The Tunisian republican

The capital:             Tunisia

The inhabitants enumerated:             9,815,644 breath of air (estimate of July 2002)

The language:            Arabic (the official language), French

The sweat:             Arab (98%), European (1%), Jewish (1%)

The climate:             [me'tdl] and raincoat in the summer, dry and hot in the winter

Regime of the governing:             The republican

The economy                        

- the currency:             Tunisian Dinar

- [aalmwaaryd]:             [bytrwl], iron ore, phosphate, zinc, salt.

The religion:             The Islam (98%), Christ (1%), the Jew (1%)

Area = 163610 km2

History

Tunisia was settled by the Phoenicians in the 12th century BC. It was the site of ancient Carthage until its destruction by the Romans in 146 BC. It became part of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century AD, but Turkish influence was small. In 1881 Tunisia beca me a French protectorate. It became an independent monarchy in 1956 and a republic the following year. 

President Habib BOURGIUBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to diffuse rising pressure for a more open political society.