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Tunisia
Africa
Located in North Africa, Tunisia is known for its Mediterranean coast, Roman ruins, and role in the Arab Spring.
12,000,000
Population
163,610
Area (km²)
Tunis
Capital
17
Historical Events
Historical Timeline
Cities
17 Events
June 20, 2025 - Former President Moncef Marzouki is sentenced in absentia to 22 years in prison on terrorism charges.
June 12, 2025 - Opposition politician Abir Moussi is sentenced to two years in prison for criticizing the legislative electoral process.
May 08, 2025 - A Jewish resident is injured in an axe attack in Djerba.
May 03, 2025 - Former Prime Minister Ali Larayedh is sentenced to 34 years in prison for facilitating jihadist travel to Syria.
April 19, 2025 - Forty political opposition figures are convicted and sentenced to up to 66 years in prison on charges including plotting against the state and terrorism.
April 14, 2025 - A school wall collapses in Mezzouna, killing three students.
February 03, 2025 - A magnitude 4.7 earthquake strikes Meknassy, injuring three people.
January 24, 2025 - A man sets himself on fire outside the Grand Synagogue of Tunis and is shot dead by police, injuring two including an officer, in a dramatic protest act.
January 01, 2025 - Two migrant boats sink off Sfax, killing 27 passengers amid ongoing Mediterranean crossing dangers.
October 06, 2024 - Presidential elections take place in a tightly controlled environment; Saied is re-elected with 90.69% of the vote on 28.8% turnout, after disqualifying 14 of 17 challengers, restructuring the electoral commission, and amending laws days before the vote; opposition figures like Ayachi Zammel are imprisoned during the campaign.
October 01, 2024 - October–November: Post-election repression intensifies, with over 80 detentions of critics, journalists, and activists under Decree 54 (cybercrime law); the Assembly passes a law stripping the Administrative Court of electoral jurisdiction, preventing judicial oversight.
August 01, 2024 - August: President Saied dismisses Prime Minister Ahmed al-Hachani (in office since August 2023) and appoints Social Affairs Minister Kamel Madouri as replacement, amid ongoing economic stagnation and public debt exceeding $42.5 billion.
December 24, 2023 - Local elections proceed to replace the dissolved councils, but suffer from low turnout and opposition abstention, reinforcing Saied's dominance.
July 16, 2023 - The EU signs a €1 billion Memorandum of Understanding with Tunisia, including funds for border management to curb irregular migration, amid criticisms of human rights abuses against migrants.
March 01, 2023 - March: President Saied unilaterally dissolves democratically elected municipal councils, consolidating control over local governance.
February 01, 2023 - February: A wave of arrests targets over 40 political opponents, activists, lawyers, judges, and a radio station director on charges including "conspiracy against state security"; the largest opposition party, Ennahda, is effectively dismantled through detentions and terrorism-related sentences against leaders like Rached Ghannouchi.
January 01, 2023 - January: Second-round parliamentary elections are held under the 2022 constitution, with a record-low voter turnout of just 11%; the process is marred by opposition boycotts and irregularities, further weakening legislative checks on executive power.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tunisia
100 Questions
Tunisia is in North Africa, bordered by Algeria, Libya, and the Mediterranean Sea.
The capital is Tunis.
Around 12.5 million people as of 2025 estimates.
Arabic is official; Tunisian Arabic (Derja) is widely spoken, along with French and some Berber.
Mediterranean in the north, arid in the south (Sahara Desert).
The Tunisian dinar (TND).
Red with a white circle containing a red crescent and star.
Tunis, Sfax, Sousse, Kairouan, and Bizerte.
On March 20, 1956, from France.
Habib Bourguiba.
Kais Saied (as of 2025).
A presidential republic.
Arabs (majority), Berbers, and small minorities.
Islam (mostly Sunni), with small Christian and Jewish communities.
Around $50 billion in 2025 estimates.
About $4,000.
Around 82%.
About 76 years.
Around 2.1 children per woman.
Around 40%.
Olive oil, phosphates, textiles, electrical equipment, and tourism services.
Fuel, machinery, cereals, and consumer goods.
Phosphates, oil, natural gas, and fertile soil.
For Carthage’s ancient ruins, Mediterranean beaches, and as the birthplace of the Arab Spring.
Its medina (old city), Carthage ruins, and Bardo Museum.
Tunisia’s economic center and port city.
Tourism and historic medina.
A holy city of Islam with the Great Mosque of Kairouan.
Jebel ech Chambi (1,544 m).
Couscous, bread, olive oil, and vegetables.
Steamed semolina with vegetables, meat, or fish.
A deep-fried pastry filled with egg, tuna, or meat.
A spicy chili paste used in many dishes.
Mint tea, coffee, wine, and boukha (fig brandy).
Football, handball, basketball, and athletics.
The Carthage Eagles.
Yes, winning in 2004.
Yes, several times, first in 1978.
Wahbi Khazri, Hatem Trabelsi, and Radhi Jaïdi.
Yes, winning medals in swimming, athletics, and boxing.
Maalouf (Andalusian classical), rai, and modern Arabic pop.
Lotfi Bouchnak, Emel Mathlouthi.
Traditional Andalusian music brought from Spain centuries ago.
Oud, darbuka, violin, and qanun.
Raqs (belly dance), stambali, and folk dances.
Men wear jebba and chechia; women wear fouta and blouse or traditional gowns.
Women enjoy more rights than in many Arab countries, active in politics, education, and business.
Around 78%.
Around 86%.
High, around 15%, especially among youth.
Around 15%.
Olives, wheat, barley, citrus fruits, and dates.
Sheep, goats, camels, and cattle.
Relatively strong compared to the region, with universal coverage.
Diabetes, hypertension, and occasional infectious diseases.
Very low, under 0.1% of adults.
Low, about 12 deaths per 1,000 births.
Among the lowest in Africa.
“Humat al-Hima” (“Defenders of the Homeland”).
“Freedom, Order, Justice.”
The dromedary camel.
The ostrich.
The jasmine.
Gazelles, foxes, jackals, hyenas, and desert reptiles.
Ichkeul, Bou Hedma, and Jebil.
A UNESCO site with migratory birds and wetlands.
Camel trekking, oases, and desert tours in the south.
Around 90%.
Around $4,000 annually.
Declining, near replacement level.
Around 70%.
Mostly farmers and herders.
Oil, natural gas, and renewable energy.
High in solar and wind.
Unemployment and reliance on imports.
Maintaining democracy and stability post-Arab Spring.
A 2011 revolution that began in Tunisia and spread across the Arab world.
A Tunisian street vendor whose self-immolation sparked the Arab Spring.
A major economic and cultural partner.
Supports trade, migration agreements, and aid.
Provides aid and supports democratic institutions.
Invests in infrastructure and trade.
Supports Tunisia in governance and security.
Moderate, but rising with global economic pressures.
High along the coast, lower inland and desert.
Carpets, ceramics, leatherwork, and jewelry.
Jasmine flowers are culturally symbolic and used in perfumes.
An ancient Phoenician city and UNESCO World Heritage site.
A Roman amphitheater, one of the largest in the world.
March 20, celebrated with parades and events.
July 25, commemorating the proclamation of the republic in 1957.
Around 8% difference.
Around 8 years.
Lower than rural areas.
Chronic diseases and healthcare access in rural areas.
Unemployment among graduates and regional disparities.
Around 4 people per household.
Slowing, with fertility near replacement.
Tourism, ICT, and renewable energy.
It is known for its ancient history, Mediterranean culture, and its role in sparking the Arab Spring.