This site provides useful information and facts about Tunisia. In here, you will find brief information related to: General Information, Economic Profile, Public Holiday, Culture, Enviroment, History, Food, Point of Interests, and many more.
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General Information
Tunisia is located in north Africa .
Time zone: GMT + 1
International Area Code: + 216
For the most recent exchange rate, or to check Tunisian Dinar vs. other currencies, you can use one of the following sites:
Bloomberg
or
Yahoo Finance
Relative costs:
Budget meal: US$3-6
Moderate restaurant meal: 5-30 US $
Top-end restaurant meal: 30 US $ and above
Budget room: 5-10 US $
Moderate hotel: 10-50 US $
Top-end hotel: 50 US $ and upwards
American Express, Visa, and Thomas Cook travellers cheques are widely accepted, and the US dollar is a good currency to carry them in. ATMs are found in almost every town large enough to support a bank and certainly in all the tourist areas. Credit cards are accepted in many places, this includes Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Diners Club. Tipping is not a requirement, but most local cafe and restaurant patrons toss a few coins on the table as they leave. Handicrafts are about the only items you may have to bargain for in Tunisia.
In addition to the above holidays, there are the religious holidays their date changes every year because they are based on the lunar calendar.
Religious holidays include:
- Ras as-Sana Al-Hijri-yah
- Moulid an-Nabi
- Eid al-Fitr
- Eid al-Adha
The Phoenicians first set up shop in Tunisia at Utica in 1100 BC, using it as a staging post along the route from their home port of Tyre (in modern-day Lebanon) to Spain. They went on to establish a chain of ports along the North African coast, the most important of which included Hadrumètum (Sousse) and Hippo Diarrhytus (Bizerte). But the port that looms largest in history books is Carthage, arch enemy of Rome. It became the leader of the western Phoenician world in the 7th century and the main power in the Western Mediterranean in the early 5th century. The city's regional dominance lasted until the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage, which began in 263 BC and ended in 146 BC with Carthage utterly razed and its people sold into slavery.
The Tunisian territory became Roman property after the war. The emperor Augustus refounded Carthage as a Roman city in 44 BC, naming it the capital of Africa Proconsularis, Rome's African holdings. Agriculture became all-important, and by the 1st century AD, the wheat-growing plains of Tunisia were supplying over 60% of the empire's requirements. The Romans went on to found cities and colonies across Tunisia's plains and coastline.
By the beginning of the 5th century, with Rome's power in terminal decline, the Vandals decided the area was ripe for plucking. Within 10 years, they'd taken Carthage as their capital and began to, well, vandalise. Their exploitative policies alienated them from the native Berber population, who in turn formed small kingdoms and began raiding the Vandal settlements. The Byzantines of Constantinople, who pulled the territory from the Vandals in 533 and kept it for the next 150 years, fared no better.
Islam burst onto the scene in the 7th century, when the Islamic armies swept out of Arabia, quickly conquering Egypt. The new religion spread all over nothern Africa the start of the 8th century, and, with Kairouan as its capital, the region became a province of the fast-expanding Islamic empire controlled by the caliphs of Damascus.
The Berbers adopted Islamic religious teachings readily enough. In 909, the Fatimids took North Africa. Their capital was raised on the coast at Mahdia, but the state was to be short-lived.
Conflicts arose again when North Africa was caught in the middle of the rivalry between Spain and the Ottoman Empire in the middle of the 16th century. Tunis changed hands half a dozen times in some 50 years before the Turks took it 1574 and it became an Ottoman territory. Ottoman power lasted through to the 19th century, when France became the new power in the Western Mediterranean and Tunis came under increasing pressure to conform to their European ways.
In 1881, the French sent 30,000 troops into Tunisia under the pretext of countering border raids into French-occupied Algeria. They quickly occupied Tunis and forced the ruling bey to sign over his power to the French. Soon after, they had discretely nabbed the best of Tunisian land and resources. This led to an uprising among Tunisians, that transformed to a war of independance. It wasn't until early 1950s, when the French were ready to make concessions and agreed to negociation and Tunisia formally get its independence on 20 March 1956.
