It covers an urban and suburban area on the Gulf of Tunis on the north-east coast covering 346 square kilometres (134 sq mi) and has a population of 1,056,247 (2014 census) with some agriculture and amenity land including parts of national parks.

The area tapers towards the port and forms a narrow alluvial belt stretching westward, a distance of approximately 20 km2, taking in much farmland and two small freshwater lakes.

Its banks includes cultivated land to the west and the small Foret de Sijoumi to the east, with suburbs largely to the other sides.

A very large market and hospitals area in the west of the capital is supplemented by wide roads and flyovers as well as three of the country's largest railway stations to make for a highly developed city centre in terms of trade and connectivity.

This along with themed smaller museums and galleries, its mosques, souqs, traditional hotels, restaurants and nearby headlands, national parks and beaches make Tunis itself a major tourist destination.