About Tunisia

1. History  

CARTHAGE
Tunisians traded and interacted with other Mediterranean cultures since the 12th century BC. Ancient Carthage, the great city-state founded in 814 BC, so prospered in trade and commerce that it attracted the eyes of an expanding Roman Empire. The fall of Carthage in the second century BC ushered in nearly 700 years of Roman rule. Tunisia prospered as the granary of the Roman Empire. The many splendid archaeological sites which dot the Tunisian landscape today attest to Tunisia's prominent position in the empire.

ARAB MOSLEM ERA
In the fifth and the sixth centuries AD, Roman influence was replaced by that of, first, the Vandals and later the Byzantines. In the seventh century AD, Islamic conquest reached Tunisia. The city of Kairouan became the center of religious life and the site of one of Islam's most ancient and holiest mosques. In the ensuing centuries, Islamic civilization enriched Tunisia during five long dynasties both Arab and Ottoman. High points during this period were the establishment in Tunis of the Great Mosque and Islamic University of Zitouna; the flourishing of great thinkers such as Ibn Khaldoun, historian and father of modern sociology, who produced works which still influence scholarship ; and the arrival of Muslim Andalusian immigrants expelled from Spain in 1492. By the 16th century, Tunisia was under Ottoman control, and a dynasty of Beys governed the country.

FRENCH PROTECTORATE
In the 19th century, Tunisia was the first Arab country to promulgate a Constitution and ban slavery, but economic problems, abuses by the Beys and foreign interference were the source of increased instability. In 1881, France declared Tunisia a Protectorate, generating a strong anti-colonial reaction in the country.

INDEPENDENCE
In 1920, the Liberal Constitutional Party (the Destour) was formed by Tunisian nationalists. The breakaway new Destour, created in 1934, eventually became the driving force behind Tunisian independence. After a long struggle, Tunisia finally won its independence on March 20, 1956.

MODERN HISTORY
On July 25th, 1957, Habib Bourguiba, the first President of Tunisia, declared the new nation a Republic. On June 1, 1959, the first Constitution of the Republic was adopted.

On November 7, 1987, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who at the time was Prime Minister and the constitutionally ordained successor, became the Republic's second President, after President Bourguiba became unable, for health reasons, to continue assuming the duties of the office. Tunisia's first succession was smooth and peaceful.

2. Religion

Islam is the religion of about 99% of the population in Tunisia. It is also the religion of the State according to the Constitution. Such poles of religious learning, as Zeitouna Mosque in Tunis and the city of Kairouan, have for centuries provided enlightened and progressive interpretations of Islam to the world.

3. Society

The population of Tunisia numbers approximately 9.6 million inhabitants. The demographic growth rate is 1.14 %.
Arab, Berber, African, and European influences have helped shape the unique Tunisian cultural identity. The overwhelming majority of the population is Muslim, and the official religion is Sunni Islam. Christian and Jewish communities practice their faith freely and contribute to Tunisia's rich cultural diversity.

4. Culture

 Tunisia, a melting-pot of different civilizations, has always had a rich cultural activity, as testified by its prestigious museums and cultural institutions and by the various international festivals held throughout the year. Sustained efforts have been deployed to promote the cultural sector. The Heritage Code grants companies important tax breaks to encourage investments in restoration and protection of archaeological monuments (e.g. Cathedral of Carthage;) promulgation of legal texts allows free importation of books and paper destined for cultural purposes and the exemption from customs duties of musical instruments.

5. Tourism

Tunisia's beautiful beaches and historical treasures attract millions of tourists from all over the world.

Nearly 5 million tourists visited Tunisia in 1999.

American and most European tourists do not require visas to enter Tunisia. There are more than 722 hotels in the country, totaling 191.955 beds. Seven international airports, and eight passenger ports connect Tunisia to the United States and Europe. The capital city, Tunis, is a two-hour flight from Paris and London and a fifty- minute flight from Rome. Daily flights connect Tunisia to virtually all European, African and Middle Eastern destinations.

6. Climate

Tunisia is a mixture of a Mediterranean and an African climate.

The climate of northern Tunisia is typically Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and mild winters. Temperatures in July and August can reach 35°C+, with up to twelve hours of sunshine per day.

Southern Tunisia is even hotter, with temperatures reaching 45°C and more on occasions. During the winter there are approximately 5 – 6 hours of sunshine a day and temperatures are in the region of 18 – 20°C.

The desert region will always be a few degrees warmer. In terms of annual rainfall, it ranges from 1000mm in the north down to 150mm in the south, although some areas of the Sahara go for years without any rain.

For an up to date weather forecast in Tunisia, click the link below:

www.meteo.tn

7. Economic overview

Thanks to the wide-ranging reforms it has undertaken, Tunisia has managed, in a relatively short period of time, to make significant gains on the political, economic and social planes.

Those gains have earned it the interest and consideration of the international community which, owing to the growth levels attained by the GDP and the improved living conditions of the inhabitants in spite of the country's modest natural resources, presents the Tunisian case as a model of success for developing countries.

A model based on continual search for better balance between the imperatives of sustained economic development and the demands for coherent social promotion.

In accordance with this vision, Man is perceived as a full actor in the development process and the main target of all the policies and choices implemented.