GEOGRAPHY
Cities:
Capital--Tunis (pop. about 1 million). Other city--Sfax (500,000).
Terrain:
Arable land in north and along central coast; south is mostly
semiarid or desert.
Climate:
Hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters.
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria
and Libya
total
area: 163,610 sq km
comparative
area: slightly larger than Georgia
Land
boundaries: total 1,424 km, Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
International
disputes: maritime boundary dispute with Libya; land boundary
dispute with Algeria settled in 1993; Malta and Tunisia are discussing
the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their
countries, particularly for oil exploration
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
Natural
resources: petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
meadows
and pastures: 19%
Irrigated
land: 2,750 sq km (1989)
current
issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective
and presents human health risks; water pollution from raw sewage;
limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing;
soil erosion; desertification
international
agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Marine Life Conservation
Note:
strategic location in central Mediterranean
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