Geography of Tunisia

Tunisia is a country in Northern Africa, located by the Mediterranean Sea. It shares borders with Algeria to the west and Libya to the southeast. The land narrows toward the southwest, meeting the Sahara desert. Tunisia has a varied coastline along the Mediterranean, including the curved Gulf of Gabès, part of a larger area known as the Gulf of Sidra.

The country covers an area of 163,610 square kilometres, of which about 8,250 square kilometres is water. Tunisia's main rivers begin in the northern part of the country and flow through fertile plains. These rivers, helped by rainfall, support plants and farming in the region.

Maritime claims

Tunisia has special areas of water near its coast. The area right next 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 are important for Tunisia's control over nearby waters.

Physical geography

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

Tunisia is roughly the size of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Despite its small size, it has many different landscapes due to its north-to-south stretch. The Saharan Atlas Mountains extend into Tunisia from Algeria, forming a range called the Dorsal that runs across the country. North of the Dorsal lies the Tell, a region of gentle hills and plains. The Sahel, a wide coastal plain along the eastern Mediterranean, is excellent for growing olives. Further inland are dry grasslands called steppes, and much of the southern part of Tunisia is desert. The country's coastline stretches for 1,148 kilometers. Tunisia also has a zone of water rights 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, flowing from Algeria to empty into the Gulf of Tunis and Lake of Tunis. It has been dammed at the Sidi Salem Dam. Another river, the Oued Zouara, also has a dam called the Sidi el Barrak Dam, which helps manage water for much of the country.

Climate

Tunisia has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate in the north, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Temperatures can rise 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 receiving 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 faces several environmental challenges. These include problems with managing harmful waste, water pollution from untreated waste, and limited fresh water. The country also deals with issues like cutting down too many trees, overgrazing by animals, soil washing away, and desert areas spreading.

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 there are more people living there now. Some animals that used to live there, like a special type of monkey and a rare sea animal, 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. In the year 2000, there was a larger area covered by trees, but each year some of this tree cover disappeared. 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 — places that are the most north, south, east, or west than anywhere else in the country.

• Northernmost point - Gallo, Iles des Chiens, Galite Islands, Bizerte Governorate
• Northernmost point (mainland) – Ras ben Sakka (Ra's al Abyad), 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