Page last updated on February 12, 2013
Economy - overview:
Tunisia has a diverse, market-oriented economy, with important agricultural, mining, tourism, and manufacturing sectors but faces an array of challenges in the wake of the country's 2011 revolution. Following an ill-fated experiment with socialist economic policies in the 1960s, Tunisia successfully focused on bolstering exports, foreign investment, and tourism, leading to several decades of strong, sustained GDP growth. Key exports now include textiles and apparel, food products, petroleum products, chemicals, and phosphates, with about 80% of all exports going to the European Union. The tenure of former President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (1987-2011) was marked by increasing cronyism and corruption that stymied economic performance and failed to reduce high unemployment, particularly among younger Tunisians. In January 2011 BEN ALI was overthrown, sending Tunisia's economy into a tailspin. 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 impoverished interior.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$104.4 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
$101.7 billion (2011 est.)
$103.5 billion (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
[see also:
GDP country ranks ]
GDP (official exchange rate):
$44.7 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
-1.8% (2011 est.)
3.1% (2010 est.)
[see also:
GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
GDP - per capita:
$9,700 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
$9,500 (2011 est.)
$9,800 (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
[see also:
GDP - per capita country ranks ]
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.9%
[see also: GDP - composition by sector - agriculture country ranks ]
industry:
29.6%
services:
61.5% (2012 est.)
Labor force:
4.014 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 18.3%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry:
31.9%
services:
49.8% (2009 est.)
Unemployment rate:
18.8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
19% (2011 est.)
[see also:
Unemployment rate country ranks ]
Population below poverty line:
3.8% (2005 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%:
31.5% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40 (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
41.7 (1995 est.)
[see also:
Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
Investment (gross fixed):
23.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
[see also: Investment (gross fixed) country ranks ]
Budget:
revenues: $10.63 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures:
$14.43 billion (2012 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
23.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-8.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
Public debt:
52.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
45.1% of GDP (2011 est.)
[see also:
Public debt country ranks ]
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.9% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
3.5% (2011 est.)
[see also:
Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
Central bank discount rate:
5.75% (31 December 2010 est.)
NA% (31 December 2009 est.)
[see also:
Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.31% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
6.76% (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
Stock of narrow money:
$13.83 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
$13.16 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
Stock of broad money:
$31.06 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
$29.5 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of broad money country ranks ]
Stock of domestic credit:
$37.01 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
$34.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also:
Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$9.662 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 71
$10.68 billion (31 December 2010)
$9.12 billion (31 December 2009)
[see also:
Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
Agriculture - products:
olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products
Industries:
petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
Industrial production growth rate:
-6.4% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
Current account balance:
-$3.57 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
