 Tunisia, Fr. Tunisie,
officially Republic of Tunisia, republic (1995 est. pop.
8,880,000), 63,378 sq mi (164,150 sq km), NW Africa, bordered
by Algeria (W), the Mediterranean Sea (N and E), and Libya
(SE). Tunis is the capital. The Atlas Mountains in the north
form a dry plateau that merges with fertile plains near the
coast; in the south, below the Chott Djerid and other salt
lakes, stretches the Sahara desert. The irregular coastline
has several fine harbors. Agriculture is the mainstay of the
economy, but mining and tourism are important. Wheat, barley,
grapes, olives, sugar beets, citrus fruits, and dates are the
leading crops, and phosphates and petroleum are the principal
minerals. Manufactured goods include steel, textiles, and
processed food. Remittances from Tunisians working abroad,
particularly in France, are an important source of foreign
currency. The population is largely Berber and Arab, and Islam
is the dominant religion. Arabic the official language,
although French is widely spoken.
History
Settled in the 12th cent. B.C. by Phoenicians, Tunisia became
(6th cent. B.C.) the center of the powerful city-state of
Carthage, which was destroyed by Rome in 146 B.C. Taken by the
Vandals (5th cent. A.D.) and the Byzantines (6th cent.), the
Arabs conquered Tunisia in the 7th cent., and the Berber
population was converted to Islam. The area came under a
succession of Muslim rulers, reaching its peak under the
Berber Hafsid dynasty (c.1230–1574). In the late 16th cent.
Tunisia was seized by the Ottoman Turks, and as one of the
Barbary States it became a stronghold of pirates, on whom the
treasury depended for several centuries. European intervention
began in the 19th cent., and in 1881 Tunisia became a French
protectorate. Nationalist agitation, which first surfaced in
the 1920s, became intense after World War II, and independence
was achieved in 1956.
In 1957 the country became a republic, with Habib Bourguiba as
president. Under Bourguiba, who was elected president-for-life
in 1975, Tunisia was a moderate Arab state, following a
generally pro-Western foreign policy; support for a negotiated
settlement with Israel strained the country's relations with
its Arab neighbors, however. Domestically, Bourguiba
emphasized modernization and planned economic growth. In 1981
he authorized the legal formation of opposition political
parties, indicating a possible shift in the direction of
liberal democracy.
In 1987 Bourguiba was deposed, on grounds of senility, by Gen.
Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. Ben Ali promised continued democratic
reform, but he has ruled in an increasingly autocratic fashion
and sought to crush Islamic-fundamentalist opposition. Under
his regime the economy has seen significant growth as it has
moved away from state control. In recent years relations with
Libya have improved, and Tunisia joined with its North African
neighbors in forming (1989) the Arab Maghreb Union.
During the 1994 election campaign, the government arrested
political dissidents and barred the Islamic party Al Nahda
from participating. Running uncontested and endorsed by all
the legal opposition parties, Ben Ali drew nearly 100% of the
vote. In 1999, Ben Ali was again reelected with nearly 100% of
the vote; he faced a token challenge from two opposition
candidates.
| |
|
.
| About Tunisia |
- Tunisia
People
- Tunisia History
- Tunisia Geography
- Tunisia Economy
- Tunisia Government
-
Tunisia Tourism |
| Tunisia Daily |
- Tunisia
News
- Tunisia Weather
- Stock Exchange
- Currency
Converter
|
| About Maghreb |
-
Maghreb People
- Maghreb History
- Maghreb Geography
-
Maghreb Economy
- Maghreb Politics
- Maghreb Tourism |
| About Marweb |
- About Us
-
Link to us
- Contact us
- Advertise
|
| |
|
| 
