Tunis, Tunisia

Tunis is the economic, cultural, and administrative capital of the Republic of Tunisia, a north African nation located on the Mediterranean coast and bordered by Algeria and Libya. Tunis has been an important city in the region since its founding and has been occupied by a succession of ethnic groups, including Berbers, Arabs, and the French. Tunis is the center of the country's export industry and an important transportation hub.

Landscape

Tunis is located on the northeast coast of Tunisia and at the edge of the Lake of Tunis, which sits between the city and the Mediterranean Sea. An 11.2-kilometer (7 mile) canal links Tunis to the sea, where the city's main port is located. The 37-square-kilometer (14-square-mile) Lake of Tunis serves as the city's boundary. The average elevation is 4 meters (13 feet) above sea level, though the urban area is surrounded by hills that rise to over 10 meters (32.8 feet).

Much of Tunisia consists of arid desert terrain; only 18.3 percent of country consists of arable land. Areas closer to the coast have fertile soil and have therefore become the most populous and productive portions of the nation. Average monthly temperatures in Tunis range from 10.7 to 26.8 degrees Celsius (51.2 to 80.2 degrees Fahrenheit), while monthly rainfall averages vary from 2.7 to 65.5 millimeters (0.1 to 2.6 inches).

Tunisia has been affected by climate change, which has caused frequent flooding, coastal erosion, sea level rise, and water scarcity. A lack of water reduces agricultural production.

The urban area of Tunis covers just over 200 square kilometers (80 square miles) and is divided into two major sections, though the satellite city of Belvedere, located to the north of the urban area, is generally considered part of the metropolitan area. Belvedere is separated from the main city by a small tract of open land.

The urban area contains the Medina, which is the oldest portion of Tunis, with buildings and monuments related to the city's period of Arab rule. Next to the Medina is Ville Nouvelle ("New City"), the portion of Tunis that was developed during the French occupation and therefore has a European colonial structure, including wide, tree-lined streets. Tunis has hundreds of public parks, ranging in size from small green areas to large, planted recreational and sports facilities.

People

The population of greater Tunis, including Belvedere, is estimated to be 2.439 million (2022 estimate). The entire population of Tunisia was estimated in 2022 at over 11,896,972 people, with over 70.2 percent living in urban areas.

Tunisia is ethnically homogenous, with over 98 percent of the population claiming Arab or Berber ancestry. The remaining 2 percent of the population is of European descent, though the country also has a small population of immigrants from other African nations. Arabic is the official language and is spoken by over 99 percent of the population. French is also common in some Tunisian cities, including Tunis; the language is used more often by older individuals whose families learned French during the colonial period. Over 80 percent of the country is literate, and both Arabic and French are used in the public school system.

Tunisia is a predominantly Muslim nation, and over 99 percent of the population adheres to some form of Islam. Though there are small numbers of Christians in Tunisia, they are spread among the cities and comprise less than 1 percent of the total population. Tunis also has a small population of Jewish residents, descended from Spanish immigrants who came to the nation in the seventeenth century.

In Tunis, women and men generally dress is modern Western-style attire, though in rural communities, traditional Islamic clothing is more common. Tunis has numerous small cafés and coffeehouses, which reflect France's influence on the country. Tunisians enjoy a number of sports including football (soccer), cricket, handball, and rugby, which are played in public parks across the country.

Economy

Agriculture is common in Tunisia's rural areas. However, it does not play a major role in the country's economy, accounting for 16 percent of the workforce and 12 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021. Agricultural products include olives, tomatoes, grains, citrus fruits, beets, dates, almonds, and various meat and dairy products. The services industry, which includes tourism services, accounts for nearly two-thirds of the nation's GDP, though it only employs about half of the population. In Tunis, a majority of the population is employed in the services industry, which includes restaurants, hotels, and financial services. Industrial production is common in the areas immediately surrounding Tunis. Industry contributes about 26 percent of the GDP.

The Tunisian economy suffered from declining oil prices in the 1990s and was forced to rely on grants and financial assistance from the European Union, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Tunis is the most modern Tunisian city and has a well-developed infrastructure. The city is serviced by a public bus system and a light-rail system, and is close to the nation's largest international airport. Automobile traffic is common in the city, and the urban area is serviced by a multi-lane, federally supported highway system. In addition, Tunis is connected by canal to the Gulf of Tunis and from there to many of the nation's coastal cities.

In August 2007, the Tunisian government embarked on a $14 billion project with the United Arab Emirates to develop the coast of the Lake of Tunis into a tourism and business center. However, the project, which is called "Tunis Sport City, was put on hold for many years because of the 2008 global financial crisis and the 2011 Arab Spring protests in the country. The project was relaunched in 2022.