Today, the country is virtually bilingual: Arabic is the language of government, but almost everyone speaks some French. French was the language of education in the early years of independance and is still taught in schools from the age of six. English, Italian, Spanish, German, and other languages are also taught in schools. The Berber language Chelha is heard only in isolated villages, specially to the south part of country.
The arts in Tunisia have been greatly influenced by the country's mix of cultures. Architectural styles, for instance, range from Punic and Roman ruins to the red-tiled 'Alpine' houses of 'Ain Draham, the Islamic architecture of the Arab medinas and the troglodytic Berber structures of the south.
Malouf, which means 'normal,' is the name given to a form of traditional Arab-style music that's become a sort of national institution in Tunisia. Among the principal styles of classical Tunisian music are nouba (the oldest, of Andalusian origin), chghoul and bachraf (of Turkish origin).
An astonishing number of floor mosaics have been discovered in Tunisia, where the country's warm, dry climate left many of them very well preserved. The mosaics date mainly from the 2nd to 6th centuries AD and come mostly from private houses and public baths. The Bardo Museum in Tunis has an impressive collection, as does the El-Jem Museum.
Introduced by the French, painting is a well-establish contemporary art medium in Tunis, with styles ranging from the geometric forms of Hédi Turki to the intricate, free-flowing Arabic calligraphy of Nja Mahdaoui. Modern galleries are mainly confined to the Tunis area, especially the artists' haven of Sidi Bou Saïd.
Rainfall dictates what grows where in Tunisia. The Kroumirie Mountains in the north-west receive the lion's share of the sprinkling and are densely forested with evergreen holm and cork oak. The strawberry tree is another common sight, can be seen hawking at the roadside in December. The trees are covered with dense panicles of fragrant white flowers in autumn. The small plains of the Tell contain small pockets of Aleppo pine, while Tunisia's last remnant of pre-Saharan savanna is found in the Acacia raddiana forest of Bou Hedma National Park. The treeless plains of the south support large areas of esparto grass, while farther south the vegetation gives way altogether to desert and the occasional oasis.
The fauna of Tunisia has had a hard time of it over the centuries. The war elephants employed by Hannibal and the Christian-fed lions of Rome, both now extinct, were two early casualties of foreign intervention. French hunters also trophy-shot a share of species to the brink of extinction, including Barbary deer and a few species of gazelle, though these are recovering now under government protection. Two antelope species, the addax and the oryx, have been reintroduced to Bou Hedma National Park, as have ostriches and maned mouflon (wild sheep). In the forests of the north, look for the reclusive wild boar, mongooses, porcupines and genets (spectacular arboreal cat-like carnivores). The mammals of the south include gerbils, foxes, hares and the squirrel-like suslik. The nocturnal radar-eared fennec - once common in the deserts, is now extremely rare in the wild. A relative of Australia's goanna and Indonesia's komodo dragon, the desert varanid is relatively common, as are horned vipers and scorpions.
Tunisia's feathered population is impressive, with more than 200 bird species on record. Sightings include migrating storks, hawks and eagles in spring and autumn, colourful bee-eaters and rollers, and a host of wading birds and waterfowl. There are no endemic species to draw the hardcore birder; rather, Tunisia is a place to enjoy a good variety of birds in a mild climate within comfortable distance from towns and other attractions. Ichkeul National Park - easily accessed from Tunis and the northern resorts - is a haven for water birds of all types.
The other religion celebration is 'Eid al-Adha is the time of the pilgrimage to Mecca, which each Muslim is expected to make at least once in their lifetime. Streets are decorated with coloured lights and children play in their best clothes.
