Tunisia
General Information for Tunisia
Geo-political:
Capital City: Tunis.
Nationality: (noun) Tunisian, (adjective) Tunisian.
Population: 10,486,339.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 216.
Number of Internal Airports: 16.
Major Languages Spoken: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce).
Economy:
Currency: 1 Tunisian Dinar (TND) of 1000 Millimes.
Main Industries: Petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear,
agribusiness and beverages.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Contiguous Zone: 24 n.m. Exclusive Economic Zone: 12 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 1,148 km.
Climate: Temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south.
Natural Resources: Petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc and salt.
Terrain: Mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara.
Average Temperatures:
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 15° C | 8° C |
| June | 29° C | 18° C |
| September | 30° C | 20° C |
POLLUTION:
Spill notification point: Le Service National de Surveillance Cotiere (SNSC). T: +216 176 6330. T: +216 173 6160. T: +216 173 6904.
MEDICAL:
There is no provision for free medical attention for foreign nationals. All doctors’
fees, medication and hospitalisation in private clinics have to be paid for on the
spot. These costs can be quite high. Make sure you have adequate health insurance
and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
If you are bringing prescription medicines, carry a note from your doctor confirming
that the medication has been prescribed for an existing condition. If you have any
specific concerns about taking certain types of medication with you to Tunisia, contact
your nearest Tunisian Embassy.
If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 190 and ask for an
ambulance. You should contact your insurance/medical assistance company promptly if
you are referred to a medical facility for treatment.
HOLIDAYS:
1 January; Aid El Kebir; Hegirian New Year; 20 and 21 March; 9 April; 1 May; Mouled;
25 July; 13 August; 15 October; Aid Es Seghir; Aid El Kebir.
TELEPHONES:
Telephone numbers in Tunisia are formed of eight digits, in the format yy xxxxxx,
where yy is a geographical code. Mobile telephone numbers start with the number 2,
4, 5 or 9. Telephone calls within Tunisia should be dialled using all eight digits,
irrespective of location. The international telephone code for Tunisia is 216. Telephone
calls to Tunisia from outside Tunisia adopt the format +216 yy xxxxxx.
BANKS:
ATMs are widely available though they don’t always work. Almost all ATMs will accept
Visa cards, and many (including Bank of Tunisia and BIAT) will also accept Maestro
cards for cash withdrawals. Foreign-issued credit and debit cards are accepted in
some but not all of the larger shops, restaurants and hotels. In places that do take
cards, there can be problems authorising Mastercard purchases. Travellers Cheques
are accepted in some hotels but not others.
It is strictly prohibited to take Tunisian dinars out of the country. To exchange
any Tunisian dinars left over at the end of your stay into another currency you will
need to show the receipt from the bank where you first withdrew the dinars. Please
note that receipts from cash machines are not accepted.
SHORE LEAVE:
Local laws reflect the fact that Tunisia is an Islamic country. Respect local traditions,
customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure that
they don’t offend, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you intend to
visit religious areas.
In the coastal holiday resorts the dress code is very much like any European city
or tourist area, although topless sunbathing on beaches may cause offence. If you’re
visiting religious sites or more remote areas of Tunisia, you should dress more modestly.
Possession, use and trafficking of controlled drugs are all serious criminal offences.
The possession of even a small amount of ‘soft’ drugs could result in a prison term.
You cannot remove antiquities from Tunisia without first getting permission from Customs
authorities. Failure to get permission could result in lengthy delays on departure,
a fine and/or imprisonment.
Homosexuality is a criminal offence in Tunisia. Sexual relations outside marriage
are also punishable by law.
Avoid taking any photographs near sensitive political or military sites.
Terrorism:
Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Tunisia and there have been
a number of attacks in recent years. A state of emergency, in effect since a suicide
attack on a police bus on 24 November 2015, has been extended several times, most
recently on 5 November 2018 by one month. You should be vigilant at all times and
follow the advice of local security officials, including in and around religious sites.
In more remote areas of the country, including tourist sites in southern Tunisia,
security forces’ response times to an incident may vary.
There’s a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation. Additional security measures
have been in place on flights departing from Tunisia. You should co-operate fully
with security officials.
Kidnap:
There is a threat of kidnapping by groups operating in North Africa, particularly
from Libya, Mauritania and groups originating in the Sahel. This includes Al Qaeda
in the Islamic Maghreb (AQ-IM) and Daesh-affiliated groups, who may travel across
the region’s porous border. There is a heightened risk of kidnap in border and remote
desert areas of North Africa. Terrorist groups have kidnapped foreigners, government
officials and civilians in the region for financial gain and for political leverage.
Further kidnaps are likely.
Those engaged in tourism, humanitarian aid work, journalism or business sectors are
viewed as legitimate targets. If you’re kidnapped, the reason for your presence is
unlikely to serve as a protection or secure your safe release.
REPATRIATION:
Tunisian dual nationals should enter and leave Tunisia on their Tunisian passports.
IDENTIFICATION CARDS:
Carry a form of photo ID at all times (e.g. a copy of your passport) and be prepared
to show this to uniformed security officials if asked to do so.
AUTHORITY:
Le Ministere du Transport, Transport Maritime, 17 Rue Khaireddine Pacha, Tunisia.
Tel: +216 71 906558.
Fax: +216 71 903905.
http://www.transport.tn
Contact: Youssef Ben Rohdhane, Directeur General du Transport Maritime.
[email protected]
