September 2010

Country file

TUNISIA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................... 2

2.

GENERAL OVERVIEW ........................................................................................ 3

2.1. Map

......................................................................................................... 3

2.2. Main economic, geographical and environmental indicators ............................ 3

2.3. Trade data Tunisia in the world ................................................................... 4
2.3.1.

Tunisia, trade with the world (mio ) ................................................ 4

2.3.2.

Main trading partners (% of the total) ............................................... 4

2.3.3.

Main composition of merchandise trade by main commodity

group (%)......................................................................................... 4

2.4. Trade data EU with Tunisia......................................................................... 5

3.

2.4.1.

Global figures (mio ) ....................................................................... 5

2.4.2.

Detailed figures (merchandise trade in mio , 2008) .......................... 5

ENERGY OVERVIEW........................................................................................... 6
3.1. Tunisia at a glance.......................................................................................... 6
3.1.1.

Selected indicators (2007)................................................................. 6

3.1.2.

Production, consumption (details)..................................................... 7

3.1.3.

CO2 emissions and indicators ............................................................ 8

3.2. Tunisia by sector oil and gas........................................................................ 9

3.2.1.

Oil and gas infrastructure .................................................................. 9

3.2.2.

Oil production, reserves, discoveries ............................................ 10

3.2.3.

International Oil Pipelines ............................................................... 10

3.2.4.

Refineries........................................................................................ 10

3.2.5.

Gas production, reserves, discoveries........................................... 10

3.2.6.

International gas pipelines............................................................... 11

3.2.7.

Electricity electricity mix, generation, consumption ...................... 11

Legal notice: The European Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication, nor does it accept
responsibility for any use made thereof.

1.

INTRODUCTION

The World Economic Forum ranked the economy of the Tunisian Republic the most
competitive economy in Africa in 2009 and the 40th globally. The continuous market
liberalisation of the Tunisian economy as well as its natural resources contributed to this
development.
The total primary energy production is mainly driven by crude oil (59 %) and natural gas
(24 %), according to the International Energy Agency. Biomass and wastes account for the
rest. Overall, there are 45 oil and gas fields in Tunisia as the state-owned company
Entreprise Tunisienne dActivits Ptrolires (ETAP) reports. Out of a total of 35 oil
production concessions, six account for 76 % of the oil production. The EIA estimated the
Tunisian oil reserves to be 400 Mbbl in 2008, ranking it 43rd worldwide. In the international
comparison, gas reserves amounted to 65 bcm in 2008 (rank 57). In total, 57 international
and national companies are involved in the exploration of oil and gas with ETAP being the
major player.
Tunisia plays an essential role in the gas transmission from Africa to Europe by
accommodating the Trans-Mediterranean pipeline from Algeria to Italy.
In the field of electricity generation, the public company Socite Tunisienne de lElectricit
et du Gas (STEG) accounted for more than 70 % of the electricity generation in 2009.
The Tunisian government promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. By 2016
the share of renewables in the energy mix should reach 4 %. Next to power generation based
on photovoltaic systems, biogas usage on household level will be encouraged. Wind power
should become a significant energy generator by building up a total capacity of 120 MW. On
the other hand, it also aims at building its first nuclear power plant in cooperation with France
by the year 2020.
The European Union represents by far the largest trading partner of Tunisia. In 1995, Tunisia
was the first Mediterranean country signing an Association Agreement with the EU. By
subsequently removing all trade barriers, Tunisia became the first Mediterranean country to
enter into a free trade area with the EU in 2008. Up to this date, bilateral trade continuously
increased and Tunisia became the 33rd largest trading partner of the EU. More than two
thirds of the Tunisian imports in 2008 originated from the EU and almost three quarters of
the Tunisian exports were targeted to the EU. The share of energy products in EU imports
from Tunisia was 16 %.

2.
GENERAL OVERVIEW
2.1. Map

Source: CIA

2.2. Main economic, geographical and environmental indicators

2006

2007

2008

2009 (f)

Population (Millions)

10.1

10.2

10.31

10.4

GDP (Billions $)

31.1

35.61

40.81

40.2

155,360

Size (km2)

3,072

3,483

3,955

Agriculture

10.8

10.3

9.9

Industry

29.2

29.6

32.6

Services

60.1

60.0

57.5

GDP growth (%)

5.7

6.3

4.5

Inflation, average consumer prices (%)

4.5

3.1

5.01

3.7

14.21

14.7

-3.4

GDP per capita ($)

3,852

GDP share per sector (%):

Unemployment rates (%)

Current account balance (% of GDP)

-2.0

-2.6

Sources: IMF, CIA, World Bank

Note: 1 estimate

-4.2

2.3. Trade data Tunisia in the world

2.3.1. Tunisia, trade with the world (mio )
Imports

Yearly %
change

Exports

Yearly %
change

Balance

Trade

2006

11,898

11.4

9,295

8.8

-2,603

21,192

2007

14,565

22.4

10,649

14.6

-3,916

25,214

2008

16,147

10.9

11,751

10.3

-4,397

27,898

Source: DG TRADE

2.3.2. Main trading partners (% of the total)

2008
Imports
European Union

67.9

Libya

4.8

Russia

4.0

Turkey

3.6

China

3.1

Exports
European Union

73.5

Libya

5.8

United States

3.5

Turkey

1.9

Algeria

1.8

Source: DG TRADE

2.3.3. Main composition of merchandise trade by main commodity group (%)

2008
Merchandise exports
Agricultural products

9.4

Fuels and mining products

19.0

Manufactures

71.6

Merchandise imports
Agricultural products

12.1

Fuels and mining products

23.2

Manufactures

64.6

Source: WTO

2.4. Trade data EU with Tunisia

2.4.1. Global figures (mio )

Year

Imports

Yearly %
change

Share of
total EU
imports

Exports

Yearly %
change

Share of
total EU
exports

Balance

Trade

2004

6,753

8.1

0.7

7,621

5.2

0.8

868

14,375

2005

6,812

0.9

0.6

7,974

4.6

0.8

1,162

14,785

2006

7,614

11.8

0.6

8,718

9.3

0.8

1,104

16,332

2007

8,975

17.9

0.6

9,504

9.0

0.8

528

18,479

2008

9,491

5.8

0.6

9,943

4.6

0.8

452

19,434

Average
annual
growth

8.9

6.9

7.8

Ranking
(2008)