In terms of secular festivals, July and August are the months to remember. The main event on the Tunis calendar is the Carthage International Festival, which fills those months with music, dance and theatre performances at Carthage's heavily restored Roman theatre. The El-Jem International Symphonic Music Festival is held every July. The Dougga Festival of classical drama also takes place in July and August in Dougga. The biennial Carthage International Film Festival (concentrating on Middle Eastern and African cinema) takes place in October in odd-numbered years.
Tunis
Also in the medina, the Tourbet el-Bey is a huge mausoleum that houses the remains of many Husseinite beys, princesses, ministers and advisors - the caretaker is a keen tour-giver. Not far off, the Dar Ben Abdallah Museum houses the Centre for Popular Arts & Traditions, where the exhibits seem almost lacklustre when seen against the building's majestic backdrop. Also in the area is the Dar el-Haddad, one of the medina's oldest dwellings. The medina was added to the UN's World Heritage List is 1981.
The streets of the ville nouvelle are lined with old French buildings replete with wrought-iron railings and louvred windows, lending it a very European feel that's heightened by a number of sidewalk cafes and patisseries.
One not-to-be-missed sight outside of central Tunis is the Bardo Museum, housed in the former Bardo Palace, official residence of the Husseinite beys. Inside, the collection is broken down into sections that cover the Carthaginian, Roman, early Christian and Arab-Islamic eras. The Roman collection contains one of the finest collection of Roman mosaics and statuary anywhere. The museum is located about 4km (2mi) west of the city centre, an easy taxi or tram ride.
Carthage
The best place to start is Byrsa Hill, which dominates the area and gives a good view of the whole site from its peak. At its base is the Cathedral of St Louis, also visible for miles around ... and an eyesore of massive proportions. It was built by the French in 1890 and dedicated to the 13th century saint-king who died on the shores of Carthage in 1270 during the ill-fated 8th Crusade. Though it was deconsecrated and closed for years, its has now been restored and is open to the public. The National Museum is the large white building at the back of the cathedral. The Punic displays upstairs are especially good.
The Roman amphitheatre on the west side of the Byrsa, a 15-minute walk from the museum, is said to have been one of the largest in the Empire, though little of its grandeur remains today. Most of its stones were pinched for other building projects in later centuries. The collection of huge cisterns north-east of the amphitheatre were the main water supply for Carthage during the Roman era - they're now ruined and hardly worth the scramble through prickly pear cactus to see.
The Antonine Baths are right down on the waterfront and are impressive more for their size and location than for anything else. The Magon Quarter is another archaeological park near the water, a few blocks south of the baths. Recent excavations have revealed an interesting residential area.
The Sanctuary of Tophet created a great deal of excitement when it was first excavated in 1921 and has gone on to elicit a fair amount of 'excited' prose since then. The Tophet was a sacrificial site with an associated burial ground, where the children of Carthaginian nobles were killed and roasted to appease the deities Baal Hammon and Tanit. The site itself is not so thrilling today - it's little more than a patch of overgrown weeds with a few excavated pits.
Sidi Bou Saïd
The hub of activity in town is the small, cobbled main square, Place Sidi Bou Saïd, which is lined with cafes, sweet stalls and souvenir shops. The lighthouse above the village stands on the site of a 9th century fort. There's a small, relatively uncrowded beach nearby.
Cap Bon Peninsula
A summer's stroll down the streets of Hammamet is likely to turn up 10 tourists to every local, and the pace never slackens except briefly during the middle of winter. Its location is a big draw, at the northern end of the Gulf of Hammamet, while its old medina overlooking a great expanse of sandy beach is certainly another. It's also a lively town, brimming with small hotels, restaurants, and colourful shops.
The biggest difference between Hammamet and its neighbour, Nabeul, is that the latter also has a range of budget accommodation, including the best organised camping area in the country. Nabeul's Friday market is one of the liveliest in Tunisia, though not for any surplus of bargains or quality merchandise.
By the time you get to Kelibia, you've left the worst of commercial tourism blissfully behind. What you'll find instead is a small town that survives mainly on its fishing fleet, with a few small, sheltered resorts and beaches and a fabulous 6th century fort that overlooks the harbour.
