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Foreign Trade in Figures

Tunisia's foreign trade represents 94% of its GDP (World Bank, latest data available). Wire and cable manufacturing continues to be Tunisia's main exporting industry (13.3% of all exports), followed by textiles, petroleum by-products, olive oil, parts of vehicles, and plastics. Hydrocarbon products comprise Tunisia's main imports by far, followed by vehicles, electric apparatus, wheat, transportation and travel (data Comtrade).

The European Union is Tunisia's main trading partner, accounting for 67,5% of its exports and 44.2% of its imports. On a country level, exports are mainly directed towards France (24.1%), Italy (18.4%), Germany (12.8%), Spain (4.1%), and Libya (3.9%); whereas imports come chiefly from Italy (13.5%), France (11.4%), China (10.4%), Germany (6.5%), and Turkey (5.4%). Tunisia has pursued an active policy of enhancing its trade with the rest of Africa. In this regard, Tunisia signed a new trade cooperation agreement with Ghana in 2019. In the same year, the Tunisian Parliament ratified the country's official accession to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA, a joint free trade area with twenty member states stretching from Libya to Swaziland). Furthermore, Tunisia is seeking to join the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and is a signatory to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Click here for a list of the FTAs signed by Tunisia.

Tunisia's trade balance is structurally negative: according to the World Bank, the deficit stood at around 10.1% of GDP in 2021. In the same year, exports reached USD 16.6 billion (+20.8%), with imports increasing at a similar pace (+22.5%), totalling USD 22.5 billion. Concerning services, exports stood at USD 2.7 billion against USD 2.5 of imports (+26.5% and +18.9% y-o-y, respectively). According to the latest figures from the National Statistical Institute, in 2022, exports progressed by +23.4% reaching TND 57.5 billion (around USD 18.8 billion). As for imports, they increased more rapidly (+31.7%) and reached TND 82.7 billion (around USD 27.1 billion). Consequently, the trade deficit worsened from TND 16.2 billion in 2021 to 25.2 billion in 2022. In the same year, the coverage rate lost 4.7 points compared to the year 2021 to reach 69.5%.

 
Foreign Trade Values 20172018201920202021
Imports of Goods (million USD) 20,65422,70521,55518,35122,488
Exports of Goods (million USD) 14,20415,53414,93313,81316,689
Imports of Services (million USD) 2,7802,9902,8542,1712,583
Exports of Services (million USD) 3,1193,6974,0362,1472,718

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20172018201920202021
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 95.8103.9102.384.294.4
Trade Balance (million USD) -5,369-6,045-5,498-3,535-4,665
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) -5,145-5,406-4,372-3,586-4,526
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 4.12.5-8.4-16.610.9
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 4.84.6-4.2-20.011.8
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 54.158.456.446.352.2
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 41.745.546.038.042.1

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 20222023 (e)2024 (e)2025 (e)2026 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) 4.11.63.53.73.5
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) 5.33.64.44.04.2

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
Tunisia is a member of the following international economic organisations: IMF, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), ICC, Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), WTO, G-77, Arab League, among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates Tunisia click here. International organisation membership of Tunisia is also outlined here.
Free Trade Agreements
The complete and up-to-date list of Free Trade Agreements signed by Tunisia can be consulted here.
 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2021
France 24.1%
Italy 18.4%
Germany 12.8%
Spain 4.1%
Libya 3.9%
See More Countries 36.8%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2021
Italy 13.5%
France 11.4%
China 10.4%
Germany 6.5%
Türkiye 5.4%
See More Countries 52.8%

Source: Comtrade, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

Main Products

16.7 bn USD of products exported in 2021
Insulated "incl. enamelled or anodised" wire,...Insulated "incl. enamelled or anodised" wire, cable "incl. coaxial cable" and other insulated electric conductors, whether or not fitted with connectors; optical fibre cables, made up of individually sheathed fibres, whether or not assembled with electric conductors or fitted with connectors 13.3%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 4.6%
Olive oil and its fractions obtained from the...Olive oil and its fractions obtained from the fruit of the olive tree solely by mechanical or other physical means under conditions that do not lead to deterioration of the oil, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified 3.6%
Tracksuits, ski suits, swimwear and other garments...Tracksuits, ski suits, swimwear and other garments, n.e.s. (excl. knitted or crocheted) 3.6%
Men's or boys' suits, ensembles, jackets, blazers,...Men's or boys' suits, ensembles, jackets, blazers, trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts (excl. knitted or crocheted, wind-jackets and similar articles, separate waistcoats, tracksuits, ski suits and swimwear) 2.9%
See More Products 72.0%
22.5 bn USD of products imported in 2021
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 6.2%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 3.7%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 3.4%
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 3.0%
Wheat and meslinWheat and meslin 2.9%
See More Products 80.7%

Source: Comtrade, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

To go further, check out our service Import Export Flows.

 

Main Services

2.3 bn USD of services exported in 2020
36.81%
24.45%
8.34%
8.25%
5.70%
5.02%
4.72%
3.04%
2.63%
0.78%
0.24%
2.3 bn USD of services imported in 2020
48.21%
16.11%
8.35%
8.04%
6.72%
3.64%
3.50%
2.54%
1.66%
0.77%
0.45%

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2023. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

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Actualitzacions: November 2023

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