The population of Tunisia is about 10,175,014 in 2006, 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.

Tunisia’s population is over 62 percent urban. Tunis, the capital, with a population of about 2 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 though 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 services, 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 74.98 years in 2005. The annual rate of population growth dropped from 1.7% in 1994 to 1.12% in 2006.

The achievements of women’s economic potential and the active population of leading women’s groups in national life are now 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 allow them to carry out their responsibilities in regard to family issues, and to gain a foothold professionally. At the same time, they have made substantial breakthroughs in the political life of the country.

Nearly 80% of the population are considered middle class. The poverty rate has dropped to less than 4 in 2004, 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.

Created in 1997, the Tunisian Solidarity Bank has offered thousands of micro-credit loans to young graduates and small businesses.
Building on the exceptional success of this 26-26 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.