Country Information - Economy

Economic growth and macro-economic balances

Since the Change, Tunisia has adopted a comprehensive, coherent, complementary, realistic and gradual development strategy that has made it possible to :

• achieve a sustained economic growth of 4.9% a year at constant prices during the period 2002-2007, against 2.4% during the period 1982-1986. The national economy reached a growth rate of 6.3% in 2007, against 5.5% in 2006.
• ensure a greater private-sector participation in the development effort, as shown through the increase of the share of private investment, which stood at about 59.8% in 2007, against 47.9% in 1986;
• preserve the general balances, through bringing under control the budget deficit, the balance of payments, the debt and the debt service which, in 2007, was only 11.6%, against 26.3% in 1986;

Boosting production and diversifying the economy

Reforms undertaken since the Change of November 7, 1987, in addition to the redistribution of the roles of political actors and the promotion of private initiative, have enhanced the growth of productive sectors, and significantly increased the added value of the agricultural, industrial and services sectors.
Moreover, reforms have progressively diversified the economic base, consolidated the economy’s adaptability to changes, and reinforced its capacity to achieve integration within the world economy

Establishing an open economy

Proceeding from an in-depth analysis of past experiences and an objective consideration of international changes, Tunisia has opted for gradual and well-thought integration within the global economy.
Moving ahead on this track, Tunisia has been able to :

• achieve an annual growth of exports amounting to 6% at constant prices during the past years, thereby improving its share in foreign markets.
• substantially open up its economy, as illustrated through an increase in the share of exports in the GDP, which rose from 34.7% in 1986 to 50.7% in 2007, and an increase in the volume of foreign investments from 100 million dinars in 1986 to 2,157,9 MD in 2007.
• improve the structure of its exports, by increasing the share manufactured products which, in 2007, represented 84.4% of the total volume of exports, against 62% in 1986.