North West Tunisia (Arabic : الشمال الغربي التونسي ) is one of the six geographic and economic regions of Tunisia, consisting of four governorates: Béja, Kef, Siliana and Jendouba. The region had a population of 1,170,752 Census 2014 (National Institute of Statistics) representing 12.2% of the total population of Tunisia. This makes it the 5th-most populous region in the country, with only South West Tunisia being smaller.
Geography
The North West region is located in the extreme north of the country, bounded to the west by the Tunisian-Algerian border and to the east by Grand Tunis and the North East region. In the north, the region is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea (with a 51 km long coast) and Bizerte Governorate and to the south by the Central West Region.
The region is divided in half by the Medjerda River which is the longest river in the country. The North West is characterized by its unique forests and mountains (the Kroumirie and Mogod Mountains), coral coasts and the large plains.
National parks There are three national parks located wholly or partly in the North West: El Feidja National Park in Jendouba, Jebel Serj National Park shared between Siliana and Kairouan and the Jebel Chitana-Cap Négro National Park divided between Béja and Bizerte.
Demographics
With 1,170,752 people, the North West is the 5th-most populous region in the country. In decreasing order of population, the North West consists of the following governorates: Governorate Population (2014) Population Density Largest town/city Jendouba 401,477 130/km² Jendouba (113,116) (2014 est.) Béja 303,032 81/km² Béja (109,299) El Kef 243,156 49/km² El Kef (73,706) Siliana 223,087 48/km² Siliana (59,140)
The region is characterized by its ruralness. In 2004 only 37,1% live in the cities (compared to 64,9% nationwide). This can be explained by the dominance of the agricultural sector in the region's economy. The region is also marked by its negative net migration of -45,300 between 1999 and 2004.
Cities and towns Despite its ruralness, there are several cities and towns in North West Tunisia:
Population over 100,000 Jendouba Béja Population over 50,000 El Kef Ghardimaou Siliana Population over 40,000 Tabarka Majaz al-Bab Ain Draham Bou Salem Population over 20,000 Dahmani Tajerouine Sers Téboursouk Population over 10,000 Sakiet Sidi Youssef Kalaat es Senam Testour Bou Arada Makthar
Social deprivation For a long time, the North West has been one of the poorest regions in Tunisia; it registers of the highest rates of poverty, unemployment and illiteracy in the country.
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