Tunisia
Hi, my name is Rowan and I’ll be covering the various topics and intricacies of the country of Tunisia. Also known as the Republic of Tunisia, it is home to the eastern stretches of the Atlas mountains and the northern sands of the Sahara desert. It’s 1,300 kilometer coastline connects the western and eastern parts of the Mediterranean sea. The coast is home to the capital city of Tunis, along with the majority of the population. The climate in Tunisia is separated into a few regions: The northern tip which houses the capital is temperate, with hot, dry summers. The rest of Tunisia is comprised of the arid, dry and hot Sahara desert, dotted with smaller villages near water sources and oases. As of October, the population of Tunisia has reached slightly above 12.1 million people, seeing a rapid increase in population in the past few years from immigration and increased birth rates. Along with the of the rest of North Africa, Arabic is the national language of Tunisia. Tunisian Arabic, also known Tunisian Derja, is built significantly off of Berber (or Shelha), African Romance, French, English and Italian. Multilingualism from several outside influences means speakers could switch languages mid-sentence or for specific words while speaking: mostly English, French or Italian. Although difficult to understand, the Tunisian dialect is distinctly different from other forms of Arabic across North Africa. The long established outside influence throughout history has given Tunisia a very unique, mixed, and interesting culture. Influence from Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Vandals, Turks, Italians, Maltese, French and others throughout history has hugely impacted music, architecture, literature, art, food, sports, government, religion and industry. The predominant religion in Tunisia, by a large majority, is Sunnī Muslims. who account for roughly 98% of the population. The remaining 2% is comprised of Christians, Jews, Shia Muslims, Baha’is and non-believers. The largest industries in the Tunisian market are petroleum (roughly 97,600 barrels of oil per day) , mining (specifically Phosphate and iron), tourism, agriculture (predominantly olive oil) and textiles. The governing powers in Tunisia are driven heavily by religious factors. Tunisia is a representative democracy and a republic with a serving president (currently Kais Saied) who serves as head of state and who “shall be Islam” per the newly passed Tunisian constitution in 2014. The prime minister (Najla Bouden), serves as head of government for a unicameral parliament. Tunisia was uniquely the only democratic country in North Africa up until 2o21. Following the recent revolution, Tunisia now holds over 100 legalized political parties. From beautiful coastlines to desert and a diverse range of culture and language, Tunisia is definitely a country worth putting at the top of your bucket list.
https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/tunisia/economy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Tunisia
https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/tunisia/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisia#Languages
https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/tunisia-population
https://www.worldometers.info/oil/saudi-arabia-oil/
https://pomed.org/snapshot-yea-or-stay-away-kais-saieds-autocratic-referendum/
https://pomed.org/kais-saieds-next-target-in-tunisia-civil-society/?gclid=CjwKCAjws–ZBhAXEiwAv-RNLwlXF55dPIrqnmUq3R9T8I7Wj3iHZ1JWtxiNh9CHHy0FQF-WaG0qwRoC2fEQAvD_BwE