The Kef governorate has a population of 257,600 (July 2009) with an active labor force of 79,000 representing 23% of the population of the Northwest. 42.2% of the area’s population is less than 25 years old which shows the importance of this age segment in the governorate age structure. Here, the urbanization rate is 50.8% and the schooling rate is 91.8%.

The Kef region hosts de 05 public and 14 private vocational training centers (with a hosting capacity of 1,370) representing several fields of expertise such as agriculture mechanics, electro-mechanics, industrial equipment electricity, aluminum millwork, hairdressing, cutting and sewing, precision, computer science …

The region has a fairly dense network of roads linking it to the larger cities and to Tunis which is at 165km or 2 hours’ drive away.

There are hangars and buildings specially equipped for industrial use.

34 Hangars et bâtiments spécialement aménagés pour usage industriel.

The region has extensive hydraulic resources, estimated at 349.0 million m3 of which 202 million m3 are trapped by the Mellegue Dam, 24 hillside dams and 64 lakes.

The governorate has recently experienced depletion of resources at its three mines.  But exploration has shown that there are still major deposits in the region.

The Kef region has substantial agricultural potential:
a vast and fertile farming area estimated at 491,8 hectares, including 115,8 ha of forest, large water resources and extensive zones estimated at 16,0 ha. This enabled the governorate to contribute up to 4.5% to the national agricultural output, distributed into cereals (281,500 tons), red meat (12,600 tons), market gardening products (139,800 tons) and milk (22,700 liters).

This region also has 9 firms with different foreign participations, operating in industry, farming, tourism and services.

The distribution of industrial plants per field demonstrates the dominance of the food processing, that of building materials, ceramics and glass.

The governorate is endowed with several natural resources (Nebeur and Sakiet Sidi Youssef forests) and archaeological sites (Temple of the Waters, Numid Village, Synagogue, El Kasbah historic monument…) which enable the region to develop its tourism.

The production of handicraft (rugs, blankets, traditional overcoats) reflects the region’s specific features, which are now consolidated with the recent creation of the Kef handicraft park.