Tunisia

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 getting 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. BEN ALI is currently serving his fifth consecutive five-year term as president. Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Economical characteristics

 * Currency: Tunisian dinar (ISO code: TND)
 * Central bank discount rate: NA% (31 December 2009)
 * Commercial banks lending rate: NA%
 * Stock of money (M1): $10.07 billion (31 December 2009)
 * Quasi money (with M1 makes M2): $16.55 billion (31 December 2009)

Notable events:

 * Banking crisis: 1991-1995
 * Public default: 1867-1870, 1956, 1958, 1963, 1979-1982 (external)

Links

 * Central bank of Tunisia
 * BBC country profile
 * What's Going On in Tunisia? by columnist Justin Raimondo, January 2011
 * Here’s The Real Story of What’s Happening in Tunisia: A Higher Education Bubble by John Carney, January 2011
 * Tunisia on Wikipedia