Geography

Tunisia is in northern Africa, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert. It is bordered by Algeria in the west and Libya in the south-east. Much of the land is semi-arid and desert. The north of the country is mountainous, with a climate that is temperate with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The south of the country is dominated by the Sahara desert.

• Area:
  • Total: 163,610 sq km
  • Land: 155,360 sq km
  • Water: 8,250 sq km
• Land Boundaries:Total: 1,424 km
• Border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
• Coastline: 1,148 km
• Maritime Claims:
  • Contiguous zone: 24 nautical miles
  • Territorial sea: 12 nautical miles
• 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: Chott el Gharsa -17 m
  • Highest point: Jabal ash Shanabi 1,544 m
• Natural resources:
  • Petroleum
  • Phosphates
  • Iron ore
  • Lead
  • Zinc
  • Salt
• Land Use:
  • Arable land: 19%
  • Permanent crops: 13%
  • Permanent pastures: 20%
  • Forests and woodland: 4%
  • Other: 44%
• Irrigated land: 3,850 sq km