Economy of Tunisia

The economy of Tunisia is registered in an economic reform process and of liberalization since 1986 after three decades of Dirigisme and participations of the State in the economy. With, starting from 2008, the opening to world competition by the coming into effect of the agreement of Free trade concluded with the European Union in 1995, the Tunisian economy faces challenges of levelling of whole pieces of its economy while profiting from a constant annual economic growth of about 5% per annum since ten years.

The economy of the Tunisia is historically related on the Agriculture (Blé, olives, dates, citrus fruits and produced sea), on the mines and the energy (large producer of phosphates and to a lesser extent of hydrocarbons), on the Tourisme (6,5 million tourists in 2006) and to manufacturing industries (textile, Agroalimentaire and electromechanical) from the point of view extravertie (great number of industrial companies completely or partially exporters). Thus, its diversified economy distinguishes it from that of the majority of the States of the areas African, North-African and means-Eastern. Compared to the other countries of the the Maghreb (Algeria and Morocco), it rises in the 1st place for the income per capita as for the level of development. Moreover, Tunisia is, as well as Morocco, one of the only countries of the area to being been included in the category of the “countries with average revenues”.

The Tunisian economy is distinguished with the World economic forum on the Africa, held of the 13 with the June 15th 2007, like the 1st competitive economy more of Africa, preceding the South Africa, and the 29e on 128 on a world level.

History

Nationalizations (1956-1961)

After independence, in 1956, the priority established by the president Habib Bourguiba is to release the nation's economy of the French control which had supported the Agriculture and the mineral extraction, but, mainly, had neglected the Industrie. Between 1956 and 1960, almost the totality of: 12000 French civils servant working for the Tunisian administration are repatriated. To affirm public control in the sector-keys, the government creates the National company of the Tunisian railroads in 1956, takes in hand the direction of the banking environment in 1958 and nationalizes, between 1959 and 1960, the companies of electricity, Natural gas and Eau. In 1960, the shipping companies are also nationalized: the government acquires 50% of the airline company Tunisair and creates the Tunisian Compagnie of navigation. In same time, by the promulgation of the law nº 58-109 of the October 18th 1958, the Tunisian Dinar becomes the official currency and replaces the Tunisian Franc ata rate of 1 dinar for: 1000 francs. All that is not however yet synonymous with a socialist orientation , the objective being to reinforce the control of the new State independent all while maintaining a liberal policy based on promotion of the Investissement and the foreign trade. Thus, during the first five years, the State offers tax incentives and facilities of Crédit in order to justify the private sector to play a more important part. In August, the public sector includes the Wholesale and the Retail trade, an important part of industry and banking environment as well as transport, electricity and the mines which were already under the control of the State, the financial sector is entirely managed by the government and the economy is protected by very high customs duties and restrictions from Importation. However, economy profits from positive tests profiting from two oil crises (1973 and 1979), which makes increase the prices of the Pétrole and the phosphates, but also thanks to an agricultural production in rise and with higher tourist receipts. This shy person opening allows the creation of new jobs and, consequently, the development of a better social mobility of the youth lately educated and the growth of a Middle-class.

Economic crisis (1982-1986)

Tunisia is too dependant on the oil revenues and is penalized by its external debt, burdening public finances which ensure the subsidizing of the prices up to that point. Moreover, it does not have basic productive sufficient to be able to absorb the surplus of workers and to export a diversified and competitive product range. The lack of investment of the State in the infrastructures still blocks the growth and dissuades the private investors.

