Ben Arous Governorate

Ben Arous Governorate
ولاية بن عروس
Map of Tunisia with Ben Arous highlighted
Coordinates: 36°44′50″N 10°20′0″E / 36.74722°N 10.33333°E / 36.74722; 10.33333
Country Tunisia
Created3 December 1983[1]
CapitalBen Arous
Government
 • GovernorWissem Mraidi (since 2024) [2]
Area
 • Total
761 km2 (294 sq mi)
 • RankRanked 22nd of 24
Population
 (2024)
 • Total
722,828
 • RankRanked 5th of 24
 • Density950/km2 (2,460/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01 (CET)
Postal prefix
xx
ISO 3166 codeTN-13

Ben Arous Governorate (Tunisian Arabic: ولاية بن عروس Wilāyat Bin ‘Arūs pronounced [bɪn.ʕæˈruːs]; French: Gouvernorat de Ben Arous) is one of the twenty-four governorates of Tunisia. It is in the north-east of Tunisia and adjoins smaller Tunis Governorate. It covers an area of 761 km2[1] and had a population of 722,828 (2024 census).[3][4] The capital is Ben Arous. It is part of Greater Tunis with the governorates of Tunis, Ariana and Manouba.

Geography

The governorate is centred 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the capital and surrounded by the governorates of Tunis, Zaghouan, Manouba, and Nabeul. It has a short coastline, along the Gulf of Tunis to the northeast including the country's main commercial port, Radès.[1]

The average temperature is between 6.8 °C and 17.9 °C, and annual rainfall is 275–515 millimeters.[1]

Economy

Agriculture

Resources and production[1]
Land use
Agricultural land 370 km2 (47% of total land)
Woodland 160 km2
Transportation 40 km2
Uncultivated 201 km2
Livestock
Cattle 5 200
Sheep 28 000
Goats 4 000
Main produce (in metric tons per year)
Peaches 27 000
Apples and pairs 21 500
Grapes 41 500
Durum wheat, soft wheat and other types 2 420
Red meat 1 700
White meat 18 300
Milk 13 500
Eggs 167 million (total)
Abattoirs 4 (registered under Directive Plan of 2010)
Hydrological resources
River weirs/dams 1 (Oued El Hma)
Upland lakes 24
Upland weirs/dams 3
Main produce for export
Flowers c. 12 million per year
Clams and shellfish landed 61 tonnes

Administrative divisions

Administratively, the governorate is divided into twelve delegations (mutamadiyat), eleven municipalities, six rural councils, and 75 sectors (imadas).[1] The delegations and their populations from the 2004 and 2014 censuses,[3] are listed below:

Delegation Population in 2004 Population in 2014
Ben Arous 32,329 31,128
Bou Mhel El Bassatine 27,977 40,101
El Mourouj 81,986 104,538
Ezzahra 31,792 34,962
Fouchana 56,628 74,868
Hammam Chôtt 24,847 31,858
Hammam Lif 38,401 42,518
La Nouvelle Medina 42,603 57,194
Megrine 24,031 26,720
Mohamedia 46,613 66,439
Mornag 53,709 61,518
Radès 44,857 59,998

Eleven municipalities are in Ben Arous Governorate:

1311 Ben Arous 89,571[5]
1312 El Mourouj 121,712
1313 Hammam Lif 41,738
1314 Hammam Chott 34,341
1315 Bou Mhel el-Bassatine 50,817
1316 Ezzahra 35,241
1317 Radès 63,042
1318 Mégrine 25,863
1319 Mohamedia 84,465
1320 Mornag 52,276
1321 Khalidia 22,894
1322 Fouchana 66,483
1323 Naassen 34,385

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f (in French) "tunisieindustrie.nat.tn". Archived from the original on 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  2. ^ "President of the Republic reshuffles governors". tap.info.tn. 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  3. ^ a b "National institute of statistics 2024" (PDF). 23 May 2025.
  4. ^ (in French) Census 2014 (National Institute of Statistics) Archived 2014-10-29 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Ben Arous (Governorate, Tunisia) – Population Statistics". City Population. Retrieved 2026-03-06. Based on RGPH 2024 census results from Institut National de la Statistique (INS); municipal boundaries as of 2023.