TUNISIA FIELD TRIP REPORT 2007 - 2008

Tunisia Field trip Report 2007 - 2008

Table of Contents

SUMMARY3

OBJECTIVES4

METHODS AND SOURCES OF DATA4

Pooling Resources5

INTERPRETATION6

Tunisia Must Battle For Investments6

Economic Growth8

Economic policy8

Inflation8

The Exchange Rate9

The External Sector9

Physical Characteristics and Their Consequences9

Economic Characteristics10

ECONOMY12

AGRICULTURE13

TRANSPORT14

INDUSTRY16

CONCLUSION19

RECOMMENDATIONS22

REFERENCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY25

Tunisia Field trip Report 2007 - 2008

Summary

The small North African nation of Tunisia has a rich history of contact and trade with the Mediterranean region, from ancient times to the present-day. Sitting snugly between Algeria and Libya, Tunisia's position as a strategic trade and military point has attracted the attention of everyone from the Romans to the United States. Because it stretches from the sea to the borders of the Sahara, Tunisia's climate is also greatly varied. The indigenous people are known as the Berbers, and have been exploited since the first traders realized the advantage of a holding like Tunisia. This paper will follow the country's change over the centuries and development through time.

Tunisia is a republic with a strong presidential system dominated by a single political party. President Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali has been in office since 1987 when he deposed Habib Bourguiba, who had been President since Tunisia's independence from France in 1956. The ruling party, the Constitutional Democratic Assemby (RCD), was the sole legal party for 25 years—when it was known as the Socialist Destourian Party (PSD)—and still dominates political life (Lonely Planet Guides on Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, 2005 pp 56). The President is elected to 5-year terms—with virtually no opposition—and appoints a Prime Minister and cabinet, who play a strong role in the execution of policy.

Objectives

Aims of this report are to find out

The role of the state in development policy and process

Education and social development

Rural development and regional issues

Culture and development

Tourism as a development strategy - role in poverty alleviation

Methods And Sources Of Data 

Tunisia's independence from France in 1956 ended a protectorate established in 1881. President Bourguiba, who had been the leader of the independence movement, declared Tunisia a republic in 1957, ending the nominal rule of the former Ottoman Beys. In June 1959 Tunisia adopted a constitution modeled on the French system, which established the basic outline of the highly centralized presidential system that continues today. The military was given a defined defensive role, which excluded participation in politics. Starting from independence, President Bourguiba placed strong emphasis on economic and social development, especially education, the status of women, and the creation of jobs, (Human Development Report 2005 pp 10) policies continued under the Ben Ali administration. The results were strong social indicators—high literacy and school attendance rates, low population growth rates, and relatively low poverty rates—and generally steady economic growth rates.

Just over 99% of generating capacity is provided by thermal plants, including 95% by gas fired installations, and hydro-electric power (HEP) accounts for the remaining 1% (Starr 2000 pp 22-54). Capacity has grown rapidly from 2000 MW in 2000 to 2,480 MW by mid-2002 and is expected to reach 3,540 MW by 2006. Two major projects will account for much of this ...