Located in the southeast of Tunisia, the Governorate of Gabès covers an area of 7166 km², representing approximately 8% of the southern region’s total area and 5% of the national territory. It occupies a privileged geographical position, serving as a crucial crossroads and a link between the Southeast and the rest of the country. This strategic location has facilitated the development of significant trade flows with both the national and international environments.
Bounded by the governorate of Sfax to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the Governorate of Médenine to the south, and the governorates of Kebili and Gafsa to the west.
Administratively divided into 10 delegations, 10 municipalities, 9 rural councils, and 73 administrative sectors (imadats), the Governorate of Gabès is composed of four natural regions.
- The Coastal Area
- The Middle Zone
- The Mountainous Zone
- The Grazing Zone
The governorate had a population of 342,630 inhabitants in 2004, compared to 311,713 in 1994. The average annual growth rate decreased from 2.6% during the period 1984/1994 to 0.95% for the period 1994/2004 (compared to 1.21% at the national level for the same period).
This resulted in a decline in the number of inhabitants under 14 years old, while there was a continuous increase in the number of inhabitants in the age group of 18 to 59 years. This led to a remarkable evolution of the population in the working-age category, reaching 102,949 individuals, of which 87,082 were effectively employed in 2004 (RGPH 2004). The population in 2007 is reported as 351,100 inhabitants.