Tunisia

History : The coast of Tunisia was settled in 10th cent. B.C. by Phoenicians. In the 6th cent. B.C., Carthage rose to power, but it was conquered by Rome (2d cent. B.C.), and the region became one of the granaries of Rome. It was held by Vandals (5th cent. A.D.) and Byzantines (6th cent.). In the 7th cent. it was conquered by Arabs, who founded Al Qayrawan. The region became known as Ifriqiya and the Berber population was converted to Islam. Successive Muslim dynasties ruled, interrupted by Berber rebellions. The reigns of the Aghlabids (9th cent.) and of the Zirids (from 972), Berber followers of the Fatimids, were especially prosperous. When the Zirids angered the Fatimids in Cairo (1050), the latter ravaged Tunisia.

The coasts were briefly held by the Normans of Sicily in the 12th cent. In 1159, Tunisia was conquered by the Almohad caliphs of Morocco. The Almohads were succeeded by the Berber Hafsids (c.1230–1574), under whom Tunisia prospered. In the last years of the Hafsids, Spain seized many of the coastal cities, but they were recovered for Islam by the Ottoman Turks. Under its Turkish governors, the beys, Tunisia attained virtual independence. In the late 16th cent. the coast became a pirate stronghold . The Hussein dynasty of beys, established in 1705, lasted until 1957.

Location: Situated on the North African coast of the Mediterranean Sea between Algeria and Libya and just south of Italy, Tunisia represents an intriguing cross-cultural blend of Europe and Africa. Tunisia is situated on the fringe of the Sahara, and while it has an arid land it is not a stereotypically desert country.

Area: The total area of Tunisia is 164,418 sq km (63,482 sq mi).

Language: Arabic, is the official language, and while some businessmen speak English, Italian or German, French is usually the language of commerce. French is less apt to be understood in the far south. English and German are also spoken in major cities.

Currency: The unit of currency is the Tunisian Dinar (TND) of 1000 millimes.

Tunisia Time Difference: GMT + 1

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Tunisia Tourism

Tunisia's beaches and historical sites attract an ever-growing number of tourists to the country each year.

The number of tourists has risen from 56,000 in 1961 to 3.7 million in 1993. There has been considerable local and foreign investment in new hotels and resorts.

Efforts to increase tourist amenities, particularly in the coastal cities, have been successful in attracting large groups of tourists from Europe.

Tunisia Climat

There are considerable differences between the climate in the north and south of Tunisia. The north's climate is typically Mediterranean, with hot dry summers and mild wet winters. In the south, the proximity to the Sahara increases the aridity of the landscape, and makes an unpleasant summer climatic combination of high humidity and high temperatures.

Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit Tunisia, although summer is popular despite the severity of the heat.

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