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The population of Tunisia
is about 9,673,600 in 2001. Arab, Berber, African, and
European influences have helped shape the unique Tunisian
cultural identity. The overwhelming majority of the
population is Muslim, and the official religion is Sunni
Islam. Small Christian and Jewish communities practice
their faith freely and contribute to Tunisia's rich
cultural diversity.
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Tunisia's population is over 62 percent urban. Tunis,
the capital, with a population of about 1 million, is
one of the principal cosmopolitan urban centers of the
Mediterranean. Other cities in Tunisia include Carthage,
Jerba, Hammamet, Bizerte, Sousse, Sfax and Kairouan.
The official language is Arabic while French is widely
used. English is spoken among a growing number of Tunisians.
Less than half the population makes its livelihood by
farming. The rest of the well-educated and skilled population
is employed in the service industries, tourism, fishing,
mining and manufacturing.
Various indicators show a substantial improvement of
the living standards of all Tunisians. Thus, life expectancy
increased from 67 years in 1984 to an average of 72.9
years in 2001. The annual rate of population growth
dropped from 1.7% in 1994 to 1.1% in 2001. The realization
of women's economic potential and the active population
of leading women's groups in national life are now a
part of the Tunisian social landscape.
Linked with the education of large numbers of women,
the new legal provisions that govern training, social
protection, and employment of women are allowing them
to carry out their responsibilities as regards family
issues, and to gain a foothold professionally. At
the same time, they have made substantial breakthroughs
in the political life of the country.
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Nearly 80% of the population are considered middle class.
The poverty rate has dropped to about 4.2% in 2000,
and about 80% of Tunisian families own their own homes.
A special fund, the National Solidarity Fund (better
known as 26-26 Fund, after its account number), was
created in 1993 by President Ben Ali to channel donations
and extra-budget allocations into programs benefiting
needy areas and individuals. Building on the exceptional
success of this fund, in fighting poverty, a new fund,
the National Employment Fund, or 21-21 Fund, was launched
in January 2000 for the purpose of creating job opportunities.
Created in 1997, the Tunisian Solidarity Bank has offered
thousands of micro-credit loans to young graduates and
small businesses..
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