TUNIS, May 24 (Reuters) - Tunisia's central bank raised its key interest rate from 4.75 percent to 5.00 percent on Wednesday, the second hike in a month as it tries to ease inflation pressures and halt a slide in the dinar currency.

The central bank had previously raised the rate to 4.75 percent from 4.25 percent on April 26, days after the dinar fallen to historic lows against the euro and the dollar.

Annual inflation rose to 5 percent in April from 4.8 percent in March. Inflation was 4.2 percent in whole-year 2016, higher from 4.1 percent in 2015.

The dinar has slumped as a worsening trade deficit and lower remittances from overseas erode Tunisia's foreign currency reserves. It traded at 2.73 against the euro and 2.43 against the dollar on Monday, according to central bank figures. Approving the delayed release of a $320 million loan tranche last month, the International Monetary Fund called for tighter monetary policy to fight inflation and said "greater exchange rate flexibility would help narrow the large trade deficit".

Officials said this month that Tunisia will restrict the import of some goods to tackle the trade deficit and protect foreign reserves as the dinar slides.



(Reporting By Tarek Amara; Editing by Catherine Evans) ((tarek.amara@thomsonreuters.com;))