Tunisia

C

Natural Resources

Petroleum is Tunisia’s principal mineral resource. Reserves exist both offshore and on land, particularly in the south, and important new deposits were discovered in the early 1980s. Other mineral resources include natural gas, phosphates, iron ore, lead, and zinc.

D

Plants and Animals

The plant life of Tunisia, particularly that found in the coastal region, is similar to that of southern Europe. The fertile, well-watered regions of the north are characterized by flourishing vineyards and by dense forests of cork oak, pine, and juniper trees. Farther south, the semi-arid conditions support a steppe vegetation dominated by wild grasses, notably esparto grass, and a wide variety of shrubs. In the arid regions of the extreme south, date palms flourish in oases. Among the wildlife found in the country are hyena, wild boar, jackal, gazelle, and hare. Several varieties of poisonous snakes, including cobras and horned vipers, are also present.

E

Environmental Concerns

The growth in the country's population has led to increased demand for farmland. As agricultural production has increased, so have marginal land use and overgrazing, resulting in extensive soil erosion and desertification. Only 3.6 per cent (1995) of the country's total land area is forested, and this figure is shrinking as the country experiences a 0.5 per cent (1990-1996) annual rate of deforestation.

Water is scarce in Tunisia, and drought is common. The country does more to treat sewage than many of its neighbours, but untreated urban sewage is still a problem, contaminating water supplies and causing eutrophication of the country's Mediterranean waters. In rural areas, only 52 per cent (1990-1998) of the population has access to adequate sanitation. In addition, toxic wastes from industrial processes are not disposed of effectively, presenting human health risks.

Only 0.3 per cent (1997) of the country's land area is protected. Ichkeul National Park, in northern Tunisia, protects a lake and its surrounding wetlands that are a resting area for hundreds of thousands of migrating birds, including ducks, geese, and pink flamingos. The park was declared a World Heritage Site in 1980. The government of Tunisia has ratified international environmental agreements on biodiversity, climate change, desertification, endangered species, environmental modification, hazardous wastes, law of the sea, marine dumping, nuclear test ban, ozone layer protection, ship pollution, and wetlands.

III

Population

Throughout history, many peoples, including Romans, Vandals, black Africans, and Arabs, have invaded or settled in the region that is now Tunisia. Tunisians, however, are essentially of Berber stock, although fewer than 2 per cent speak the Berber language. As a result of Arabization, Arabic has become the language of the Tunisian people, who have come to regard themselves as Arabs.

A

Population Characteristics

Tunisia has a population of 10,276,158 (2007 estimate), which yields an average population density of 66 people per sq km (171 per sq mi). About three quarters of the population lives in the coastal region. The arid central and southern parts make up 70 per cent of the total land area, but contain less than 30 per cent of the population.