Halfway in between Kelibia and El-Haouaria is the relatively unheralded Carthaginian site of Kerkouane, a town founded in the 6th century BC that existed for less than 300 years before Roman forces destroyed it. It was excavated in 1962, and a museum houses some interesting finds, such as the 'Princess of Kerkouane,' a wooden sarcophagus cover carved in the shape of the goddess Astarte.
The small town of El-Haouaria is tucked beneath the mountainous tip of Cap Bon. It's a quiet spot with a couple of good beaches - especially at Ras el-Drek - but the main attractions are the Roman Caves on the coast, 3km (2mi) west of town. Much of the stone used for building Carthage was cut from this remarkable complex of yellow sandstone caves - the quarriers discovered that the quality of stone was much better at the base of the cliffs than on the surface, so they chose to tunnel into the cliffs rather than cut them down. After almost 1000 years of quarrying, the result is the caves we see today.
Dougga
The capitol is a remarkable monument - one of the finest in Tunisia - that was raised in 166 AD. Six enormous, fluted columns support the portico, which is some 8m (25ft) above the ground. The frieze has an unusually unweathered carving depicting the emperor Antonius Pius being carried off in an eagle's claws. Inside was an enormous statue of Jupiter, fragments of which are now in the Bardo Museum in Tunis. Nearby, the House of Dionysus & Ulysses was once a sumptuous residence; in it was found the mosaic of Ulysses mesmerized by the sirens that now resides in the Bardo.
El-Jem
The colosseum, believed to have been built between 230 and 238 AD, has been used as a defensive position many times in its history. It suffered badly in the 17th century, when the troops of Mohammed Bey blasted a hole in the western wall to flush out local tribesmen who had rebelled against taxation demands. The breach was further widened during an 1850 rebellion, but thankfully the modern emphasis is on preservation and the site is part of the UN's World Heritage List.
Its seating capacity has been estimated at 30,000 (considerably more than the population of the town itself), making it one of the most impressive Roman monuments in Africa. You can still climb up to the top tiers of seating and gaze down on the arena. It's also possible to explore the two long underground passageways that once held the animals, gladiators and other unfortunates destined for the arena.
Tozeur
The city's delightful old quarter, Ouled el-Hadef, was built in the 14th century AD to house the El-Hadef clan, who had grown rich on the proceeds of the caravan trade. The area is a maze of narrow, covered alleys and small squares, and is famous for its traditional brickmaking methods. There's a small but notable archaeology museum here.
Apart from Tunis' Bardo, the Dar Charait Museum is the most important museum in the country. It has an extensive collection of pottery and antiques, as well as an art gallery, but its star features are the rooms set up as replicas of Tunisian life, past and present. They include the bedroom of the last bey, a palace scene, a hammam and a Bedouin tent. The museum attendants, dressed as servants of the bey, set the tone.
Tozeur's palmeraie is the second largest in the country, with around 200,000 palm trees spread over an area of more than 10 sq km (4 sq mi). It's a classic example of tiered oasis agriculture and is watered by over 200 springs producing more than 60 million litres of water per day. The best way to explore the palmeraie is on foot or by bicycle.
Matmata
It's not hard to understand why the buses keep coming. There's something almost surreal about the place, with its vaguely lunar landscape. No doubt this is why it was selected as the location for the desert scenes in the movie Star Wars. The Berbers of the area went underground more than a thousand years ago to escape the extreme heat of summer. Their homes are all nearly identical, with a courtyard dug about 6m (20ft) deep and the rooms tunnelled out from the sides. The larger houses have two or three courtyards, and their entrances are usually through a narrow passage from the courtyard to the surface.
If you want to see Matmata by yourself (there are guides available), your best bet is to visit the hotels. Arrive in the late afternoon, after the tour buses have left, and go for a walk out beyond the Hôtel Ksar Amazigh. There are good views back over Matmata and north to the valley of the Oued Barrak. Back in town, slake your thirst with a cold one at the Hôtel Sidi Driss' bar (famous as the 'cantina' in Star Wars), then have a quick poke around the Hôtel les Berberes and the Hôtel Marhala, and you will have seen everything worth seeing in town.
