Tunisia – country information

Country name	Tunisia
Official name	Republic of Tunisia
Capital	Tunis
Continent	Africa
Area	163,610 km2
Population	10,886,500 (2013)
Foundation of a state	20/03/1956
The highest mountains	Jabal Shambi 1544 m
State system	a pluralist republic with a unicameral parliament
The biggest cities	Tunis (capital) 1,520,000 (conurbation), Nabel 360,000, Sfax 255,000
Official language	Arabic
Ethnicity/National Composition	Arabs 98.7%, Berbers 1%, Italians 0.1%, others 0.2%
Religious affiliation	Sunni Muslims 99.6%, Christians 0.2%, others 0.2%
Currency	1 Tunisian Dinar (TND) = 1000 Millims
gross domestic product (GDP)	US$9,650 (2012)
Average life expectancy of the population	75.12 years (2006)
Structure of GDP	agriculture and fishing 17.5%, mining 6.5%, industry 19.5%, construction 4%, services 52.5%

Tunisia – neighboring states

State	Capital	Area	Population
Algeria	Algiers	2,381,740 km2	38,700,000
Libya	Tripoli	1,759,540 km2	6,202,000

Country overview

According to Abbreviationfinder, the Republic of Tunisia is located on the Mediterranean coast between Algeria and Libya. Throughout its history, the country has been heavily influenced by Europe and is notable for its progressive Muslim society.

Country data

Location: North Africa

Time zone: CET (during summer time: CET – 1)

Total area: 163,610 km²

Land area: 155,360 km²

Water area: 8,250 km²

Length of the state border: 1,424 km

Bordering countries are attributable to:
Algeria: 965 km
Libya: 459 km

Coastline: 1,148 km

Capital: Tunis

Governorates: 24
Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin ‘Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili ( Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), L’Ariana (Aryanah), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bouzid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

Telephone code: 00 216 (Source: Allcitycodes)

Highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Population

Population: approx. 10.9 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)

Population growth: 0.9% per year

Population density (residents per km²): 67

Life expectancy: 74 (male), 78 (female)

Official language: Arabic

Religions:

• 98% Muslim
• 2% other

Climate

The summer months are very warm, with temperatures around 30 ° C.

In the northern regions of the country it is more temperate due to the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea.

Although rain rarely falls, the relative humidity is almost always over 60% during the day and often over 80% at night.

In the winter time (October – April) it is much milder. The daytime temperature averages 15 ° C. The probability of rain is relatively high. It rains almost every day, especially in January and February.

Currency / finance

Currency unit: Tunisian Dinar (TND)

Division: 1 dinar = 1000 millimes

ATMs: are available in all major cities and tourist areas.

International credit cards: Accepted by large hotels and some shops along the coast. Otherwise only cash payment is usual.

Regulations: The import and export of the local currency is prohibited.

There is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies that can be imported. Amounts above the equivalent of 3,000 dinars must be declared. The export is limited to the declared import.

All forms must be kept until departure. There are sometimes very strict controls.

Up to 30% of the exchanged amounts can be exchanged back on presentation of the exchange receipts.

The duty-free shops in the big cities do not accept the local currency!

In the interior of the country, almost only cash payments are accepted.

Customs regulations

The following may be carried duty-free:

• 200 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 400 g tobacco
• 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
• small amounts of perfume

(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)

Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.

You should have particularly valuable items and expensive technical equipment declared upon entry so that there are no problems with re-export.

Radiotelephones may not be brought in or out.

For all goods bought in Tunisia, customs may request the corresponding invoices upon departure, as well as the necessary exchange receipts for the money. Therefore, you should always insist on receipts (invoices) and exchange receipts and keep them until you leave the country.

Travel advice

In 2015 there were several attacks in which foreigners were also killed.

Since further attacks against foreigners cannot be ruled out, you should exercise particular caution. Increased police controls are to be expected.

We do not recommend traveling to the border region with Algeria.

There is increased petty crime such as theft and fraud in the larger tourist centers.

Even the possession of the smallest amounts of drugs is particularly severely punished (at least 1 year imprisonment and high fines).

Economy

The largest branches of industry are agriculture (dates, vegetables, barley, melons, oranges, tomatoes, wheat) and mining.

Most of the foreign currency is earned with the production of textiles. However, the rapidly increasing tourism is catching up quickly.

Although the economy is on the up, the unemployment rate is very high.

Large parts of the economy are geared towards trade with European countries and tourism.

Industries: mining, oil production, food production, textiles, tourism

Natural resources: iron ore, petroleum, agricultural land, phosphates, salt, zinc

Land use:

• Usable land: 19%
• Grain cultivation: 13%
• Pasture area: 20%
• Forests: 4%
• other: 44%

Plants

Near the coast, the vegetation is very Mediterranean and turns into a steppe landscape to the south.

Animals

The most common animal species are gazelles, hyenas and wild boars.

Occasionally there are also elephants, snakes and scorpions.