ed on 20 October, 2005

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@Tunisia

Introduction Tunisia

Background:
Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib
BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the
country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and
establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In
recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in
its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising
pressure for a more open political society.

Geography 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: 17.86%
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

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

People Tunisia