Bizerte
The enormous kasbah is the most impressive structure in the old town, with its massive walls towering over the northern side of the entrance to the old harbour. Originally a Byzantine fort built in the 6th century AD, the present fort was built by the Ottomans in the 17th century. The ksibah (small fort) forms the southern bastion of the harbour defences built by the Byzantines and has also been modified over the centuries. It now houses a small but good oceanographic museum.
The Place Bouchoucha - more of a thoroughfare than a square - lies at the heart of the old Ottoman town, flanked by the old port to the east and the medina to the west. The area houses some lively fish markets; the Great Mosque, built in 1652 with a striking octagonal minaret; and the beautifully inlaid Youssef Dey fountain, built ten years before the mosque. The so-called Spanish Fort overlooks the town from the hill north of the medina - it's actually Turkish and was built around 1570 AD.
Ichkeul National Park
Ichkeul is the only national park in Tunisia with facilities for visitors, camping is not permitted.
Mahdia
A walking tour of the medina should take about two hours, depending on how much dawdling you care to do in shops and cafes. The Skifa el-Kahla, the massive fortified gate to the medina, is all that remains of the original city and offers great views from its crest. It opens onto the medina's narrow, cobbled main street, Rue Ali Bey, which was once the souq but now comprises a growing number of tourist stalls. Follow it east to Place du Caire and you will be rewarded with a delightful, small square with shady trees, vines and cafes. The ornate arched doorway and octagonal minaret on the southern side of the square belong to the Mosque of Mustapha Hamza, built in 1772 when the square was the centre of the town's Turkish quarter.
Continuing east on Rue Ali Bey, the Great Mosque rises into view. It's a 1965 replica of the 921 AD original that was destroyed by retreating Spanish troops in 1554. Non-Muslims are allowed into the courtyard outside of prayer times. Nearby, you can see the small minaret of the Mosque of Slimane Hamza and continue east toward the Borj el-Kebir, a large 16th century fortress standing on the highest point of the peninsula. Beyond the fort is a cemetery and a lighthouse, near the remains of the old port.
Bird watching is popular in Tunisia, although the country has relatively few resident species. It's an important stopover for migratory birds, and so spring and autumn are the best times to go. Ichkeul National Park in the north is a prime site.
Ballooning and hydroplane flights are two newish options for getting above it all that can be arranged from Tozeur and Aghir, respectively.
The best yachting marinas in Tunisia are at Monastir, Port el-Kantaoui, Sidi Bou Saïd, Tabarka and Zarzis.
The national bus company, Société Nationale du Transport Interurbain (SNTRI, pronounced 'sintry'), operates daily air-conditioned buses to just about every town in the country. Their services are fast, comfy and affordable. In summer, they run at night to avoid the midday heat; book ahead at this time. In addition, there are regional bus companies that are cheap but slower than SNTRI and are almost never air conditioned.
The train network run by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Tunisiens (SNCFT) is modern and efficient and they do run on time. The main line runs eight times per day between Tunis and Gabès via Sousse and Sfax. One train branches off at Mahrès to Gafsa and Metlaoui. Other destinations include Bizerte, Mateur, Ghardimao, Jendouba, Kalaat Khasba, Bir Bou Rekba, Nabeul, Monastir and Mahdia. For train enthusiasts, the Lezard Rouge (Red Lizard) is a restored beylical train that runs between Metlaoui and Redeyef daily, offering magnificent views of the Seldja Gorge.
Tunisia's shared, long-distance taxis - called louages - take five passengers and won't leave until they're full (which never takes long). Louages are the fastest way to get around and are only slightly higher than those for buses. To find one, look for a white Peugeot station wagon with roof rack and identification signs on the front and back. There's always someone shouting out destinations and directing people to specific louages near their 'depots' - usually a vacant lot in the town centre. The government sets the rates, so ask to see the list of tariffs before getting in.
