Tunisia might be the smallest of the North Africa countries but it's packed with a broad and diverse range of attractions. Its strategic location on the Mediterranean has ensured a key role in the ancient civilisations of the region - the ruins at Carthage are the remnants of a great empire that eventually fell to the Romans. The Romans left some spectacular ruins, at Dougga and the magnificent amphitheatre at El Jem while the Islamic influence is seen in the medinas of Tunis and Sousse as well as at Kairouan, Islam's fourth holiest site. Tunisia also has some spectacular natural scenery, from the Mediterranean coast to oasis towns and dramatic desert landscapes. Also don't forget the unusual troglodyte village at Matmata, made famous in the Star Wars film. Explore in depth highlights of Tunisia.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
|---|---|---|
0 groups tours with set departures
|
World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT +1 (West Africa time) |
|---|
| Daylight savings: | GMT +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
|---|
| Main languages: | Arabic | Other languages: French, Tamazight |
|---|
| Currency: |
Tunisian dinars (TND) €1 = TND2.47, $1 = TND2.21, £1 = TND2.94 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
|---|
| Internet Domain: | .tn | International Dialling Code: 216 |
|---|
For help planning your trip to Tunisia including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Tunisia trip planning page.
Further information on Tunisia
Discover more about Tunisia - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 163,610 sq km (8,250 sq km under water)
Coastline: 1,148 km (Mediterranean Sea)
Neighbours (border lengths): Algeria (965km), Libya (459km)
Climate: Temperate, Mediterranean climate in the north with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Hot, dry climate in the southern desert regions.
Highest mountain: Jebel ech Chambi (1,544m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Tunisia from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Flawed democracy | 70/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Mostly Unfree | 107/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Difficult situation | 124/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | No rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | Medium corruption | 79/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 102/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Tunisian Republic Status: Independent Country
Population: 10,937,521 (rank: 78/196) Density: 66.8 people/sq km (rank: 115/196)
Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
GDP (PPP): $108.4 billion GDP per capita: $9,900 (rank: 96/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.