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Bizerte is located at the heart of the Mediterranean and on the sea routes of the Sicily Strait; it is a meeting point between Africa and Europe on the one hand, and between East and West, of the other hand.
The region of Bizerte is known by its industrial traditions, its tourist attractions, its important commercial port, and its agricultural and fisheries vocation.
The region of Bizerte enjoys a unique ecological setting combining the sea, the mountains and the forest. It has over 200 km of Mediterranean coastlines.
Indeed it has a rich and varied coastline, cliffs and coves in the north, Ridge in the east and sandy beaches, lined with pine forest in the south.
Located at the west of Menzel Bourguiba, the Ichkeul Lake and the mountain of the same name are classified as Natural Park and registered as a UNESCO world heritage site. This natural reserve consists of birds, some of which belong to very rare species, raptors, buffalo, jackals and others.
The lake communicates with that of Bizerte. In winter, streams feed it in fresh water and salinity becomes low. In winter the flow is reversed and seawater invades, hence the creation of a rare ecosystem in the world. The flora and fauna adapt to it hence the existence of rare or even unique species.
Founded in 1100 BC, Bizerte is located at the crossroads of major shipping lanes of the Mediterranean.
Due to its strategic position, Bizerte, the old "HIPPO DIARITUS" which dates back to the first millennium BC became the envy of many civilizations including: Punic, Roman, Aghlabid, Fatimid, Andalusian, Hafside, Ottoman and French.
- Area: 3750 km2
- Population: 561,700 (National Institute of Statistics 2013)
- Workforce: 181 033 employed in services (39.3%), industry (28.3%), agriculture and fishing (19.6%) and other sectors (12, 8%).
- Population growth rate: 0.82%
- Urbanization rate: 62%
- Population density: 155 inhabitants / km2
- Schooling rate: (6 to 14 years): 97.4%
Administrative division :
- Delegation: 14
- Municipalities: 16
Mild and humid climate :
- Average temperature: 22.75 ° C
- Annual rainfall: between 300 to 800 mm / year
Distance to the capital: 60 km
The Governorate has a system of schools, universities and vocational training supplying the employment local market with qualified skills and specialized labor in sectors that are highly demanded by companies established in the region.
Education
Elementary schools: 207
Preparatory and secondary Schools: 69
Higher education Institutions: 8
- The Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte
- The Higher College of Business and Accountancy Zarzouna
- The Higher Institute of Technological Studies Menzel Abderrahman
- The National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology of Mateur
- The Higher College of Agriculture of Mateur
- The Preparatory Institute for Engineering Studies of Bizerte
- The Higher Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Bizerte
- The National College of Engineers of Bizerte
Professional training
The Governorate of Bizerte has 6 vocational training centers with a capacity of 2447 posts. The main training specialties offered in these centers are: industrial maintenance, general and naval mechanics, maintenance of fishing boats, steel construction, leather and shoes, irrigated agriculture, dressmaking, handicraft crafts, baking and cooking.
The Governorate of Bizerte is an important economic center based primarily on industry, services, trade and agriculture.
Besides the two key sectors in the region: industry and agriculture, whose contribution to the national productive effort is important, the regional economy is supported by the dynamism of a particular service sector driven by tourism which is a very promising sector witnessing a significant development.
Industry
Besides a heavy industry based on oil refining, steel and cements production, the region of Bizerte is home for a well-developed and diversified network of manufacturing industries with a significant proportion oriented to export . The main manufacturing industries established in Bizerte are :
- Textiles and clothing;
- Leather, Shoes and accessories;
- Mechanical, electrical and electronics;
- Accessories;
- shipbuilding and ship repair
- 500 operating industrial companies
- 342 companies employing more than 10 people and a total workforce of 54,231 jobs
- 228 totally exporting companies employing 46,565 people.
- Contribution of the region in national exports: 9% (2% of national exports in manufacturing industries are performed by the Park of Economic Activities of Bizerte).
