River · Tunisia
Medjerda
Medjerda is the longest river of Tunisia, in North Africa. Over about 460 kilometres it crosses wide fields of grain and finally spreads into the Gulf of Tunis through a flat delta near Utica.
Picture credit: Pmgforever~commonswiki (CC BY-SA 3.0) · DrFO.Jr.Tn (CC BY-SA 3.0) · DrFO.Jr.Tn (CC BY 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Where is the Medjerda?
The river starts here: Tell Atlas mountains, in neighbouring Algeria.
It ends in the Gulf of Tunis, through a delta near Utica.
Countries on the river: Tunisia.
The story behind it
The Medjerda comes down from the mountains of the neighbouring country and then flows east through a broad, fertile valley. This valley has been called the bread basket of the region for more than two thousand years: the Romans built cities, bridges and huge grain stores along the banks, and their ruins still stand in the fields. The water carries a great deal of reddish mud, which is why the delta keeps growing and the old harbour of Utica now lies far from the sea. In spring the river can rise quickly and flood villages and roads, while in high summer it becomes narrow and slow. Storks stalk through the wet meadows and eels live in the lower course. Because measurements start at different mountain streams, the length given for the Medjerda varies.
Questions children ask
How long is the Medjerda?
The Medjerda is about 460 kilometres long. Part of that distance lies outside Tunisia, which is why some books give a shorter figure for the country itself.
Which country does the Medjerda flow through?
The Medjerda counts as the river of Tunisia, where it waters the most important farming valley. Its first streams, however, come down from the mountains next door.
Where does the Medjerda end?
The Medjerda reaches the Gulf of Tunis on the Mediterranean Sea. Its delta near Utica is still growing, because the river drops huge amounts of mud there.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page was checked against public reference sources before publication. Where sources genuinely disagree, the text says so.
Last checked: