Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Geographic coordinates:
34 00 N, 9 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
Area - comparative: Land boundaries:
Coastline: Maritime claims:
Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: Land use:
Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note:
total:
163,610 sq km
country comparison to the world: 93
land:
155,360 sq km
water:
8,250 sq km
Area comparison map:
total:
1,424 km
border countries:
Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
1,148 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
12 nm
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
More Climate Details
mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
lowest point:
Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point:
Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
arable land:
17.35%
permanent crops:
14.63%
other:
68.02% (2011)
3,970 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
4.6 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total:
2.85 cu km/yr (14%/4%/82%)
per capita:
295.8 cu m/yr (2001)
toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural freshwater resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation
strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration