Peace be upon you. How are you? I hope you are well and wish goodness for us all. Almost every day we research and write about countries, health, and similar subjects. Today it is Tunisia’s turn, a country beside the Mediterranean Sea. Many of us may know about Tunisia, but let us read what has been written about it.
Tunisia, officially the Tunisian Republic, lies in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean to the north and east, Libya to the southeast along 459 kilometers, and Algeria to the west along 965 kilometers. Its capital is Tunis, and its area is 163,610 square kilometers.
According to the latest statistics cited in the source, from 2014, Tunisia’s population was approximately 10,982,800. [7]
Tunisia played important roles in ancient history through the Phoenicians, Amazigh, Carthaginians, Vandals, and Romans. Under Roman rule it was known as the province of Africa, which gave the continent its name. Muslims conquered it in the seventh century CE [8] and founded Kairouan in 50 AH as the first Islamic city in North Africa. Under the Ottoman Empire it was called the Tunisian Eyalet. France occupied it in 1881, and it gained independence in 1956, officially becoming the Kingdom of Tunisia toward the end of Muhammad Al-Amin Bey’s reign. [9] With the republic proclaimed on July 25, 1957, Habib Bourguiba became its first president.
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali succeeded him in a 1987 coup and remained in power until fleeing during the Tunisian revolution in 2011. Tunisia relied on export-oriented industries while liberalizing and privatizing its economy. GDP growth averaged 5 percent from the early 1990s, but the country suffered corruption under the former president. [10]
Tunisia has close historical relations with the United States and European Union, is a major non-NATO ally, and has advanced partnership agreements with the EU, its leading customer and a strong economic partner. It also belongs to the Arab League and African Union. Relations with France are particularly close through economic cooperation, industrial modernization, and privatization programs. Its government’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has also made it a participant in Middle East diplomacy, while troops serving with the United Nations in conflict zones contribute to international peacekeeping.