Tunisia is the same size to that of England and Wales. Tunisia lies at the northernmost point of Africa and it is the smallest of the four countries in North Africa that constitute the Maghreb. Tunisia shares its borders with Algeria in the west and Libya in the southeast. Tunisia has over 16,000 kilometers of coastline that borders the Mediterranean Sea. You will get to see the Mediterranean Sea on the east and the north of the country. The eastern coastal plains are highly populated and are also intensively cultivated with citrus fruit, olives and vineyards. There is the mountainous Tell that dominates the interior and the Aures region that is populated by the nomadic shepherds. Towards the south you will get to see the Sahara desert that is rich in phosphate and iron deposits. Here dates are cultivated in the oases.
History of Tunisia
Tunisia was inhabited by the Berber tribes with its coast inhabited by Phoenicians from the 10th century BC. The city of Carthage was founded in the 8th century B.C and the settlers of Carthage brought their culture and religion from the Phoenicians and Canaanites here.
In the mid-1800s, Tunisia's government was under the rule of the Bey. There were severe problems with the finances of the country that brought about their downfall. France began plans to take control of Tunisia. The weakened Beys were powerless against these raids and were unable to resist the European colonization.
Tunisia is now a republic with a strong presidential system that is dominated by a single political party with President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali at the helm.
Geography of Tunisia
The country has three distinct physical regions: Northern Tunisia, Central Tunisia, and Southern Tunisia. In the north there is the Atlas Mountains. There are also the Northern Tell and High Tell ranges, separated by the wide fertile Medjerda. The highest peaks are the Mt. Chambi near the Algerian border and Mt. Mrhila towards the southwest of Tunis.
Central Tunisia is a semi-arid steppe plateau.
Economy of Tunisia
Tunisia has a greatly diversified economy. The main importance lies on agriculture, mining, energy, tourism, petroleum, and the manufacturing sectors. The Government controls the economic affairs. The average growth rate is 5.0% in the 1990s but inflation is slowing.
Demographics of Tunisia
The majority of modern Tunisians are Arabs, and they speak Tunisian Arabic. There are the Berbers in the Jabal Dahar area and they speak Shelha. There are also the Jews who are there in the country.
Authentic online information on Tunisia is offered only at travel.mapsofworld.
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