<style type="text/css"> .no-show { display: none; } .disable-fade-in{ opacity: 1 !important; transform: none !important; visibility: visible !important; } </style>
Skip to main content
Go to CIA.gov
Explore All Countries

Tunisia

Africa

Photos of Tunisia

view 1 photos
&quot;Carthage is situated at the inmost point of a gulf into which it protrudes on a strip of land, almost entirely surrounded on one side by the sea and on the other by a lake,&quot; observed the Greek historian Polybius in the second century BC. He pointed out some of the features that made Carthage attractive for human occupation for centuries. Today, Carthage is a suburb of Tunis, the capital city of northern Africa&apos;s Tunisia. Although cityscape covers most of the ancient port city, the area&apos;s attractions to ancient mariners remain apparent. In the east, Carthage narrows to a point that stretches into the Gulf of Tunis. From that point, skinny strips of land extend toward the northwest and southwest, both strips enclosing water bodies. North of Carthage is Sebkhet Arina, a shallow evaporative lake. Rocky outcrops connected by sand separate this shallow lake from the Gulf of Tunis. South of Carthage is Lake Tunis, a water body actively modified and maintained by humans over thousands of years. Skilled merchants and mariners, the ancient Phoenicians founded Carthage probably sometime between 817 and 748 BC. Romans destroyed the city in the Punic Wars around 146 BC, but eventually rebuilt in the same area.This image courtesy of NASA.
Country Flag

View Details

Arrow Right Icon
Country Map

View Details

Arrow Right Icon
World Factbook Glyph
Special Country Products

Country Factsheet

Arrow Right Icon

Travel Facts

Arrow Right Icon

Africa Demographic Atlas

File Icon

View All Files

Arrow Right Icon
Locator Map

View Details

Arrow Right Icon
Contents

Introduction

Tip
World Factbook Glyph

Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Definitions and Notes
Arrow Right Icon

Geography

Area

comparison ranking: total 93

Area - comparative

Area comparison map:
Area comparison map

People and Society

Languages

Arabic audio sample:
French audio sample:

Age structure

2023 population pyramid:
2023 population pyramid

Median age

comparison ranking: total 102

Population growth rate

comparison ranking: 143

Birth rate

comparison ranking: 127

Death rate

comparison ranking: 143

Net migration rate

comparison ranking: 154

Maternal mortality ratio

comparison ranking: 108

Infant mortality rate

comparison ranking: total 119

Total fertility rate

comparison ranking: 115

Tobacco use

comparison ranking: total 52

Education expenditures

comparison ranking: 17

Environment

Revenue from coal

comparison ranking: 99

Government

Economy

Real GDP growth rate

comparison ranking: 182

Real GDP per capita

comparison ranking: 137

Labor force

comparison ranking: 95

Unemployment rate

comparison ranking: 190

Public debt

comparison ranking: 56

Taxes and other revenues

comparison ranking: 51

Current account balance

comparison ranking: 173

Exports

comparison ranking: 96

Imports

comparison ranking: 93

Debt - external

comparison ranking: 27

Energy

Communications

Internet users

comparison ranking: total 60

Transportation

Airports

comparison ranking: 149

Railways

comparison ranking: total 70

Roadways

comparison ranking: total 97

Merchant marine

comparison ranking: total 107

Military and Security

Military expenditures

comparison ranking: 45

Terrorism

Transnational Issues

Contents