32

29

33

Source: DG TRADE

2.4.2. Detailed figures (merchandise trade in mio , 2008)

3,000

2,805
2,638

2,500
2,006

2,000

1,671
1,562

1,500

628 597

642

596

631

455

500
0

937

901

1,000

482

305

-31
Agricultural products

Energy

Machinery

Transport equipment

Chemicals

Textiles and clothing

-500
-1,000

-920
-1,134

-1,500

Imports

Exports

Source: DG TRADE

Balance

3.

ENERGY OVERVIEW

3.1. Tunisia at a glance

3.1.1. Selected indicators (2007)
Tunisia

EU-27

Gross inland
consumption (Mtoe)

8.8

1,759

Gross inland
consumption/population
(toe/capita)

0.86

3.55

Gross inland
consumption/GDP1
(toe/thousand $)

0.33

0.18

Electricity
consumption/population
(kWh/capita)

1,246

6,388

CO2 emissions (Mio

tCO2 from fuel
combustion)

20.4

3,926

Source: IEA
Note: 1 prices from base year 2000

3.1.2. Production, consumption (details)

2007

2006

7.9
Mtoe

6.6
Mtoe

8.8
Mtoe

8.5
Mtoe

6.2
Mtoe

6.1
Mtoe

Note: values under 1 % are not presented.

Note: values under 1 % are not presented.

OECD/IEA [2010]
Note: natural gas liquids are liquid or liquefied hydrocarbons recovered from natural gas in separation facilities or gas
processing plants. Natural gas liquids include ethane, propane, butane, pentane, natural gasoline and condensate
(Source: IEA).

3.1.3. CO2 emissions and indicators

CO2 emissions (Mt CO2)
25

2006

2005

21.0 MtCO2

22.3 MtCO2

20

15

10

0
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Source: EIA
Note: emissions from the consumption of petroleum, natural gas, and coal and the flaring of natural gas
Indicators for year 2007

Tunisia

EU-27

CO2/gross inland
consumption
(t CO2/toe)

2.31

2.23

CO2/population
(t CO2/capita)

1.99

7.92

CO2/GDP1
(kg CO2/$)

0.75

0.40

Source: IEA
Note: 1 prices from base year 2000

3.2. Tunisia by sector oil and gas

3.2.1. Oil and gas infrastructure

Copyright (2010) Petroconsultants SA

3.2.2. Oil production, reserves, discoveries

Year
Annual production [Mbbl]

2006

2007

2008

36

36

32

World rank (calculated by EIA)

52 (2007)

Production to date [Mbbl]

1,350

1,380

1,420

World %

0.1 %

0.1 %

0.1 %

Reserves (proven and probable) as calculated by

IHS [Mbbl]

2,170

2,230

2,270

Reserves (proven) as calculated by EIA [Mbbl]

308

400

400

World rank in proven reserves (calculated by EIA)

43 (2007)

Reserve to production ratio [year]

23

23

27

Copyright (2010) Petroconsultants SA

Note: the figures are rounded.

3.2.3. International Oil Pipelines

Section
Capacity
(Mbbl/year)

Country Names

Pipeline Name

ALGERIA TUNISIA

In Amenas Pipeline OT1

101.8

Copyright (2010) Petroconsultants SA

Note: the figures are rounded.

3.2.4. Refineries
Refinery
name

Status

Bizerte

Operating

Crude input (kt/y)

1,700

Copyright (2010) Petroconsultants SA

Note: the figures are rounded.

3.2.5. Gas production, reserves, discoveries

Year
Annual Production [bcm]

2006

2007

2008

World rank (calculated by EIA)

50 (2006)

Production to Date [bcm]

44

46

49

0.1 %

0.1 %

0.1 %

Reserves (proven and probable) as calculated by IHS

[bcm]

117

117

119

Reserves (proven) as calculated by EIA [bcm]

78

65

65

World %

World rank in proven reserves (calculated by EIA)

Reserve to production [year]

57 (2006)
73

Copyright (2010) Petroconsultants SA

Note: the figures are rounded.

10

58

40

3.2.6. International gas pipelines

Section Capacity
(bcm/year)

Country Names

Pipeline Name

ALGERIA TUNISIA ITALY

Trans-Mediterranean Pipeline GEM 1

24.0

Trans-Mediterranean Pipeline GEM 2

24.0

Trans-Mediterranean Pipeline

50.8

TUNISIA ITALY
Copyright (2010) Petroconsultants SA
Note: the figures are rounded.

3.2.7. Electricity electricity mix, generation, consumption

POWER PLANTS IN TUNISIA
Status

Fuel

Operating

Natural gas
Oil

1.3
1

Other
TOTAL OPERATING
Planned

Capacity (GW)

0.7
3

Natural gas

0.4

Other

1.3

TOTAL PLANNED

1.7

Copyright (2010) Petroconsultants SA

Note: the figures are rounded.

OECD/IEA [2010]

11

 OECD/IEA [2010]

11

Net electricity consumption (in TWh)

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Source: EIA
Note: net generation + electricity imports - electricity exports - electricity distribution losses

12