Levelling of the economy (1995-2007)

The process of Universalization which affects Tunisia, like so many others Developing country, is conceived by the government like a “natural order”, i.e. it is obligatory for the country to adapt to it under penalty of strong degradation of its economic situation. This speech fits directly in the continuity of the Rhétorique bourguibienne of the development and the role of the State like guarantor of the national unit. The policy of opening started allows a durable resumption of the economic growth, as opposed to what live other country of the area, but contributes in same time to déstructurer the economic fabric, by dividing it between the competitive sectors and opened towards the outside - and profiting, according to the World Bank, of “generous privileges” in the shape of tax gifts - and the sectors weakened by a process of opening to which they are not prepared, in particular in the strategic sector of the textile which represents nearly 50% of national exports. However, a report/ratio of the World Bank of June 2004 pin the “discrétionnaires interventions of the government” and the “capacity of the initiates” who weaken, according to it, the climate of the businesses and the possible takings risk of the foreign investors, contribute all the same to 72% of the GDP in 2006 compared with 63% in 1997 and employ three million people. They carry out 85% of exports and 56% of the total volume of the investments. But their dependence in the State remains financial, have regard with the high rate of the bank credit and to the difficult conditions for the access to the credit in a banking system mainly public, and this in spite of the calls of the IMF with the acceleration of the reform and the privatization of the banking environment. Moreover, it not preparation of several sectors to the opening led to the maintenance of a level of high and variable unemployment according to the sources of 13% to 20%.

One can thus note that the opening of the Tunisian market called into question the bases on which the political regime was built up to that point, forcing this one to adapt these strategies to develop the economy and to ensure social balance. In addition, unemployment persisting and the difficulties related to the slow reorganization of the State leave part of the population in margin of the economic development which is however the principal base of the government policy. However, of the networks still allow to moderate possible dissatisfactions.

Economic structure

In 2006, the Gross domestic product (GDP) of Tunisia reached: 36522 million Tunisian dinars is a rise of 5,6% compared to 2005. As for the Active population, it reaches 3,3 million people but the occupied active population adds up 2,854 million people. According to the official data, the distribution by economic sector is done in the following way:

Agriculture and fishing

See also: Vine growing in Tunisia, Fishing in Tunisia

Since the independence of Tunisia, the Agriculture recorded important growth rates and made it possible the country to reach a sufficient level of Food safety. These performances are the consequence of important efforts of support and modernization carried out within the framework of a development policy and of regulation of the agricultural activities and rural. Indeed, deposit rates of the national needs by the interior production are of almost 48% for the cereals, to 100% for the products of the breeding or to 88% for the oils. In spite of the development of the other sectors of the nation's economy, agriculture preserves a social and economic importance: it ensures approximately 12,3% of GDP and employs 16,3% of labor in 2006.

The principal agricultural productions are the cereals (Blé and barley), the olives (4th world producer and 2nd world exporter), the dates, the citrus fruits and the products of the sea. This agricultural produce is mainly turned towards the Exportation, the common Wheat, dates (with famous the Deglet nour), the olive oil and citrus fruits being often sold out of early products. The Viticulture in Tunisia is also an exporting sector: the country produces 300 annually with: 350000 hectolitres of wines of which: 100000 for the export (towards the Germany and the France mainly with wine 70% of name of controlled origin (AOC) of which 20% profit from the mention “first believed”).

Tunisia does not escape the tendencies from modernization and universalization from these last decades with the liberalization from its economy engaged since 1986 and the agreement from Libre-échange signed with the European Union in 1995, |}

Industry

Services

Tourism

The geographical position of Tunisia in the south of the Mediterranean basin, with: 1300 kilometers of mainly sandy coasts, a the hot summer and soft Mediterranean Climate the winter, a very rich inheritance civilisationnel (eight sites registered with the List of the world heritage of UNESCO) and especially a low cost of the tourist stay, make of this country the principal destination of the European tourists in Africa and in the Arab Monde.

The development of tourism goes back to the Années 1960 thanks to the combined action of the State and private groups. If, in 1962, tourism, with: 52000 entries and an offer of: 4000 beds, reports only two million dinars per annum, in 2006, with: 6549549 visitors and an offer of: 231838 beds (of which nearly 27% located in hotels four and five stars), it becomes the independent source of currencies of the country. The tourist sector accounts for today 6,5% of GDP and provides: 340000 employment of which: 85000 direct uses, is 11,5% of the occupied Active population with a strong share of seasonal employment.

