Tunisia

Tunisia This hospitable land of colors and contrasts, spices, and scents invites you to enjoy its natural beauty, ancient cities, lively festivals and warm, friendly people. Tunisian have a long time tradition of welcoming visitors to its shores and showing them all this country has to offer. Tunisia is a land that incorporates the familiar and the exotic into a one unique place.

Area: 164.191 Km²
Population: 9.705.000 (2001 est.)
Density: 59 pop/Km²

System of government: Presidential Republic
Capital: Tunis (600.000 pop., 1.722.000 urban aggl.)
Major cities: Sfax 250.000 pop. (475.000 urban aggl.)
Ethnic majority: Arab 98%, Berber and European 2%
Border countries: Algeria WEST, Libya SOUTH-EAST

Principal mountains: Gebel Chambi 1544 m
Principal rivers: Medjerda 300 Km (tunisian tract, total 450 Km)
Principal lakes: Shatt al Jarid 4900 Km²
Principal islands: Djerba 514 Km²
Climate: Mediterranean - arid

Language: Arabic (official), French
Religion: Muslim 99%
Currency: Tunisian Dinar (TND)

Fixed public holidays: 1/1, 18/3, 20/3, 21/3, 9/4, 1/5, 25/7, 13/8, 3/9, 15/10, 7/11
Dialling code: 00216
GMT: +1

World Heritage List:

• Amphitheatre of El Jem (1979)
• Medina of Tunis (1979)
• Site of Carthage (1979)
• Ichkeul National Park (1980)
• Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis (1985, 1986)
• Kairouan (1988)
• Medina of Sousse (1988)
• Dougga / Thugga (1997)