Tunis, Tunisia

Tunis (pop. 674,100), situated on the Lake of Tunis , is the capital of Tunisia . Access to the Gulf of Tunis (an arm of the Mediterranean ) is by a canal terminating at a subsidiary port, Halq al Wadi.

The city is served by a nearby international airport and is connected by rail with other northern African ports. A commercial and industrial center, Tunis has plants producing chemicals, processed foods, and textiles. A ship channel connects the city with the Mediterranean Sea . The chief exports include carpets, fruit, iron ore, and olives.

History

Modern Tunisians are the descendents of indigenous Berbers and of people from numerous civilizations that have invaded, migrated to and been assimilated into the population over the millennia. Recorded history in Tunisia begins with the arrival of Phoenicians, who founded Carthage and other North African settlements in the 8th century BCE. Carthage became a major sea power, clashing with Rome for control of the Mediterranean until it was defeated and captured by the Romans in 146 BCE. The Romans ruled and settled in North Africa until the 5th century when the Roman Empire fell and Tunisia was invaded by European tribes, including the Vandals. The Muslim conquest in the 7th century transformed Tunisia 's and the make-up of its population, with subsequent waves of migration from around the Arab and Ottoman world, including significant numbers of Spanish Moors and Jews at the end of the 15th century.

Tunis became the capital of Tunisia under the powerful Hafsid dynasty (13th-16th centuries) and was a leading center of trade with Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean . Turks under Barbarossa took it in 1534 but were temporarily (1535-69, 1573-74) dislodged by the Spanish. After 1591, the Turkish governors (the beys) were practically independent, and the city prospered as a center of piracy and trade. Under the French occupation (1881-1956), a modern European quarter was built and the port was improved. In World War II, Tunis was held by Axis forces from Nov., 1942, to May 7, 1943, and was the base for their final stand in Africa . The Arab League was headquartered in Tunis from 1979 to 1990.

Tunis Points of Interest