The tourist customers, if it tends to diversify (in particular towards the Europe of the East and interior tourism which would account for 15 to 20% of the nights), are made up of stable nationalities: Libyan (: 1472411 visitors), French (: 1234735), Algerian (: 945324), German (: 547403), Italian (: 464323) and British (: 350693) share in a rather equitable way the main part of the visitors, the adaptation is necessary. It is also necessary to take care to control the pressures generated on the environment which are important and particularly the land pressures, the erosion of the coasts and the rejections of Waste water.

Banks

See also: List of the financial institutions of Tunisia

The banks and other financial institutions are one of the main actors of the development in the country, by the ready granted the economic actors (of which the State being financed on the international markets), as by the acquisitions of a holding in the large companies of the country. From an economic point of view, the sector employs: 18000 people in 2005. There exist 939 agencies (either the double that in 1986: 456).

In Tunisia, one can differentiate from the deposit banks (of which ten have an important network of agencies ranging between 43 and 144 in 2005 with the agricultural National bank as leader), a investment bank, two banks Offshore, ten organizations of leasing, two companies of factoring and eight companies of Recouvrement.

The banking system is a concern of the Tunisian State which wants to hoist the banking services with the international standards. The point n°7 of the economic shutter for the period 2004 - 2009, envisages “a banking system and developed financier directed towards the total convertibility of the dinar”. Taoufik Baccar, governor of the Central bank of Tunisia stresses that “the orientation towards the total convertibility of the dinar will have to support the reinforcement of the competitiveness of the company, to attract the overseas investments, to encourage the internationalization of the Tunisian company and to build the bases of an open economy”. In the chapter of the requirements to reach that point one finds the promotion of the e-banking and the generalization of the Purchasing card for each bank account and postal, is three million charts in 2009 against: 800000 in 2004. The the IMF congratulated the authorities for the coming into effect on the law on the consolidation and the installation of a structure of monitoring of the stability of the financial system and for measurements taken to reinforce the banking supervision but also notes deterioration continues financial indicators of the banking system in 2003 and calls, at the time of a mission in December 2005, with the “reinforcement of the banking environment in particular the level of the doubtful debts which weigh down the cost of the Crédit and slow down the growth and the investment. They slow down also the evolution towards the total convertibility of the dinar and the dynamization of the monetary policy”.

Trade and distribution

This economic branch, which employs more: 500000 people and takes part in 10,7% of national GDP, is divided into two categories.

The distribution is still characterized by the prevalence of the traditional trade with 88% (2006) of the turnover of the commercial transactions realized essentially by small shopkeepers (model of small the grocer of proximity traditionally held by Djerbien) and wholesalers, is: 450000 employment for: 250000 trade.

The modern distribution, which counts for 12% of the total turnover and gathers national and international signs, appeared only when the market was liberalized in 1999. This sector strongly developed since with the opening of the first Hypermarché of Tunisia under the sign Carrefour with Soukra (2001), a second with Géant (September 29th 2005) while a third with Leclerc is envisaged with Sousse. This subbranch of the distribution is represented by four groups:

UTIC which has the Carrefour hypermarket and the supermarkets Champion (Lafayette districts and El Menzah IX of Tunis and district Souk Lahad de Sousse), carrying out 22% of market shares, as well as the mini-markets the New Stores (in the past Bonprix) which carry out 9% of market shares;
Mabrouk Group having the Giant hypermarket, carrying out 13% of market shares, and the supermarkets Monoprix (23%);
Promogros with stores thelarge one opened with customers buying by batches (13%);
General Store, in the course of privatization, which has the widest network of sales outlets (44 stores on all the national territory) and adds up 20% of market shares.

