What Geographical Concentration of Industries in the Tunisian Sahel? Empirical Evidence Using Distance-Based Measures

This paper examines the location patterns of manufacturing industries within the most developed regions of Tunisia, the Sahel. We use detailed micro-geographic data and the distance-based approach of Duranton and Overman. While the textile industry shows a high degree of geographical concentration, the high-tech industries are also among the most concentrated, meaning that the Tunisian Sahel gathers a specialised pool in these industries. We further analyse the location patterns of manufacturing sub-sectors: totally and partially exporting plants and domestic, mixed and foreign plants and show that totally exporting plants and foreign and mixed plants exhibit strong geographical concentration.