BIZERTA, a seaport of Tunisia, in 37° 17' N., 9° so' E. Pop. (1931) 23,2°6. Next to Toulon, Bizerta is the most im portant naval port of France in the Mediterranean, in a com manding strategical position in the narrowest part of the sea, 714 m. E. of Gibraltar, 1,168 m. W.N.W. of Port Said, 24o m. N.W. of Malta, and 42o m. S. by E. of Toulon. It is 6o m. by rail N.N.W. of Tunis. The town is built on the shores of the Medi terranean at the point where the Lake of Bizerta enters the sea through a natural channel, the mouth of which has been canalized. The modern town lies almost entirely on the north side of the canal. A little farther north are the ancient citadel, the walled "Arab" town and the old harbour (disused). The present outer harbour covers about 3oo acres and is formed by two converging jetties and a breakwater. The north jetty is 4,000 ft. long, the east jetty 3,3oo ft., and the breakwater—which protects the port from the prevalent north-east winds-2,30o ft. long. The en trance to the canal is in the centre of the outer harbour. The canal is 2,600 ft. long and 787 ft. wide on the surface. Its banks are lined with quays, and ships drawing 26 ft. of water can moor alongside. At the end of the canal is a large commercial harbour, beyond which the channel opens into the lake--in reality an arm of the sea—roughly circular in forn-, and covering about so square m., two-thirds of its waters having a depth of 3o to 4o ft. The lake contains the naval port and arsenal. The principal naval works are at Sidi Abdallah at the south-west corner of the lake and o m. from the open sea. Here is an enclosed basin covering 123 acres with ample quayage, dry docks and everything necessary to the accommodation, repair, revictualling and coaling of a numerous fleet. Barracks, hospitals and waterworks have been built, the military town, called Ferryville, being self-con tained. Railways from Bizerta to the Nefza mines will increase the commerce of the port. Fortifications have been built for the protection of the port.
The Lake of Bizerta (Arab, Tinja), abounds in excellent fish, especially mullets, the dried roe of which, called botargo, is largely exported. The western shore of the lake is low, and in many places is covered with olive trees to the water's edge. The south-eastern shores are hilly and wooded. A narrow and shallow channel leads from the western side of the lake into another sheet of water, the Lake of Ishkul, so called from Jebel Ishkul, a hill on its southern bank 1,740 ft. high. Ishkul is nearly as large as Bizerta, but is very shallow. Its waters are generally sweet.
Bizerta occupies the site of the ancient Tyrian colony, Hippo Zarytus or Diarrhytus, the harbour of which, by means of a spacious pier, protecting it from the north-east wind, was ren dered one of the safest and finest on this coast. The town be came a Roman colony, and was conquered by the Arabs in the 7th century. The place thereafter was subject either to the rulers of Tunis or of Constantine, but was noted for frequent revolts. It threw in its lot (c. 153o) with the pirate Khair-ed-Din, and subsequently received a Turkish garrison. Bizerta was captured by the Spaniards in 1535, but not long afterwards came under the Tunisian Government. Centuries of neglect followed, and the ancient port was almost choked up, though the value of the fisheries saved the town from utter decay. In 1890 a concession for a new canal and harbour was granted to a company, and five years later the new port was formally opened. Since then the canal has been widened and deepened, and the naval port at Sidi Abdallah created.