Algeria–Tunisia border

The Algeria–Tunisia border is 1,034 km (642 mi) in length and runs from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the tripoint with Libya in the south.^[1]

Map of Tunisia, with Algeria to the west

Description

The border starts in the north at the Mediterranean coast, proceeding overland in a broadly southwards directions via a series of overland lines. Toward the middle it curves west, and in the southern sections of the border straight lines predominate, which eventually veer to the south-east down to the tripoint with Libya.^[2]

History

France occupied much of the northern coastal areas of Algeria in the period 1830-47 and Tunisia in 1881, both of which had hitherto been subject to the nominal control of the Ottoman Empire.^[3][2] France gradually pushed inland, annexing the Saharan areas of Algeria in 1902.^[2] The border from the coast south to Bir Ramane was established by various French decrees, notably those of 1888-89 and 1901.^[2] The sections south of this down to the Libyan tripoint was somewhat vaguer, and appear to have been delimited during the period 1911–23.^[2]

Tunisia gained independence from France in 1956, followed by Algeria (following a bloody war) in 1962. The two states then confirmed the existing boundary between them by an agreement of 6 January 1960, with relations generally being positive.^[2][4]

Settlements near the border

Algeria

• Lacroix
• Roum el Souk
• Oued Mougras
• Sidi Fhrerib
• Mechtat Ahmed
• Ouenza
• Aïn Zerga
• Ain Kouif
• Tébessa
• Oum Ali

Tunisia

• Tabarka
• Ain Draham
• Ghardimaou
• Hennchir Abid
• Sakiet Sidi Youssef
• Charpin Ville
• Haïdra
• Ain Amara
• Dernaia
• Moularès
• Tamerza

See also

• Algeria–Tunisia relations
• Lake Mellah