Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, occupies the Maghreb region of North Africa, bordered by Algeria and Libya and fronting the Mediterranean Sea, with Tunis as its capital. Once home to ancient Carthage, founded by Phoenician settlers among the indigenous Berber population in the ninth century BC, the territory later came under Ottoman control from 1574 before France ruled it as a protectorate from 1881 to 1956. Tunisia gained independence on 20 March 1956, initially as the Tunisian Republic under Prime Minister Habib Bourguiba, and was formally declared a republic the following year. It operates today as a unitary presidential republic, and the 2011 Tunisian Revolution that overthrew its long-serving president catalyzed the wider Arab Spring movement across the region. With a population of about 12 million as of the 2024 census, Tunisia is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, at about 99 percent, and Arabic is its official language.
Facts
Government TypeUnitary presidential republic 1 Government type (class) Classification
Status (Extant or Former) FAQs
Did Tunisia deal with the United States before it became independent?
Yes. The United States has had official representation in Tunis almost continuously since 1795.
Yes. At the time of United States independence, Tunis was a state with nominal dependence on the Ottoman Empire, but it was able to conduct its own foreign policy and conclude treaties. The United States has maintained official representation in Tunis almost continuously since 1795, and a Treaty of Peace and Friendship with Tunisia was signed in 1797.
Connections
In Era
Source Wikipedia: Tunisia
In the Other Atlases
Government Type
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Nationals Include
Also in Philosophy Atlas: a national of this subject.
Also in Philosophy Atlas: a national of this subject.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Tunisia
WikipediaLead section, paragraph 1
Located on the northeastern coast, Tunis is the capital of the country, which is itself named after Tunis.
Government and politics section, paragraph 2
After the 2022 constitutional referendum, Tunisia became a unitary presidential republic.
Lead section, paragraph 2
In 1956, Tunisia gained independence as the Tunisian Republic.
Tunisia: Status
With a population of about 12 million as of the 2024 census, Tunisia is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, at about 99 percent, and Arabic is its official language.
In Era: The Contemporary Period, lead paragraph and infobox, existence dates
Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa.
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