Tunisia

Map references: Africa

Area:
total area: 1,759,540 sq km
land area: 1,759,540 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries: total 4,383 km, Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt
1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline: 1,770 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Gulf of Sidra closing line: 32 degrees 30 minutes north

International disputes: the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled
in February 1994 that the 100,000 sq km Aozou Strip between Chad and
Libya belongs to Chad, and that Libya must withdraw from it by 31 May
1994; Libya has withdrawn some its forces in response to the ICJ
ruling, but still maintains an airfield in the disputed area; maritime
boundary dispute with Tunisia; claims part of northern Niger and part
of southeastern Algeria

Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus,
depressions

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 8%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 90%

Irrigated land: 2,420 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: desertification; very limited natural fresh water
resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water
development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from
large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind
lasting one to four days in spring and fall; duststorms, sandstorms
international agreements: party to - Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

@Libya:People

Population: 5,248,401 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (female 1,226,851; male 1,269,813)
15-64 years: 49% (female 1,261,424; male 1,331,093)
65 years and over: 3% (female 76,017; male 83,203) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.7% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 44.89 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 7.91 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.29 years
male: 62.12 years
female: 66.57 years (1995 est.)