Page last updated on February 15,

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya

Geographic coordinates:
34 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 163,610 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 93
land: 155,360 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 8,250 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries:
total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
1,148 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 12 nm

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Land use:
arable land: 17.05%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 13.08%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 69.87% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
4,450 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
4.6 cu km (2003)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.64 cu km/yr (14%/4%/82%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 261 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
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

Environment - international agreements:
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

Geography - note:
strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration