Geography of Tunisia

Tunisia is a country in Northern Africa, near the Mediterranean Sea. It touches Algeria to the west and Libya to the southeast. The land gets narrower toward the southwest and meets the Sahara desert. Tunisia has a varied coastline along the Mediterranean, including the curved Gulf of Gabès, part of a larger area called the Gulf of Sidra.

Tunisia is 163,610 square kilometres big, and about 8,250 square kilometres of it is water. The country's main rivers start in the north and flow through fertile lands. With help from rainfall, these rivers support plants and farming in the area.

Maritime claims

Tunisia has special areas of water near its coast. The area closest to the shore, called the territorial sea, stretches 19 nautical miles out. A bit farther, up to 24 nautical miles from shore, is another zone called the contiguous zone. These areas help Tunisia control nearby waters.

Physical geography

Tunisia is on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, halfway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Nile Delta. It borders Algeria to the west and Libya to the southeast. The country lies between latitudes 30° and 38°N, and longitudes 7° and 12°E. The Mediterranean coast turns south in northern Tunisia, giving the country two special coastal areas.

Tunisia is about the size of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Even though it is small, it has many different landscapes because it stretches from north to south. The Saharan Atlas Mountains come into Tunisia from Algeria, forming a range called the Dorsal that runs across the country. North of the Dorsal is the Tell, a region of gentle hills and plains. The Sahel, a wide coastal plain along the eastern Mediterranean, is great for growing olives. Further inland are dry grasslands called steppes, and much of southern Tunisia is desert. The country's coastline is 1,148 kilometers long. Tunisia also has a water zone 24 nautical miles from the coast and a territorial sea of 12 nautical miles.

Rivers

Main article: List of rivers of Tunisia

The Medjerda River is the longest river in Tunisia. It flows from Algeria to the Gulf of Tunis and Lake of Tunis. It has been dammed at the Sidi Salem Dam. Another river, the Oued Zouara, has a dam called the Sidi el Barrak Dam, which helps manage water for the country.

Climate

Tunisia has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate in the north, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Temperatures can go above 40 °C (104 °F) in summer. The south is desert, with very hot days and cool nights, and very little rain. The north has mountains, while the central area is a hot, dry plain. The southern part is extremely dry, with some areas getting less than 50 mm (2.0 in) of rain each year.

Examples

Natural resources

Tunisia has many valuable resources including petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt, gold, and fertile land. About 3,850 km² of land in Tunisia is irrigated.

Environment

Tunisia has many environmental challenges. These include problems with harmful waste, water pollution, and limited fresh water. The country also faces issues like cutting down too many trees, animals eating too much grass, soil washing away, and desert areas growing.

Tunisia is part of many global agreements to protect nature and fight climate change. Sadly, like many places in North Africa, Tunisia has lost some of its natural wildlife because more people are living there now. Some animals that used to live there are no longer found in the wild in Tunisia.

The country has seen a decrease in its tree cover over the years. From 2001 to 2024, Tunisia lost a significant area of trees. The charts show how much tree cover was lost each year and what remains after all the losses up to 2024.

Extreme points

Here are the farthest points in Tunisia. These are places that are the most north, south, east, or west in the country.

• Northernmost point - Gallo, Iles des Chiens, Galite Islands, Bizerte Governorate
• Northernmost point (mainland) – Ras ben Sakka, Bizerte Governorate. This is also the northernmost point of the African continent.
• Easternmost point – Bel Ahemer on the border with Libya, Medenine Governorate
• Southernmost point – the tripoint with Algeria and Libya, Tataouine Governorate
• Westernmost point - Village of Hizwa on the border with Algeria near Nefta, Tozeur Governorate