Economy - overview:
Tunisia's diverse, market-oriented economy has long been cited as a success story in Africa and the Middle East, but it faces an array of challenges during the country's ongoing political transition. Following an ill-fated experiment with socialist economic policies in the 1960s, Tunisia embarked on a successful strategy 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 European Union. Tunisia's liberal strategy, coupled with investments in education and infrastructure, fueled decades of 4-5% annual GDP growth and improving living standards. Former President (1987-2011) Zine el Abidine BEN ALI continued these policies, but as his reign wore on cronyism and corruption stymied economic performance and unemployment rose among the country's growing ranks of university graduates. These grievances contributed to the January 2011 overthrow of BEN ALI, sending Tunisia's economy into a tailspin as tourism and investment declined sharply. During 2012 and 2013, the Tunisian Government�?"s focus on the political transition led to a neglect of the economy that resulted in several downgrades of Tunisia�?"s credit rating. As the economy recovers, Tunisia's government faces challenges reassuring businesses and investors, bringing budget and current account deficits under control, shoring up the country's financial system, bringing down high unemployment, and reducing economic disparities between the more developed coastal region and the impoverished interior.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use:
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation:
Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget:
Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Exchange rates:
$108.4 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
$105.4 billion (2012 est.)
$101.8 billion (2011 est.)
note:
data are in 2013 US dollars
[see also: GDP country ranks ]
$48.38 billion (2013 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
2.8% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
3.6% (2012 est.)
-1.9% (2011 est.)
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$9,900 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
$9,800 (2012 est.)
$9,500 (2011 est.)
note:
data are in 2013 US dollars
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]
26.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
25.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
24.1% of GDP (2011 est.)
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption:
66.5%
government consumption:
18.4%
investment in fixed capital:
22.6%
investment in inventories:
3.5%
exports of goods and services:
49.2%
imports of goods and services:
-60.1%
(2013 est.)
agriculture:
8.6%
industry:
30.4%
services:
61% (2013 est.)
olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate, iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
3.974 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture:
18.3%
industry:
31.9%
services:
49.8% (2009 est.)
17.2% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
17.4% (2012 est.)
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
3.8% (2005 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%:
2.3%
highest 10%:
31.5% (2000)
40 (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
41.7 (1995 est.)
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues:
$12.16 billion
expenditures:
$15.8 billion (2013 est.)
25.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-7.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
51.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
46.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
calendar year
6.1% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
5.6% (2012 est.)
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
5.75% (31 December 2010 est.)
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
7.31% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
6.76% (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$13.08 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
$13.44 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$29.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
$30.72 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$35.59 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
$36.09 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$8.887 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
$9.662 billion (31 December 2011)
$10.68 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
-$4.556 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
-$3.773 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$17.46 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
$17.07 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
France 26.2%, Italy 16%, Germany 9.4%, Libya 7.6%, US 4.3% (2012)
$24.95 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
$23.1 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs
France 19.8%, Italy 16.7%, Germany 7.3%, China 6%, Spain 5.3%, Algeria 4.4% (2012)
$8.113 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
$8.36 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
$26.95 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
$24.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
$34.64 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
$33.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]
$295 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
$285 million (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]
Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar -
1.638 (2013 est.)
1.5619 (2012 est.)
1.4314 (2010 est.)
1.3503 (2009)
1.211 (2008)