The government does not wish to support the supermarkets because it privileges the maintenance of the traditional trade like factor of social stability |}

The sector of the transport is in full evolution: liberalization of the means of transport, privatizations, levelling, reorganization and cleansing of the infrastructures, etc

Maritime transport

Tunisia counts seven commercial ports today (Radès, Sfax, Bizerte, Gabès, Sousse, Zarzis and Goulette) while a deep water port will be carried out with Enfida. Placed under the management of the Office of the merchant marine and the ports, they alone ensure 96% of the Tunisian foreign trade of which:

471 kilometers of line with standard spacing (: 1435 mm);
: 1674 kilometers of line with metric spacing (: 1000 mm) of which 65 kilometers only are electrified;
8 kilometers of line with mixed spacing (standard and metric).

The first railway line of the country (Tunis - Marsa) is inaugurated in August 1872 (nine years before the introduction of the French protectorate). The first broad outline (192 kilometers), connecting Tunis to Ghardimaou, is brought into service between 1878 and 1880 in order to convey the raw materials west of the country towards the ports then towards the France. These two lines are built according to the international standards (standard spacing of: 1435 mm).

The network is today exploited by the National company of the Tunisian railroads (SNCFT) like by the Company of the light subway of Tunis specialized in the urban transport in the area of Tunis. In 2004, the SNCFT transports: 36319000 travellers and: 11036000 of tons of goods of which: 7728000 of tons of phosphates, Arranges Tunisian Internet and UIT |}

The infrastructures of Télécommunications are largely developed in Tunisia. The phone network counted approximately seven million subscribers in 2006 including six million mobile subscribers. Approximately 12,5% of the population had access to Internet in February 2007. For this purpose, economic Xe development plan envisaged investments of 2,8 billion dinars in this sector. Independent measurements related to the modernization and the development of the infrastructure, the improvement of the cover and the quality of the phone networks or the improvement of the capacity of access to Internet. In 2005, 660 million dinars (of which 199 million on behalf of the private sector) are spent with an aim of creating: 140000 new lines of fixed telephone, in reinforcement of the million and half of existing lines, and to extend the network GSM to reach 4,7 million subscribers. It is also envisaged to reinforce the network ADSL, to improve and make safe the traffic and to diversify the terrestrial and maritime flows like those connected by satellite. A whole of actions and measurements are also adopted concerning the installation of the electronic administration, the support for the private sector to invest in the field of the Informatique, the promotion of the industry of the software and the diffusion of the numerical culture with large scales.

In parallel, Tunisia undertook the opening of this sector to competition pursuant to its engagements with respect to the General agreement on the trade of the services and in preparation with the negotiations in progress with OMC. In this context, several important actions were undertaken to bring up to date the regulation framework. The historical operator, Tunisia Telecom, is the only supplier of the majority of the basic services:

area of Tunis:

El Ghazala (technologies of the communication)
Sidi Thabet (biotechnologies and drug company)
Borj Cédria (renewable energies, water, environment and vegetable biotechnologies)

area of Sfax:

Sakiet Ezzit (data-processing and multi-media)

Sousse (mechanical, electronic and data-processing)

Monastir (textile and clothing)

Bizerte (agribusiness industry)

Informal sector

The size of this branch of industry is difficult to measure in a precise way. According to the estimates of the Tunisian Union of industry, trade and craft industry and certain business men, it would contribute from 15 to 20% to GDP and would employ at least 31,4% of the nonagricultural active population, 77,6% of the Tunisians buy market products on the parallel markets and 69,6% affirm that they continue to buy products imitated and not controlled by knowing that they are dangerous for health or hygiene. 88,1% of the consumers have there recourse for the low prices and 44,8% think that they are markets characterized by an abundant and diversified offer. Besides the business men do not cease denouncing the laxism of the authorities which admit not seeking to apply the legislation because it would not be suitable. Indeed, the tax authorities do not continue the salesmen and behave with much tolerance owing to the fact that this sector makes live more: 15000 families. Tunisia considers then the Natural gas like an alternative to oil in certain fields. Thus, the May 20th 2002, the first bus with natural gas starts to circulate in the streets of Tunis. A program is implemented for the control of energy: it is planned to reduce the consumption of energy in certain companies and administrations from 6 to 12% compared to 2005 and diagnosis the free campaigns of the engines, in collaboration with the ministries for industry and transport, are installation.

