Cruising to Tunisia

Background

Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.

Current Weather Report

Click for Tunis-carthage, Tunisia Forecast

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

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

Economy

Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism.

Better rains in 2003 through 2005, however, helped push GDP growth to about 5% for these years. Tourism also recovered after the end of combat operations in Iraq. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade with the EU. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.

Transportation

Airports: 30 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 14
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16
Pipelines: gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004)
Railways: total: 2,152 km
Roadways: total: 18,997 km

Merchant marine

Total: 10 ships (1000 GRT or over) 149,142 GRT/118,333 DWT
By type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1
Registered in other countries: 3 (Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2) (2005)

Sailing Specifics: Ports and terminals

Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira

Other Sailing Destinations in the Region

Albania - Algeria - Bulgaria - Croatia - Cyprus - Egypt - France - Georgia - Gibraltar - Greece - Israel - Italy - Lebanon - Libya - Malta - Monaco - Morocco - Romania - Serbia and Montenegro - Slovenia - Spain - Syria - Tunisia - Turkey - Ukraine

Further Reading

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