Agriculture
The region of Bizerte provides no less than 8.6% of the national production, with 13% of the national production of cereals, 17% of dried vegetables, 19% of potatoes, 16% of forage, 8% of table grape, 12% of milk, 11% of red meat, 28% of tomatoes and 7% of eggs.
The agriculture and fisheries now provides more than 42,000 permanent jobs in addition to the seasonal jobs offered family farming.
Trade
Commercial activity in Bizerte is well developed and meeting the demand of enterprises and households.
Bizerte has a developed basic infrastructure that meets the needs of export activities :
- A road network linking the governorate with other neighboring governorates.
- A highway of 52 km connecting the city of Bizerte to Tunis-Carthage International Airport (in 40 min).
- A railway line linking the governorate to the capital via Mateur and connecting Bizerte to Algeria too by a standard gauge rail.
- Bizerta Economic Activities Park (Free Zone)
- Yacht Harbor
- Significant Commercial Port.
- A telephone network of an average of 101.6 lines per 100 inhabitants.
- Supplying the governorate of Bizerte with the natural gas is expected in 2017.
- 6 large dams,
- 23 hillside dams,
- A water table of 52 million cubic meters.
Moreover, with its four dry docks on the Lake of Bizerte and their facilities, the shipyard has comparative advantages over the northern Mediterranean shipyards thanks to a skilled workforce and a competitive cost.
The Port of Bizerte :
The Bizerte Port of Commerce is one of the most important ports of Tunisia.
Favored by its strategic position on the axis of the shipping services GIBRALTAR, SUEZ, its proximity to southern Europe and the development which the industrial enterprises in the Region is witnessing, the Bizerta Economic Activities Park, the port Bizerte-Menzel Bourguiba is expected to play a major role in the socio-economic and cultural development of the Bizerte city and its hinterland.
So, the strategic maritime position and the developed land routes enable the port offers manufacturers, investors and transport professionals an indispensable business tool to conquer Europe and the Mediterranean market.
- Goods: 5,664,240 tons
- Imports: 4, 708,223 T
- Exports: 956,017 T
- Vessels: 506
- Number of containers: 32 313 equivalent to 20 feet
The port expansion project is a priority in the 2016-2020 regional development program. The study, now being finalized, relates to an extension of the port on an area of 3.5 hectares in Bizerte and 10 hectares in Menzel Bourguiba.
The promising sectors are identified by the specificities of the region and its comparative advantages in order to promote and boost private investment in the governorate of Bizerte :
The mechanical, electronic and electrical industries
The governorate of Bizerte has 83 companies in this sector 47of which are totally exporting.
The majority of these companies are specialized in automotive components.
The leather and footwear industries
It is a promising sector in the governorate of Bizerte with 37 companies 35 of which are totally exporting. They produce mainly dress shoes, safety shoes, leather goods such as bags and suitcases in addition to leather clothes and tanning.
The Food Industry :
The governorate of Bizerte is considered an agricultural hub since it ranks first in the production of certain varieties of fruits and vegetables and contributes significantly in domestic production.
The evolution of the agricultural sector contributed in a direct way to the implementation of a network of units for agricultural and food products processing composed of 38 companies, 8 of which are completely exporting.
Aquaculture:
The aquaculture sector occupies an important place in the governorate economic sector given the importance of the fishing fleet that is spread over 5 ports.
The Region has also traditions in the aquaculture sector particularly in the Lakes of Bizerte and Ichkeul in addition to opportunities provided in the hilly Lakes and dams of Ghezala, Sejnane and Joumine.
The information and communications technology :
The governorate of Bizerte has important assets for the development of activities based on the information and communications technology among which a skilled workforce and high performance indicators in this sector.
Tourism, Recreation and Water Sports :
The governorate of Bizerte is endowed with unique natural and geographical advantages mainly thanks to its nature reserve Ichkeul, Galite Island which is characterized by its maritime potential and natural beauty, the Cap Blanc is considered as the highlight of the African continent.
The governorate is also characterized by its Medina, the ancient Phoenician port, mobile bridge connecting the two shores and its yacht harbour which is underway.
This rich and diverse heritage is an ideal platform for tourism sports and water sports.