Tunisia Geography:
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Geographic coordinates:
34 00 N, 9 00 E
Map references:
Area:
total:
163,610 sq km
land:
155,360 sq km
water:
8,250 sq km
Area - comparative:
Slightly larger than Georgia
Land boundaries:
total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Coastline:
1,148 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
Temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Terrain:
Mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
Natural resources:
Petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Land use:
arable land: 17.86%
permanent crops: 13.74%
other: 68.4%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
3,800 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
Toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
Strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration |
