The lake covers a total of 37 square kilometres, in contrast to its size its depth is very shallow.
The Tunis-Carthage connection was very important to the Romans, as it meant control over the fertile hinterland.
The northern lake includes the island of Chikly, once home to a Spanish stronghold, and now (since 1993) a nature reserve.
French colonial forces traversed the lake with a 10-kilometer long, 450-meter wide, and 6-meter deep canal.
], the Tunisian government and Sama Dubai of the UAE (led by Dubai Governor Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum) have joint-ventured an investment agreement to develop the southern shore of the lake into a new commercial, residential and touristic center in Tunisia and the Mediterranean.