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
water: 8,250 sq km
land: 155,360 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: | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 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: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt |
| Land use: | arable land: 17.86%
permanent crops: 13.74%
other: 68.4% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 3,800 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | NA |
| Environment - current issues: | toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses 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, 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
Source: CIA World Factbook
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