Phosphates

In 1957, Armiger and Fried compare ten sources of Phosphate of rock and their work shows that the best phosphate of rock comes from Tunisia (Gafsa phosphate) follow-up of that of South Carolina. The phosphate is extracted from several layers located in the center of Tunisia and in particular in the area of Gafsa. 85% of produced phosphate are transformed by the Compagnie of phosphates of Gafsa (absorptive by the Tunisian chemical Groupe in 1994). Its transformation is carried out in factories, on the spot in Mdhila, or mainly with Sfax, Gabès and Skhira. The production is then exported by the port of Sfax. In 1999, Tunisia was the 5th world phosphate producer with 5,5% of the world total. On a African scale, it has with the Morocco, the South Africa, the Algérie and the Senegal 98% of the reserves. During twelve last years, its production increased approximately two million tons (the China roughly doubled its production during the same time). Nevertheless, a fall of the production is envisaged in the long term.

Oil

Tunisia has an oil reserve of 425 million tons and produces on average: 71000 barrels per day (2006). According to official sources, one discovers two to three new layers per annum. Thus, of new oil layers were recently discovered (Adam, Hawa, Nour, Dalia, etc) in the basin of Ghadamès (southern of the country). They make it possible to compensate for the natural decline of the “historical” layers of El Borma, exploited by Agip (Italy), or of Ashart, exploited by the Entreprise Tunisian of oil activities (ETAP) in the Golfe of Gabès. This layer is the only one to have a reserve proven of more than one hundred million barrels which would ensure 75% of the Tunisian production but remains insufficient to satisfy the increasing demand (: 90000 barrels per day).

Natural gas

Gas reserves naturalness are estimated at 2,8 trillions of cubic feet of which two thirds are located in Mer. In 2001, the country produces 66 billion cubic feet but the inner demand is of 135 billion cubic feet. In 2002, the natural gas accounts for 41% of the consumption of primary energy of the country. The gas importations thus rise with: 1584 billion m ³ of which: 1051 as royalties of Transit of the Transmediterranean Gas pipeline which brings gas of Algeria towards Italy while passing by the Tunisian territory on roughly 370 kilometers.

Tunisia counts five gas fields located at sea or on ground:

Miskar (in the Gulf of Gabès): principal gas reserve in Tunisia held and exploited by British Gas;
El-Franning: exploited by the Tunisian Company of electricity and the gas;
El-Borma: exploited by the Tunisian Company of electricity and the gas;
Baguel: exploited by the Tunisian Company of electricity and the gas;
Zinnia: exploited by the Tunisian Company of electricity and the gas.

The Tunisian companies constitute 19% of the market of the exploration and the production of the country. ETAP manages the national reserves and acts as a principal partner in almost all the activities of exploration and of production because it holds 51% of all the concessions. But in fact the American companies dominate with 38% of the market, followed by the european companies with 19%, Canadian with 12% and Asian with 10%.

The principal distributers are:

Undertaken Tunisian of oil activities (Tunisia);
Shell (Netherlands);
Exxon Mobil (the United States);
Esso Tunisia (the United States);
Pioneer Natural Resource Company (the United States);
Total (France);
Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Company Exploration ();
Crosco Integrated Drilling and Well Services (Croatia);
British Gas Tunisia (the United Kingdom).

Foreign trade of Tunisia

The principal economic partner of Tunisia is the European Union, and more particularly France, Italy and Germany, with 77,7% of the total from the imports and 81% of the total of exports in 2005.

France is the first exporter towards Tunisia with 25% of market shares, in front of Italy (19%) and Germany (8,4%). France receives 33% of the exports carried out by Tunisia. Tunisia occupies a remarkable position in the French foreign trade while being its 21e customer and its 23e supplier.

More: 1000 French companies are established in Tunisia, that is to say about half of the foreign establishments. These companies act in particular in the sectors textile, electric and electronic to a lesser extent.

