File:Circonscription de Bizerte.png|
Circonsciption of Bizerte. Location Bizerte is on a section of widened inlet and east-facing coast of the north coast of Tunisia, 15 kilometres from
Ras ben Sakka (the northernmost point in Africa on the
Mediterranean Sea), 20 kilometers northeast of the
Ichkeul lake (a World Heritage Site), north of the archaeological site of
Utica and 65 kilometers north of
Tunis. West of the city there are coastal hills forming an outcrop of the
Tell Atlas with well-conserved woods and vantage points. Its associated beaches include Sidi Salem, La Grotte, Rasenjela, and Al Rimel. It is on a section of Mediterranean climate coastline, close to
Sardinia and
Sicily, as opposed to coasts in the south of the country which have a year-round dry desert climate. The city is centered on the north shore of the canal of Bizerte linking the Mediterranean Sea to a tidal lake, the
Lac de Bizerte which is larger than all parts of the town combined, to the immediate south. Built-up areas are in three directions: • South-west along the widening canal with jetties at Pecherie and Jarrouba, the latter associated with
Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base adjoining the opening of the lake and military/rescue heliport. • North are Sidi Salam and Corniche. They are within meters of the coast and on coast-facing slopes of the Ain Berda, a range of hills toward Cap Blanc, a small headland in the Ain Damou Plage natural conservation area. • Zarzouna,
Menzel Jemil and
Menzel Abderrahmane are on the south shore of the canal, formed by the locality of Zarzouna and the towns of
Menzel Jemil and
Menzel Abderrahmane, by a moveable bridge and both Menzels face the lake itself. The rest of the
isthmus on which they stand is the gently rising Foret de Remel, reaching a high point east of its forest area at
Cap Zebib.
Transport connecting Bizerte and Tunis The bridge leads to
the motorway A4 leading to
Tunis–Carthage International Airport and the capital. On the town side the P11 passes semi-rural Louata, hugs Ichkeul Lake and branches into a western route, the P7, leading directly to
Tabarka on the coast next to the Algerian border. The P11 leads south-west to
Béja, a governorate center, in the foothills of the
Tell Atlas, forks into several roads at
Bou Salem, a small town in a broad fertile plain, and climbs to Firnanah passing two high-altitude lakes and also approaching the north-west border with Algeria.
Climate Bizerte enjoys a
hot-summer mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The Mediterranean Sea breeze makes summers cooler and more humid than in the interior of Tunisia. The city's climate is unique by North African standards due to its geography. The rainy season typically lasts from October to March but can extend from September to May. Bizerte experiences an average of 110 rainy days per year greater than 0.1 mm, a relatively high number for its annual rainfall total of 653.2 mm despite its modest elevations. This is partly due to its direct exposure to westerly and north-westerly winds, which are very active throughout the year. These winds account for over 58% of all wind flows in winter and nearly 50% in summer. During the summer, the climate is moderated by thermal sea breezes, making it more pleasant than many other coastal regions in North Africa. Sea breezes are observed on more than two-thirds of summer days, with their frequency peaking at over 80% in August. A typical summer sea breeze starts around 8:30 AM, reaches its maximum speed of up to 7 m/s around 3:00 PM, and subsides around 9:00 PM, lasting for about 13 hours. This effect is pronounced, with coastal neighborhoods like the Corniche being up to 2.5 °C cooler than inland areas where the official weather station of Sidi Ahmed is located. Forested areas, such as the Ennadhour forest, also benefit from this cooling effect. In contrast to the moderating breezes, the region also experiences hot, dry Sirocco wind events, which occur on average 7 to 8 days per year during the hot season.
NOAA{{cite web == Demography ==