Landmarks

Habib Bourguiba Avenue, named for the nation's first prime minister, is the main thoroughfare of the French district and is lined with shopping centers, restaurants and cultural attractions. At one end of Habib Bourguiba Avenue is the Sea Gate, which leads to the Medina. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) classified the Medina of Tunis as a World Heritage Site in recognition of the historic architecture and cultural remnants found in that portion of the city. The Medina is filled with markets that sell foods and a variety of native crafts.

Near the center of the Medina is the Zitouna Mosque, which has been converted into a museum with collections of Arab and Islamic art and also holds daily religious services. The Dar el-Bey, or Bey's palace, is another historically significant landmark located in the Medina. It contains collections of Moorish and Arabic art and historic relics from the Arab occupation period.

Just outside Tunis, at the border of Belvedere, is the National Bardo Museum, a converted thirteenth-century palace. The Bardo Museum contains a variety of artwork and cultural relics, but it is best known for its extensive collection of Roman mosaics, widely considered to be one of the best-preserved collections of Roman art in the world.

History

The Berbers were the first to settle in Tunisia, where they constructed an ancient settlement called Tunes in the area that would become the Medina of Tunis. The time of the Berber settlement is unclear, but it is known that the Berbers were established in the region when the Phoenicians founded settlements in Tunisia in the twelfth century BCE.

By the eighth century BCE, the Phoenicians had established a thriving port city at Carthage, located 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from Tunes. The Phoenicians expanded their empire across the Mediterranean coast and eventually captured Tunes from the Berbers. Until the second century, Carthage was a major threat to the Roman Empire; however, the Roman armies destroyed the city and Tunisia became a territory of Rome.

Tunis changed hands several times during a tumultuous period of Roman, Berber, and Byzantine competition until the city was captured and largely destroyed during a major Arab invasion in the seventh century CE. The Arab sultans absorbed and converted most of the remaining Berbers in the region, though it was a long process marked by frequent rebellions. Under Arab control, the Medina was constructed along with some of the city's oldest mosques and palaces.

In the twelfth century, the Hafsid dynasty—an Islamic group of Berber descent—took control of Tunis (then called Ifriqiya). The city grew to house a population of over 100,000. Ifriqiya's economy was fueled by a thriving trade industry along the coast. The city prospered until it was invaded by the Ottoman Empire in 1534.

With the aid of Spain, the Hafsid government recaptured the city in 1535. Conflict between Spain and the Ottomans continued until the Ottoman armies managed to reclaim Tunis in 1574. Once control was established, the Turkish Ottoman rulers, known as Beys, ruled Tunisia for more than two centuries.

In the nineteenth century, the Ottomans began competing with the French over the territory of Algeria; the conflict later shifted into Tunisia. When the French launched a full-scale invasion, the Tunisian armies were unable to defend the country and Tunisia became a protectorate of France in 1880. France made extensive improvements to Tunis, including the construction of Ville Nouvelle ("New City"), which eventually became the primary residential area. The Medina was largely abandoned, and was used only for business and worship.

A nationalist movement began to surface after the turn of the century and gained strength in the 1920s, gradually convincing France to allow greater local representation in the government. In the 1930s, nationalist activist Habib Bourguiba founded the Neo-Destour Party, a radical political organization that supported complete independence through rallies and protests.

During World War II, Tunis was occupied by the Vichy French. A number of Berber freedom fighters assisted the Free French in regaining control of the city. Following the war, the nationalist movement gained strength; France eventually granted independence in 1956. Bourguiba, who had been imprisoned by the French government for inciting antigovernment activities, was released and became the nation's first prime minister.

Bourguiba was ousted in a military coup in 1987, and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali assumed the presidency. In late 2010, street protests over high unemployment and widespread poverty escalated. In January, riots ensued resulting in hundreds of deaths. Ben Ali fled the country, and a "national unity government" was formed. A national state of emergency was in place from 2011 to 2014. Human rights activist Moncef Marzouki was elected interim president in December 2011. In 2012 a new constitution was created, and it was ratified in January 2014. Multiparty parliamentary elections were held in October 2014, with a presidential election held that November and a runoff in December 2014.

Following that Arab Spring revolution, Tunis experienced several Islamist terrorist attacks, most notably on the National Bardo Museum in March 2015, contributing to another state of emergency being declared in July 2015. In 2018, citizens in Tunis and nine other cities renewed protests over poor economic conditions and proposed austerity measures, resulting in governmental promises of medical, housing, and welfare reforms. Unregulated urban migration, youth unemployment, police harassment, and lack of political engagement plagued those living in Tunis's marginalized outskirts.

Souad Abderrahim of the moderate Islamist party Ennahdha was elected mayor of Tunis in 2018, becoming the first woman to hold that post.

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