Tunisia

TUNISIA Alina Smithe Sophie Gong

Facts About Tunisia!

-Tunisia's capital is Tunis, the largest city and also the political and cultural center. -Tunisia is 98% Islamic. -Tunisia's main language is Arabic. -Tunisia is a republic. -Tunisia is the northern most country in Africa. -Tunisia's principal mineral resource is Petroleum. -Soccer is very important to Tunisia -Tunisia has been greatly influenced by the French.

Timeline In the mid 600's, Tunisia was taken over into Umayyad control. In the 1100's, the Almoravids an Almohads took control over Tunisia. In the 1600's, Tunisia became part of the Ottoman Empire. In the 1880's, the French took control over Tunisia. In 1957, Tunisia abolished its monarchy and became a republic with prime minister Habib Bourguiba. In 1989, Ben Ali wins presidential elections. He goes on to be re-elected four more times, the last time in 2009.  In April of 2000, Habib Bourguiba, the founding father of independent Tunisia, dies. In April of 2002, 19 people, 11 of them German tourists, are killed in a bomb explosion at a synagogue in the resort of Djerba; Al-Qaeda claims responsibility. In December of 2006, The Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), elects a woman as leader - a first for Tunisia. She is May Eljeribi. In December of 2010, protests break out over unemployment and political restrictions and spread nationwide.

In January of 2011, the protests continue, with demonstrators saying police killed at least 50 people in attempting to retain the protest.Also, President Ben Ali goes into exile.

SUMMARY Tunisia has changed over the years politically, culturally, and geographically, but they still have many traditions. These include their birth, circumcision, and wedding rituals, foods they eat such as Couscous, and also the Muslim holidays they have always celebrated. Although they have been in the hands of many different empires over the course of history, Tunisia has retained its culture. Tunisia has changed politically because it has been ruled by the Umayyads, Almoravids, Almohads, Berbers, and the French. Along with that, they also had a monarchy, and a French Protectorate. Only in 1957 did Tunisia become a republic. Culturally, Tunisia has changed because of the influences the different rulers had on them, but of all the empires that ruled them, the Islamic ones definitely had the most influence on Tunisia, and that is reflected through the percentages of the religions. Lastly, geographically, Tunisia has greatly expanded since it was first Ancient Carthage, and the Islamic empires helped expand Tunisia greatly as well. For the most part, these changes were a result of political invasions from different groups. Obviously, a culture is always changing, and new modern aspects are always going to be present, but the fundamental traditions and culture stays the same. In conclusion, the spread of Islam helped shape what Tunisia is today.

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