II.

Land and Resources

Tunisia’s Mediterranean coast is indented by many harbours and inlets, notably the gulfs of Tunis, Hammamet, and Gabes (Qābis). The Gulf of Gabes contains the islands of Jarbah (Djerba) and Qarqannah (Kerkennah). The total length of coastline is about 1,148 km (713 mi).

Tunisia may be divided, from north to south, into four main topographic regions. In the north, low-lying spurs of the Maritime Atlas Mountains traverse the country in a south-western to north-eastern direction. Peaks range in elevation from about 610 to 1,520 m (2,000 to 5,000 ft). Fertile valleys and plains are interspersed among the mountains of this region.

A.

Rivers and Lakes

The country’s only major river, the Majardah, crosses the region from west to east, emptying into the Gulf of Tunis. To the south the mountains give way to a plateau that averages about 610 m (2,000 ft) in elevation. Further south, the plateau descends gradually to a chain of low-lying salt lakes, known as shatts, or chotts, which extend east-west across the country. Several of these lakes lie below sea level. To the south the shatts adjoin the Sahara Desert, which constitutes about 40 per cent of Tunisia’s land area.

B.

Climate

In general, a mild Mediterranean climate prevails in the north of Tunisia; towards the south the climate becomes progressively hotter and drier. In the north, temperatures average 8.9° C (48° F) in January and 25.6° C (78° F) in July. The northern regions have a rainy season that lasts from October to May. Average annual rainfall is about 610 mm (24 in) but may vary greatly from year to year. Annual rainfall decreases to the south and is only about 200 mm (8 in) in the Sahara.

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.