Arab Spring revolution. After the revolution and a series of terrorist attacks, including on the country’s tourism sector, barriers to economic inclusion continued to add to slow economic growth and high unemployment.   Following an ill-fated experiment with socialist economic policies in the 1960s, Tunisia focused on bolstering exports, foreign investment, and tourism, all of which have become central to the country's economy. Key exports now include textiles and apparel, food products, petroleum products, chemicals, and phosphates, with about 80% of exports bound for Tunisia's main economic partner, the EU. Tunisia's strategy, coupled with investments in education and infrastructure, fueled decades of 4-5% annual GDP growth and improved living standards. Former President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (1987-2011) continued these policies, but as his reign wore on cronyism and corruption stymied economic performance, unemployment rose, and the informal economy grew. Tunisia’s economy became less and less inclusive. These grievances contributed to the January 2011 overthrow of BEN ALI, further depressing Tunisia's economy as tourism and investment declined sharply.   Tunisia’s government remains under pressure to boost economic growth quickly to mitigate chronic socio-economic challenges, especially high levels of youth unemployment, which has persisted since the 2011 revolution. Successive terrorist attacks against the tourism sector and worker strikes in the phosphate sector, which combined account for nearly 15% of GDP, slowed growth from 2015 to 2017. Tunis is seeking increased foreign investment and working with the IMF through an Extended Fund Facility agreement to fix fiscal deficiencies.Tunisia's economy – structurally designed to favor vested interests – faced an array of challenges exposed by the 2008 global financial crisis that helped precipitate the 2011 Arab Spring revolution. After the revolution and a series of terrorist attacks, including on the country’s tourism sector, barriers to economic inclusion continued to add to slow economic growth and high unemployment. Following an ill-fated experiment with socialist economic policies in the 1960s, Tunisia focused on bolstering exports, foreign investment, and tourism, all of which have become central to the country's economy. Key exports now include textiles and apparel, food products, petroleum products, chemicals, and phosphates, with about 80% of exports bound for Tunisia's main economic partner, the EU. Tunisia's strategy, coupled with investments in education and infrastructure, fueled decades of 4-5% annual GDP growth and improved living standards. Former President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (1987-2011) continued these policies, but as his reign wore on cronyism and corruption stymied economic performance, unemployment rose, and the informal economy grew. Tunisia’s economy became less and less inclusive. These grievances contributed to the January 2011 overthrow of BEN ALI, further depressing Tunisia's economy as tourism and investment declined sharply. Tunisia’s government remains under pressure to boost economic growth quickly to mitigate chronic socio-economic challenges, especially high levels of youth unemployment, which has persisted since the 2011 revolution. Successive terrorist attacks against the tourism sector and worker strikes in the phosphate sector, which combined account for nearly 15% of GDP, slowed growth from 2015 to 2017. Tunis is seeking increased foreign investment and working with the IMF through an Extended Fund Facility agreement to fix fiscal deficiencies.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $114.97 billion (2020 est.)

$125.78 billion (2019 est.)

$124.48 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 2% (2017 est.)

1.1% (2016 est.)

1.2% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $9,700 (2020 est.)

$10,800 (2019 est.)

$10,800 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $38.884 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.7% (2019 est.)

7.2% (2018 est.)

5.3% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: B (2020)

Moody's rating: B2 (2018)

Standard & Poors rating: N/A (2013)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 10.1% (2017 est.)

industry: 26.2% (2017 est.)

services: 63.8% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 71.7% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 20.8% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 19.4% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 43.2% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -55.2% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: wheat, milk, tomatoes, barley, olives, watermelons, green chillies/peppers, potatoes, dates, green onions/shallots
Industries: petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate, iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: 0.5% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 4.054 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.8%

industry: 33.2%

services: 51.7% (2014 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15.5% (2017 est.)

15.5% (2016 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 34.9%

male: 33.8%

female: 37.2% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line: 15.2% (2015 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 32.8 (2015 est.)

41.7 (1995 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6%

highest 10%: 27% (2010 est.)
Budget: revenues: 9.876 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 12.21 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 70.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

62.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 24.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$4.191 billion (2017 est.)

-$3.694 billion (2016 est.)
Exports: $19.17 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$19.42 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: France 29%, Italy 17%, Germany 13% (2019)
Exports - commodities: insulated wiring, clothing and apparel, crude petroleum, olive oil, vehicle parts (2019)
Imports: $23.42 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$24.65 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: France 17%, Italy 16%, Germany 8%, China 8%, Algeria 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, low-voltage protection equipment, cars, insulated wiring (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $5.594 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.941 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $35.911 billion (2019 est.)

$33.79 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar -

2.71795 (2020 est.)

2.8518 (2019 est.)

2.95875 (2018 est.)

1.9617 (2014 est.)

