Tunisia

Tunisia was proclaimed independent on 20 March 1956, with Habib Bourguiba as president of the country. A year later it became the Tunisian Republic.

GEOGRAPHY

To the north and east of Tunisia is the Mediterranean, to the west Algeria, and to the south-west Libya. Tunisia, with an area of 163,610 sq.km, is the smallest of the Maghreb states. Its population is 9,924,742.
   There are three main geographical divisions; the mountainous Tell region in the north, the continuation of the Algerian Tell; the semi-desert low plateaux and plains of the centre; and the Sahara in the south. In the northern hills the climate is reasonably humid, but in the desert south there are extremes of heat and cold, strong winds, and little vegetation.

PEOPLE

Tunisia was inhabited by Berbers in prehistoric times and there was a fair-sized minority who spoke the Berber language before the independence; however, due to the spread of modern Arabic, French-based education and also the State media, this language of the original inhabitants has largely vanished.

LANGUAGE

The official language is Standard Literary Arabic, and French is also used widely in public administration and commerce. A growing number of Tunisians also speak English and Italian, but the spoken language in the street and markets, etc., is Tunisian colloquial Arabic dialect.

HISTORY

The Tunisian coast was colonised by the Phoenicians, and later ruled by Carthage before being annexed to the Roman Empire in 146 B.C. It was at that time one of the most prosperous provinces of the Roman Empire, and became afterwards a stronghold of Christianity. The Roman interest in North Africa stemmed initially from rivalry with the Phoenicians for control of the Mediterranean basin.
   The Vandal invasion in 429 swept destructively through Morocco and Algeria and halted in Tunisia, where the Vandals remained for about a century. The newcomers had neither an advanced civilisation nor a great number of people with which to dominate the area they conquered. The Berbers were satisfied to be left alone by the new rulers and caused them no trouble. Vandal rule was overthrown in 534 by Byzantine forces. The defeated Vandals disappeared completely and Roman colonialism was re-imposed, but did not interfere with the Berber inhabitants. The Berber merchants provided a third of imperial Rome’s grain supply, olive oil, wine, barley, timber etc.
   The Arab conquerors arrived in 647. Carthage was fiercely defended by the Byzantines and Berbers, and held out until 698. Several dynasties then ruled the country until the arrival of the Corsair admiral Khayr al-Din Barbarossa, in 1534, whose expeditions in the Mediterranean provoked the intervention of Spain, who occupied Tunis in 1535. The Ottoman army expelled the Spaniards in 1574. Over the following two centuries, many Jews from Spain and Italy took refuge in Tunisia.
   In 1861 after the French conquest of Algeria, the Bey of Tunis became worried about the prospect of French intervention and began tentatively to introduce reforms, endeavouring, against strong internal reactionary opposition, to inaugurate something like a constitutional monarchy. The French nevertheless in 1881 took over the country. A nationalist revolt broke out and was suppressed by the French army in 1881-2. The French government forced the Bey to sign the treaty of Mersa on 8 June 1883 which sealed the French occupation.
   On 1 February 1907 Ali Bach Hamba founded Les Jeunes Tunisiens (The Young Tunisians). In June 1920 the Destour Party was established and in 1934 the Néo-Destour was founded by Habib Bourguiba. In 1936 France banned all nationalist parties and deported their leaders to various French territories.
   In November 1942 the Germans invaded Tunisia. With Nazi encouragement, the Bey Mohamed al Moncef asked Tunisian nationalists to support the German occupation. When the Germans were defeated, the French deposed al Moncef and replaced him by his cousin Mohamed al Amin, who ruled with the support of the French until July 1954. In July 1954 the French government had agreed to Tunisia’s self-government, and full independence was proclaimed on 20 March 1956, with Bourguiba as President. A year later, Tunisia became the Tunisian Republic. Habib Bourguiba ruled the country until he was overthrown by a coup d’etat by his Prime Minister, General Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, on 7 November 1987.

ECONOMY

The main Tunisian resource is phosphates, on which the Tunisian economic boom was founded, these being the main source of foreign earnings. Oil was discovered in 1964 but not in vast quantities. Farming is still the means of livelihood for over 60 per cent of the population. Cereals, citrus, fruit, dates, wine, olives and olive-oil are the main products. Light industry accounts for a quarter of the GDP, and is concentrated almost entirely in the coastal districts.

TOURISM

The main sources of Tunisian foreign earnings are, however, tourism and Tunisian workers’ remittances from abroad. Tunisia has invested heavily in the tourism infrastructure, which is now one of the most developed sectors of the economy. Recently, European holidaymakers placed Tunisia amongst their favourite holiday destinations.

RELIGION

Islam is the state religion and the Tunisian State now assumes the role of protector of Islamic faith as well as the faiths of Christian and Jewish minorities. The government does not interfere with the worship of other religious minorities. However, some activities which the Tunisian authorities could view as encouraging conversion to Christianity and other faiths are prohibited, such as the distribution of religious literature or trying to engage Tunisians in debate about Christianity. In the recent past, foreign citizens have been detained and expelled.

POLITICAL PARTIES

There are about seven recognised political parties in Tunisia, and five are represented in the Chamber of Deputies (182 seats, with members elected for a five-year term), but the main official political party since Independence is the Parti Socialiste Destourien, which changed its name to the Rassemblement Constitutionnelle Démocratique after Ben Ali’s successful coup d’etat. This party dominates and directs the State, with 80 per cent of the seats.

JUDICIAL SYSTEM

Judicial organs are independent, but often the final authority rests with the Ministry of Justice. Tunisian law is based on the French civil law system and Islamic law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in other countries.

MEDIA

Radio and television broadcast are state-owned. There are several independent newspapers and periodicals, but freedom of opinion and expression are still far from being a reality. Foreign newspapers and periodicals are allowed provided they contain no criticism of the government.

ENTRY/ EXIT REQUIREMENTS

A valid passport is required. A visa is not required for some travellers. For further information concerning entry requirements, travellers may contact the Tunisian embassy in their country of residence.
   Travellers born in Arab or Muslim countries but with US, Canadian, or European passports, and having Arabic names, have experienced delays in clearing immigration upon arrival at Tunisian airports.