Tunisia Travel Overview
At a glance
Capital: Tunis
Official language: Arabic
Currency: dinar
Continent: North Africa
Vacation in Tunisia
According to Countryaah, the state of Tunisia is located on the Mediterranean Sea in the north of Africa. Above all, the approx. 1,300 km long coast in the north, which mostly consists of sandy beaches, attracts many people every year to vacation in Tunisia. In the south of Tunisia is the Sahara desert, which fascinates with salt lakes, dunes and oases.
City vacation in Tunisia
The capital is Tunis, which you should visit when on vacation in Tunisia. In the center of the city is the medina (old town). It is one of the most beautifully preserved medieval cities in the Islamic world. The medina is separated from the new town (Ville Nouvelle) by the Place de la Victoire, which was laid out by the French in the 19th century. Other attractions include the Ez Zitouna Mosque and the Port Gate (Bab el Bhar). The market district is located around the Ez Zitouna Mosque. The individual market lanes (souks) are traditionally assigned to a certain economic sector. Carthage is a suburb of Tunis. In ancient times it was the capital of the sea and trading power of the same name and should definitely be visited on a vacation in Tunis.
Tunisian seaside resorts
For a holiday by the sea, for swimming, the coastal towns of Hammamet are very popular. Hammamet is about 65 km from Tunis. The core of the city is the old town, called Medina, which is completely walled.
Another popular seaside resort is Nabeul. Nabeul is located on the south side of the Tunisian peninsula about 10 km away from Hammamet. It is primarily considered a center for pottery and ceramic arts.
Many tourists also spend their holidays in Sousse. Sousse is the third largest city in Tunisia and an important port city on the east coast. After all, the cities of Port El Kantaoui, Monastir and Mahdia are also extremely popular for a seaside vacation.
Djerba island
The island of Djebra is also a very popular destination for a vacation in Tunisia. It is the largest island in North Africa, which is connected to the mainland by a 6 km long dam.
Important facts
Capital: Tunis
Official language: Arabic
Currency
Currency (sub-unit)
Dinars (1000 millimes)
ISO 4217 code
TND / 788
Geography
Continent: Africa
Region: North
Geo coordinates: N 33 ° 53 ‘12.9 ” E 9 ° 32’ 15″
Highest mountain: Jabal ash Shanabi (1,544 m)
Total area: 163,610 km²
Mainland: 155,360 km²
National border: 1,424 km
Coastline: 1,148 km
Politics
Dependency: France until 1960
UN member since: 1956
Other political affiliation: Arab League
Form of government: Presidential Republic
Economy
Export goods: Phosphate, iron ore, petroleum
BSP: $ 31,673,000,000
GDP: $ 34,585,600,000
GDP purchasing power parity: $ 88.97 billion
Economic growth: 4.6%
GDP share of agriculture: 12.9%
GDP share of industry: 31%
GDP share of services: 56.1%
Inflation rate: 2.8%
Unemployment: 14.4%
State budget revenue: $ 4294967295
State budget expenditure: $ 4294967295
National debt: 58.6%
Export: $ 11.4 billion
Import: $ 14,120,000,000
Foreign debt: $ 17,570,000,000
Gold and currency reserves: $ 4,973,000,000
Electricity consumption: 13,090 million KWh
Gas reserves: 77,870 million m³
Gas production: 2,100 million m³
Gas consumption: 4,000 million m³
Oil reserves: 1,700 million m³
Oil production: 83,000 million m³
Oil consumption: 97,000 million m³
Cultivation area: 30.03%
Bovine: 710,000 pieces
Sheep: 7,100,000 pieces
Fishing: 124,000 t
Demographic data
Residents: 10.175.100
Residents in cities: 6,605,700
Average age: 27.8 years
0-14 years: 24.6%
15-64 years: 68.6%
> 65 years: 6.8%
Population growth: 0.99%
Birth rate: 15.52 / 1,000 residents
Death rate: 5.13 / 1,000 residents
Migration: -0.5 / 1,000 residents
Ratio men / women: 1.02
Fertility: 1.74 children / woman
Infant mortality: 23.84 ‰
Life expectancy men: 73.4 years
Life expectancy women: 76.96 years
Country codes and abbreviations
ISO 3166 Alpha 2: TN
ISO 3166 Alpha 3: TO DO
ISO 3166 numeric: 788
Top Level Domain: tn
IOC country code: TO DO
UN / LOCODE: TN
Source: Abbreviationfinder
Communication
Telephone connections: 1,321,000
Cell Phones: 4,160,000
TV: 2,480,000
Computer: 650,000
Internet users: 1,070,000
Transportation
Railway lines: 2,153 km
Paved roads: 14,082 km
of which expressways: 206 km
Cars: 637,000
Merchant fleet (ships over 1,000 GRT): 9
Pipelines: 4,607
Health
Number of doctors: 7,930
Daily food intake: 3,330 kcal / resident
Education
Illiteracy: 25%
History
Foundation: 814 BC Chr.
Last sovereign since: -1956 BC Chr.
Religion
Main religious group: Muslims
Crime
Prison inmates: 25,600
Military
Armed forces (troop strength): 35,000
Main battle tank: 90
Warplanes: 20th
Helicopter: 40
GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
The national airline is called Tunis Air (TU) (Internet: www.tunisair.com.tn). Direct flights from all major European cities, including Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Munich – Tunis, Monastir; Vienna – Tunis, Monastir; Zurich, Geneva – Tunis. Lufthansa (LH), Germanwings (4U) and Air France (AF)
also offer direct flights to Tunisia. Air Berlin (AB) flies from several German airports to Djerba and Monastir and from Cologne to Tunis.
Flight times
Frankfurt – Tunis: 2 hours 20 minutes; Vienna – Tunis: 2 hours 10 minutes; Zurich – Tunis: 2 hours 10 minutes; Geneva – Tunis: 1 hour 50 minutes; Frankfurt – Monastir: 2 hours 40 minutes; Frankfurt – Djerba: 2 hours 50 minutes; Vienna – Djerba: 2 hours 35 min.
Arrival by car
There are theoretically several border crossing points from Algeria (Babouch, Tabarka, Ghardimaou, Bou Chebka, Sid Youssef and Hazoua), but political unrest can create difficulties for tourists. From Libya you drive along the coast to Gabès via Ben Gardane and Ras Ajdir. If possible, travel within Algeria should be made by air.
Arriving by train
Daily connection between Tunis and Algiers. Often, travelers in international traffic have to change trains, because if the Algerian SNTF does not bring a through car, the Tunisian SNCFT does not deliver one. If possible, travel within Algeria should be made by air.
Arrival by ship
Regular ferry connections, including with SNCM (Ferry Terranée) (Internet: www.sncm.fr) and with the Tunisian shipping company CTN (La Compagnie Tunisienne de Navigation) (Internet: www.ctn.com.tn), from France and Italy to Tunisia. Ferries can also be booked through Viamare (Internet: www.viamare.com)
All ferry companies have agencies in European cities. The tourist office will provide details. The main ferry connections with the respective duration of the crossing are as follows:
Marseille – Tunis: 21-24 hours.
Genoa -Tunis: 21-24 hours.
Trapani – Sousse: 7-8 hrs.
Livorno – Tunis: 25 – 27 hrs.
Costa Cruises offers cruises from Civitavecchia / Rome and Catania to Tunisia in the summer months. A deep sea port is being built in Enfida.