France is also the country which pours most of the assistances received by Tunisia (approximately ten euros per capita). During the last decade, and until end 2002, the concessional French contests reached, on an annual rhythm of 73 million euros, a volume of approximately a billion euros. Over the recent period, France provides half of the bilateral flows received by Tunisia, that is to say the three-quarters of the government Aid to the development (APD) coming from the European Union and the quarter of the total APD.

Beside the bilateral assistances, France takes part to a total value of approximately 18% with the supplementary programmes financed by the European Union and in particular the projects registered on the lines of the Programme MEDA (Cooperation program for the euro-Mediterranean partnership) (412 million euros on funds MEDA for 2000 - 2004).

The commercial Balance of Tunisia in 2006 is presented in the following way:

Overseas investments

In this context, Tunisia attaches an particular importance to the direct investments abroad (IDE) as a complement with the interior investments and taking into account their contributions to the realization of the national targets (exports, employment, contributions of technology transfer, etc)

The country is thus regarded as a “site of investment” since 1994 by various international agencies of notation. The IDE represent nearly 10% of the productive investments and generate a third of exports and 1/6 of the total of employment, the IDE come initially from the United Arab Emirates (total volume of 3,02 billion dinars). Then the the United Kingdom (1,35 billion) and the France come (1,03 billion). These investments grow mainly in the and energy sectors (+ 143,7% between 2005 and 2006) Agriculture (+ 103,9%) but record a fold of 16,4% in the services other than tourism and the real estate.

In 1995, the Agency of promotion of the outside investment is created under the supervision of the ministry for the development and the international cooperation. The agency, which has five offices abroad (Paris, Brussels, London, Cologne and Milan), is in charge of the promotion of the image of the country, the creation of direct contacts with companies targeted by the means of living rooms and specialized fairs, the follow-up of the companies through annual meetings and the improvement of the national attractivity by the identification of the encountered difficulties and the proposal for adapted solutions.

Contribution of the Tunisians residing abroad

Tunisia is a country which knows a strong rate of emigration: the number of Tunisian residing abroad is evaluated with: 885000. 83% of them reside in Europe. Their monetary transfers to the country multiplied by 4,5 during the period 1987 - 2005. During five last years, the transfers (5% of GDP) are, on average, of: 1611000 dinars, which makes it possible the nation's economy to benefit from it insofar as that accounts for 22,7% of the national saving, that is to say one of the first four sectors providing of the currencies. : 42000 Tunisians residing in Germany provide alone more than 50 million euros each year.

The Tunisians residing abroad invest, during the period 2001-2005, 78 million dinars in: 1730 projects providing some: 7700 employment. However, the annual average of the projects created during this period is in reduction while passing to 346 compared with 362 over the period 1996-2000. For Mohamed Nouri Jouini, Minister for the development and co-operation, “the contribution of the Tunisians abroad in the development effort should be more important. ”

Strategy of co-operation of the World Bank

Tunisia became member of the the World Bank in 1958. Since, and until in July 2005, the World Bank financed 128 operations in the country with a total initial promise of 5,47 billion dollars.

In June 2004, the World Bank adopts a strategy of co-operation for the period July 2004 - June 2008 (financial years 2005-2008) which proposes to help the Tunisian government to achieve the three following strategic objectives:

to reinforce the environment of the businesses, to support the development of a more competitive private sector and more internationally integrated and to improve competitiveness of the Tunisian economy;
to improve the qualifications and the employability of the graduates and the active population in the “company of the knowledge”;
to improve quality of the social services thanks to a greater effectiveness of the public expenditure.

