Part 831

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles ______________________________________________________________________

TUNISIA

@Tunisia:Geography

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 land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Coastline: 1,148 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm territorial sea : 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 highest point: Jabal ash Shanabi 1,544 m

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

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 4% other : 44% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,850 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and presents human health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified : Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note: strategic location in central Mediterranean

@Tunisia:People

Population: 9,245,284 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years : 32% (male 1,541,853; female 1,451,035) 15-64 years: 62% (male 2,858,987; female 2,873,748) 65 years and over: 6% (male 267,261; female 252,400) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.48% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 20.56 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.08 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)