Geography of Tunisia
Location: | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya |
Geographic coordinates: | 34 00 N, 9 00 E |
Map references: | Africa |
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: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 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: 17.05% permanent crops: 13.08% other: 69.87% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 3,940 sq km (2003) |
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 |
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 |