Tunisia country profile

Home of the ancient city of Carthage, Tunisia has long been an important player in the Mediterranean, placed as it is in the centre of North Africa, close to vital shipping routes. In their time, the Romans, Arabs, Ottoman Turks and French realised its strategic significance, making it a hub for control over the region. OVERVIEW Overview Facts Leaders Media French colonial rule ended in 1956, and Tunisia was led for three decades by Habib Bourguiba, who advanced secular ideas. These included emancipation for women - women's rights in Tunisia are among the most advanced in the Arab world - the abolition of polygamy and compulsory free education. AT-A-GLANCE Politics: Tunisia has been relatively stable and prosperous under the leadership of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali since 1987. He stepped aside in January 2011 following widespread unrest Economy: The diverse economy has grown steadily and the slum population has halved, but the world recession has pushed unemployment up in recent years International: Tunisia has strong ties with the European Union; its peacekeepers have served in several conflict areas Timeline Mr Bourguiba insisted on an anti-Islamic fundamentalist line, while increasing his own powers to become a virtual dictator. In 1987 he was dismissed on grounds of senility and Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali' became president. He continued with a hard line against Islamic extremists, but inherited an economically-stable country. Although Tunisia has introduced some press freedoms and has freed a number of political prisoners, human rights groups say the authorities tolerate no dissent, harassing government critics and rights activists. Mr Ben Ali faced reproach at home and abroad for his party's three "99.9%" election wins. The opposition condemned changes to the constitution which allowed him to run for re-election in 2004, and in 2009. Tunisia is more prosperous than its neighbours and has strong trade links with Europe. Agriculture employs a large part of the workforce, and dates and olives are cultivated in the drier regions. Millions of European tourists flock to Tunisian resorts every year. Political violence was rare until recently, but militant Islamists have become an issue of concern for the authorities. A suicide bomb attack on an historic synagogue in the resort of Djerba in 2002 killed 21 people and led to a dramatic drop in tourist numbers. A dozen suspected Islamists were killed in shoot-outs with security forces in and around Tunis at the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007. Lawyers say hundreds of people were arrested on suspicion of links with terrorist groups since 2003, when the authorities gained new powers of arrest. Violent repression of protests over unemployment and lack of political freedom in the winter of 2010-2011 left dozens of people dead. But popular street protests continued and President Ben Ali went into exile in January 2011, his prime minister taking charge. FACTS Overview Facts Leaders Media Full name: Tunisian Republic Population: 10.4 million (UN, 2010) Capital: Tunis Area: 164,150 sq km (63,378 sq miles) Major languages: Arabic (official); French Major religion: Islam Life expectancy: 73 years (men), 77 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Tunisian dinar (TD) = 1,000 millimes Main exports: Agricultural products, textiles, oil GNI per capita: US $3,720 (World Bank, 2009) Internet domain: .tn International dialling code: +216 LEADERS Overview Facts Leaders Media Interim President: Fouad Mebazaa Former president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali went into exile in January 2011 following weeks of street protests whose success inspired waves of unrest across the Middle East and North Africa. The Tunisian uprising, described as the Jasmine Revolution, unseated Mr Ben Ali after 23 years in power. Within weeks a similar popular revolt in Egypt removed long-term president Hosni Mubarak. Ben Ali had been president since 1987 Once Mr Ben Ali stepped aside his prime minister, Mohammed Ghannouchi, formed a unity government which included some opposition figures but angered protesters and some of his new cabinet by picking several members of the old guard. He pledged to hold elections on a date yet to be named. However, Mr Ghannouchi resigned weeks later under pressure from continuing demonstrations. Mr Ben Ali, from the ruling Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), had been due to retire in 2004 but changes to the constitution allowed him to run for two more terms. Born in 1936 in Hammam Sousse, Mr Ben Ali was Tunisia's ambassador in Warsaw in 1980 and became prime minister in October 1987. He was sworn in as the new president in 1987, after doctors declared President Habib Bourguiba unfit to govern because of senility. The takeover is sometimes described as a palace coup. Rights groups and some political opponents said Tunisia's government was authoritarian with a veneer of pluralism. They said it stifled free speech and beat and jailed opponents, something the government denied. MEDIA Overview Facts Leaders Media The government of former President Ben Ali tightly controlled the press and broadcasting. But in the immediate wake of the January 2011 popular revolt, many journalists were able to enjoy new-found freedoms. State TV - which had toed the government line - changed tack, giving airtime to the former opposition. However, some journalists warned that the network of editors and censors set up under Mr Ben Ali remained in place. The state broadcaster operates two national TV channels and several radio networks. Egyptian and pan-Arab satellite TVs command large audiences. Under Mr Ben Ali, press codes shaped coverage and stipulated fines and prison sentences for violators. Journals were screened before publication and self-censorship was widespread. Websites which criticised the government were often blocked. There were 3.6 million internet users in Tunisia by June 2010 - 34% of the population (Internetworldstats.com). The extensive use of social media during the January 2011 protests prompted some commentators to describe the events as a "Facebook victory" and a "Twitter revolution". The press La Presse - state-owned daily Nouvelles de Tunisie - daily Assabah - privately-owned daily Le Quotidien - daily Television National Tunisian TV - state-run Hannibal TV - private, via satellite and terrestrially Radio Tunisian Radio - state-run Radio Mosaique FM - private Jawhara FM - private Zitouna FM - Islamic News agency Agence Tunis Afrique Presse - state-run, English-language pages