Capital City: Tunis
	It is %T:%M %A in Tunis

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Economic trends

Tunisia enjoys a relatively hight grow rate of the GDP since several years. The forecast for 2008 are optimistic, based on the 6% growth rate. Tourism contributes more particularly to this expansion.

Main branches of industry

Agriculture contributes nearly 12% to the country's GDP and employs almost 25% of the active population. Production varies according to the rainfall. The main crops are wheat, barley, olives, and dates. Tunisia has some natural reserves like oil & gas, phosphate, and iron. The country is one of the largest producers of phosphates in the world. Recent developments in the extraction of natural gas (centred in the Gulf of Gabs) have made the country more self-sufficient. The manufacturing & mining sector contributes nearly 28% to the GDP. The manufacturing is primarily located in Tunis and includes textiles, steelworks, leather, food processing, paper, wood products, and construction materials. Tourism is very much developed and the country attracts over five million visitors every year. The services sector (includes tourism) contributes nearly 60% to the GDP. Tunisia plans to become a regional power in the field of Information Technologies (IT).

International trade

Tunisia is pursuing its policy of foreign economic openness. Tunisia has entered into an Association Agreement with the European Union which will remove tariff and other trade barriers on most goods by 2008. Tunisia has also signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the USA which will be later converted into a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The share of foreign trade in country's GDP has reached nearly 100%. Tunisia's top three import and export partners remain the same i.e. France, Italy and Germany. The commodities mainly exported are apparel & clothing, electric & electronic equipment, mineral fuels & oils, and animal & vegetable fats & oils; while as those mainly imported are mineral fuels & oils, machinery, electric & electronic equipment, vehicles and cotton.