The strategy of co-operation (organisational structure of the analytical studies, the lending operations and the dialog) thus stresses three broad objectives: consolidation of the long-term development, support with the economic reforms and support with the new initiatives adopted in 2000 (CASE 2000). Because the World Bank estimates that the main objectives of CASE 2000 were:

to support human development by consolidating the long-term development by the improvement of quality of the basic education and the quality of the care and by the consolidation of the municipal and urban development;
the integration of Tunisia at the markets of the European Union by supporting the economic reforms (reinforcement of the financial sector and liberalization of telecommunications);
of new initiatives to modernize the institutional and technological framework (promotion of the development of exports by the facilitation of the trade and the safeguarding of the cultural heritage and diversification of the tourist products).

Social data

The Coefficient of Gini, calculated on the distribution of the expenditure of Consumption of the households, was maintained around 0,40 (light concentration of the incomes) and the shares of expenditure of each of both poorest deciles increased only marginally during the Années 1990. Between 1990 and 1995, the coefficient for urban environment slightly worsened but that for rural environment is remained unchanged. Contrary, between 1995 and 2000, the coefficient slightly worsened in rural environment while remaining unchanged in urban environment.

The national survey on the budget and the household consumption carried out in 2000 watch that the 20% of the richest Tunisians count for 47,3% of the total intake whereas the poorest 20% account for only 6,9% of the total of consumption. However, the loans with consumption record a strong progression in 2006 and support a record rate as regards domestic expenditure. Thus, the Tunisians resort more and more to the credit for goods such as the electronic , the domestic products or furnishing. The near total of the trade offers within this framework of the plans of long-term refunding and certain stores announce that more than 80% of their customers credit recourses have to carry out their purchases. Its parent company, the Group Karthago, also has a series of hotels to Jerba, Sousse, Hammamet and Sidi Bou Saïd.

It is however very difficult to evaluate the extent of these activities on the Tunisian economy, the techniques of dissimulation and the artifices illicit - Société screen, money laundering and figurehead - in general making it possible to erase any trace.

Development plans

Tunisia chose to carry out periodically the economic development of development plans which constitute a framework of orientation for the realization of objectives aiming at the economic growth and the social progress of the country:

May 30th 1962: Plane Ier;
May 29th 1965: Plane IIe;
May 29th 1969: Plane IIIe;
July 31st 1973: Plane IVe;
1977 : Plane Ve;
1982 : Life plan;
1987 : Plane VIIe;
1992 : Plane VIIIe;

Results according to the official report:

Creation of: 322000 new employment;
Improvement of the Life expectancy at 72,9 years and retreat of the rate of Infant mortality of 29,7 ‰ with 25,8 ‰;
Retreat of the rate of Illiteracy to 24,7%;
Improvement of the rate of electrification in the rural environment which reaches 91,7%;
Fall of the percentage of the rudimentary residences of 1,2%;
Realization of an average annual growth rate of about 4,6%.

1997 - 2001: Plane IXe;

Results according to the official report:

Growth of GDP passing from 4,6% to 5,3%;
Increase on behalf of the private sector investment of 52% in 1996 to 55% in 2001;
Increase in the direct foreign investments: : 3637 million dinars against: 2480 million at the end of plane VIIIe;
Increase in exports of goods and services of 7,4%.

July 21st 2002: Plane Xe;

Slogan: To gain the challenge of employment, to sit the economy of the knowledge and to consolidate competitiveness ;
Objective:

Realization of an average annual growth rate of 5,5%;
Increase in the Added-value of the agricultural sector of 3,5%, chemical industries of 3% and the textile sector, the clothing and the leather of 4,5%;
Creation of at least: 380000 employment;
average annual Accroissement in the investment of 7,7% is a volume of investment of 47,2 billion dinars;
Reinforcement of the basic infrastructure (roads and ports), reorganization of the national companies of transport, liberalization of the interurban transport of the travellers and installation of master lines of interurban transport.

July 17th 2007: Plane XIe.

Principal companies

See also: Classification of the more Tunisian large companies in 2006, List of Tunisian companies

The classification of the principal Tunisian companies is established annually by the Bimensuel the Maghrebian Economist according to their turnover (CA) respective. In the classification 2006 (CA 2005), the majority of the ten more important Tunisian companies are public or with participation mainly public:

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