1.6976 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 5.777 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 16,737,180,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 631 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 472 million kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 3.641 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 95.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 5,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 5,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 42,500 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 107,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 29,400 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 10,200 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 425 million barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 27,770 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 13,660 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 85,340 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 1,025,974,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

consumption: 5,279,951,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 4,305,994,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves: 65.129 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 23.692 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 16,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 12.982 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 10.694 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 35.62 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1,533,273 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 14.771 million (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126.31 (2019)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Tunisia has one of the most sophisticated telecom infrastructures in North Africa; penetration rates for mobile and Internet services are among the highest in the region; government program of regulation and infrastructure projects aims to improve Internet connectivity to underserved areas; operators built extensive LTE infrastructure in 2019, and continue to discuss plans for future 5G networks and services; People’s Republic of China (PRC) company Huawei sold equipment to operators for Tunisia’s LTE networks; one operator has signed an agreement to pursue nano-satellite launches in 2023; Internet censorship abolished, though concerns of government surveillance remain; legislation passed in 2017 supporting e-commerce and active e-government; importer of some integrated circuits and broadcasting equipment (including radio, television, and communications transmitters) from the PRC (2022)

domestic: in an effort to jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line network, the government awarded a concession to build and operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; rural areas are served by wireless local loops; competition between several mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation and usage charges and a surge in subscribership; fixed-line is nearly 14.1 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity has reached about 132 telephones per 100 persons (2022)

international: country code - 216; landing points for the SEA-ME-WE-4, Didon, HANNIBAL System and Trapani-Kelibia submarine cable systems that provides links to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Southeast Asia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; 2 international gateway digital switches (2020)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: 2 state-owned TV stations; 10 private TV stations broadcast locally; satellite TV service is 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
Internet users: total: 8,509,405 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 72% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 1,334,059 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 7 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 53

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 4,274,199 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 13.23 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TS
Airports: total: 29 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 15

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m: 8 (2021)
Pipelines: 68 km condensate, 3,111 km gas, 1,381 km oil, 453 km refined products (2013)
Railways: total: 2,173 km (2014) (1,991 in use)

standard gauge: 471 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,694 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)

dual gauge: 8 km (2014) 1.435-1.000-m gauge
Roadways: paved: 20,000 km (2015)
Merchant marine: total: 71

by type: container ship 1, general cargo 8 oil tanker 1, other 61 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Bizerte, Gabes, Rades, Sfax, Skhira

Topic: Military and Security
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: National Police, National Guard (2022)

note: the National Police has primary responsibility for law enforcement in the major cities, while the National Guard (gendarmerie) oversees border security and patrols smaller towns and rural areas
Military expenditures: 3% of GDP (2021 est.)

3% of GDP (2020 est.)

3.8% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $2.81 billion)

3.9% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $2.84 billion)

4% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $2.81 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 35,000 active duty personnel (25,000 Army; 5,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force); estimated 10,000 National Guard (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Tunisian military's inventory includes mostly older or second-hand US and European equipment; since 2010, the Netherlands and US have been the leading suppliers of arms to Tunisia (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 20-23 years of age for male compulsory service, 1-year service obligation; individuals engaged in higher education or vocational training programs prior to their military drafting are allowed to delay service until they have completed their programs; 18-23 years of age for voluntary service; women may volunteer (2022)

note 1: as of 2021, approximately 20-25,000 active military personnel were conscripts

note 2: women have been allowed in the service since 1975 as volunteers only, although as recently as 2018, the Tunisian Government has discussed the possibility of conscripting women; as of 2018, women constituted less than 7% of the military and served in all three services
Military deployments: 325 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 100 Mali (MINUSMA) (May 2022)
Military - note: as of 2022, the Tunisian military’s primary operational areas of focus were counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, and border security; it was conducting counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations against al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Islamic State of ash-Sham (ISIS)-linked militants who have been fighting a low-intensity insurgency, mostly in the mountainous region along the border with Algeria, particularly the Chaambi Mountains near the city of Kasserine; the military maintained the lead role for security in this area and also routinely conducted joint operations with Algerian security forces against these groups, as well to counter smuggling and trafficking activities; the military in recent years also has increased its role in securing the southern border against militant activity, smuggling, and trafficking from war-torn Libya; since 2015, Tunisia has constructed a complex structure of berms, trenches, and water-filled moats, complemented by electronic surveillance equipment such as motion detectors, ground surveillance radars, and infrared sensors along the 220-kilometer border with Libya; in the remote southern areas of the border with Libya, buffer/exclusion zones have also been established where the military has the lead for counterterrorism efforts; outside of these border areas, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) has the lead responsibility for counter-terrorism in Tunisia, particularly for urban areas; the National Police Anti-Terrorism Brigade (BAT) and the National Guard Special Unit have the lead for MOI counterterrorism operations

Tunisia has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments (2022)

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) network in Tunisia; al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none identifiednone identified