Driving around Tunisia is a treat - at least in the north. The roads are excellent and drivers are generally safe and courteous. Fuel is cheap by European standards, but lead-free petrol is not widely available and car rental costs are exorbitant. Driving is on the right.
There are two regular ferry services in the country. One connects Sfax with the Kerkennah Islands, about 25km (15mi) off the coast. The second runs for Jorf on the mainland to Ajim on the island of Jerba. Fares are very cheap. Bicycles are available for hire around the country. Conditions are ideal, save for summer heat/winter cold and the dearth of quality spare parts - fill out your repair kit before you leave home.
Tunis also has a modern métro léger (tram) network, which is much easier to use than the buses, as well as a suburban train line (TGM) that connects the city centre with the northern suburbs.
Tunisian cooking is a blend of European, Oriental and desert dweller's culinary traditions. Its distinctive spicy fieriness comes from neighbouring Mediterranean countries and the many civilizations who have ruled Tunisian land -- Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Turkish, French, and the native Berber.
Many of the cooking styles and utensils began to take shape when the ancient tribes were nomads. Nomadic people were limited in their cooking by what pots and pans they could carry with them, often building them from the earth where they set up camp. A tagine is really the name of a conical-lidded pot, although today we apply the same word to what is cooked in it.
Unlike other North African cuisine, Tunisian food is spicy hot. There is an old wife's tale that says a husband can judge his wife's affections by the amount of hot peppers she uses when preparing his food. If the food becomes bland then a man may believe that his wife no longer loves him. However when the food is prepared for guests the hot peppers are decreased to suit the more delicate palate of the visitor.
Couscous is the national dish of Tunisia and can be prepared in a dozen different ways. It is cooked in a special kind of double boiler called a couscousiere. Meat and vegetables are boiled in the lower half. The top half has holes in the bottom through which the steam rises to cook the grain which is put in this part. Cooked this way the grain acquires the flavour of whatever is below. The usual grain is semolina. To serve, the grain is piled in the middle of a dish, and the meat and vegetables put on top. A sauce can be then poured over before serving.
Other popular Tunisian dishes include:
- Chorba -- soup with lots of pepper.
- Brik -- tiny parcels of minced lamb, beef, or vegetables and an egg wrapped in thin pastry and deep fried. Brik is very popular, but requires careful eating with your fingers if the egg is not to trickle down your chin.
- Bouza -- rich and sticky sorghum and hazelnut cake.
- Chakchouka -- ratatouille with chick peas, tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onions served with a poached egg.
- Felfel mahchi -- sweet peppers stuffed with meat, usually lamb, and served with harissa sauce.
- Guenaoia -- lamb or beef stew with chillies, okra, sweet peppers and coriander.
- Harissa -- hot red pepper sauce used with almost any main dish.
- Koucha -- whole baby lamb baked in a clay case with rosemary.
- Lalabli -- rich garlicky soup made with chick peas.
- Makroud -- semolina cake stuffed with dates, cinnamon and grated orange peel.
- Mechouia -- an hors d'oeuvre of grilled sweet peppers, tomatoes and onions mixed with oil lemon, tuna fish and hard-boiled eggs.
- Mhalbya -- cake made with rice, nuts and geranium water.
- Salata batata -- a hot (in every sense) potato salad flavoured with caraway seeds.
- Samsa -- layers of thin pastry alternated with layers of ground roast almonds, and sesame seeds, baked in lemon and rosewater syrup.
- Merguez -- small spicy sausages
- Tagine -- a stew
- Tagine ez Zitoun -- veal and olive tangine
- Tagine J'bin -- cheese tagine
- Tagine Maadnus -- spinach tagine
- Torshi -- turnips marinated with lime juice and served with harissa sauce.
- Yo-yo -- donuts made with orange juice, deep fried then dipped in a honey syrup.
