# Bizerte Governorate

Bizerte Governorate (Arabic: ولاية بنزرت Wilāyat Benzart pronounced; French: Gouvernorat de Bizerte) is the northernmost of the 24 governorates of Tunisia. It is in northern Tunisia, approximately rectangular and having a long north coast. It covers an area of 3,750 km$^2$ including two large lakes, one coastal hence saline and one freshwater being the World Heritage Site, Ichkeul lake. Its population was 568,219 as at the 2014 census. The capital is Bizerte which stands principally on inlet between Bizerte lake and the Mediterranean. The offshore Galite Islands are part of the governorate, as are the ruins of the ancient city of Utica.

## Geography

The governorate is centered 60 kilometres (37 mi) from the capital and borders the governorates of Ariana, Béja and Manouba.
The average temperature is 22.75 °C and annual rainfall is 300-800 millimeters.

## Administrative divisions

Administratively, the governorate is divided into fourteen delegations (mutamadiyat), thirteen municipalities, seven rural councils, and 102 sectors (imadas). The delegations and their populations from the 2004 and 2014 censuses, are listed below:
| Delegation | Area km$^2$ | Population 2004 | Population 2014 |
| Bizerte Nord | 53.52 | 75,234 | 87,307 |
| Bizerte Sud | 398.75 | 45,227 | 55,659 |
| Djoumine | ... | 35,213 | 29,029 |
| El Alia | ... | 24,539 | 27,075 |
| Ghar El Melh | ... | 18,525 | 19,477 |
| Ghezala | ... | 27,799 | 26,977 |
| Mateur | ... | 47,562 | 46,975 |
| Menzel Bourguiba | ... | 54,804 | 61,919 |
| Menzel Jemil | ... | 39,691 | 47,224 |
| Ras Jabel | ... | 51,240 | 58,241 |
| Sejenane | ... | 42,156 | 40,166 |
| Tinja | ... | 19,444 | 23,455 |
| Utique | ... | 18,266 | 19,922 |
| Zarzouna | 7.12 | 24,428 | 24,793 |
The following thirteen municipalities are located in Bizerte Governorate:
| Code | Municipality | Population (2014) |
| 1711 | Bizerte | 136,917 |
| 1712 | Sejnane | 5,645 |
| 1713 | Mateur | 34,010 |
| 1714 | Menzel Bourguiba | 54,536 |
| 1715 | Tinja | 21,139 |
| 1716 | Ghar al Milh | 5,345 |
| 1717 | Aousja | 5,126 |
| 1718 | Menzel Jemil | 22,238 |
| 1719 | Menzel Abderrahmane | 19,078 |
| 1720 | El Alia | 18,359 |
| 1721 | Ras Jebel | 28,610 |
| 1722 | Metline | 9,904 |
| 1723 | Raf Raf | 9,850 |

## Governors

A historical list of Governors of Bizerte Governorate since the independence in 1956:
* Mohsen Nouira (1956-1959)
* Mohamed Belamine (1959-1961)
* Naceur Ben Jaafar (1961-1964)
* Hédi Baccouche (1964-1967)
* Mongi Kooli (1967-31 -December 1969)
* Abdeljelil Mehiri (January-August 1970)
* Abdesselem Ghedira (1970-1971)
* Mezri Chekir (1971-1972)
* Slim Aloulou (1972-1975)
* Abdelmalek Laarif (1975-1980)
* Tahar Berrejeb (1980-1981)
* Rabah Dekhili (1981-1984)
* Salem Mansouri (1984-1987)
* Habib Sayhi (1987-1990)
* Mohamed Rahmani (1990-2 July 1991)
* Mohamed Ben Rejeb (2 July 1991-15 June 1993)
* Mohamed Soudani (15 June 1993-1995)
* Mohamed Ridha Mokrani (1995-1998)
* Sadok Marzouk (1998-2000)
* Mohamed Habib Brahem (2000-2004)
* Mehdi Chabbah (2004-2005)
* Salem Jribi (2005-2011)
* Chokri Belhassen (2 February 2011)
* Mohamed Hechmi Blouza (4 February 2011)
* Mohamed Hefdhi Mrabet (15 February 2011-22 February 2012)
* Nabil Nsiri (22 February-27 August 2012)
* Abderrazak Ben Khelifa (27 August 2012-24 August 2013)
* Ridha Lahouel (24 August 2013-14 February 2015)
* Mnaouer Ouertani (14 February 2015-16 September 2016)
* Mohamed Gouider (16 September 2016-12 August 2021)
* Samir Abdellaoui (12 August 2021-8 September 2024)
* Salem Ben Yacoub (since 8 September 2024)