Jendouba Governorate

Jendouba Governorate is one of the 24 governorates of Tunisia. It is predominantly in the high hills of the Tell Atlas in north-western Tunisia, bordering Algeria and the Mediterranean Sea. It covers an area of and has a population of 401,477. The capital is Jendouba. The economy of the Jendouba governorate is primarily based on cereal farming, livestock, market gardening, and tree cultivation. The agricultural land area covers 286,200 hectares, representing 92% of the governorate's total area and nearly 3.4% of the country's agricultural area. Forests cover 118,470 hectares.

Geography

The governorate of Jendouba is located in the northwest of Tunisia, from the capital. It is bordered by the governorates of Kef and Siliana in the south, the governorate of Béja in the east, and it is away from the border with Algeria in the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north, with a long coastline.

Administrative divisions

The governorate is divided into nine delegations, listed below with their populations at the 2004 and 2014 Censuses:

Delegation	Area in km²	Population	Population
Aïn Draham	489	40,372	35,400
Balta-Bou Aouane	297	42,229	38,764
Bou Salem	286	36,061	35,501
Fernana	391	52,690	47,690
Ghardimaou	507	67,955	64,170
Jendouba Sud	255	68,597	72,337
Jendouba Nord	298	44,195	40,779
Oued Meliz	200	19,015	17,843
Tabarka	374	45,494	48,993

Climate

Jendouba is known for having the rainiest climate in the country, with annual precipitation reaching on the coast and exceeding in Aïn Draham. The average temperature is between in winter and between in summer.

Economy

The economy is mainly based on agriculture and livestock farming. The area of arable land is, accounting for 92% of the total area of the governorate and nearly 3.4% of the country's arable land, as of 2009. The governorate of Jendouba contributes a significant share in the national production of strategic food products with 12 to 13.4% of cereal production, 26% of vegetables, 12 to 13.4% of milk and 16% of potatoes and 6 to 9% red meat, as of 2009. At the same year, it produced 35 to 51% of national wood production, 94% of cork and 29% of tobacco. However, in subsequent years some crops had a significant production decrease, such as the tobacco production that decreased to one-third in 2019 from 2011.

Infrastructure

The governorate has a railway line connecting the capital to Algeria through the towns of Bousalem, Jendouba and Ghardimaou to Tunis, over

Tourism

The region has a golf course and a marina. It offers cultural tourism focused on a diverse archaeological heritage, such as Bulla Regia and Chemtou, and annual festivals such as the Tabarka Jazz Festival. Other attraction destinations include El Feidja National Park.

Education

The governorate of Jendouba has 31 middle schools and 18 high schools. There is a tourism school in Aïn Draham and a health care school in Jendouba. The University of Jendouba consists of a faculty, seven institutes, and five affiliated institutions.

Politics

A list of Governors of Jendouba since the independence:

Naceur Ben Jaafar
Béchir Bellagha
Habib Ben Mohamed Lahbib
Mongi Kooli
Abdelaziz Beltaïef
Mohamed Souyah
Mokhtar Zannad
Hassen Louzir
Abdelmalek Laârif
Saïd Robbana
Khelil Trad
Abderrazak Kéfi
Abderrazak Ayoub
Hamed Khanfir
Mohamed Fadhel Khelil
Mohamed Belhaj
Slaheddine El Abed
Mohamed Belghith
Abdallah Hadroug
Habib Ben Gamra
Ali Ksiksi
Mahmoud Bellalouna
Hédi Slim
Mohamed Faouzi Ben Arab
Mohamed Ben Abdallah
Béchir Kthiri
Mohamed Sidhom
Samir Rouihem
Néjib Khabbouchi
Habib Skandrani
Akrem Sebri
Mohamed Sedki Bouaoun
Ali Marmouri
Samir Kouka

Notable people

Boubaker Ayadi, author, professor and journalist.
Salah Mejri, basketball player.