The Republic of Tunisia is a country in North Africa, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the northernmost country in Africa and at almost 165,000 square kilometres in area, the smallest country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. As of 2019, its population is estimated just under 11.7 million. Its name is derived from its capital city, Tunis, located on the country’s northeast coast. Northern Tunisia has a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winter. The mountains of the north-west occasionally get snow. Annual rainfall ranges from 1,000 mm in the north down to 150 mm in the south, although some Saharan area go for years without rain. From October to beginning of December is ideal for touring.

At the beginning of recorded history, Tunisia was inhabited by Berber tribes. Its coast was settled by Phoenicians starting as early as the 10th century BC. The city of Carthage was founded in the 9th century BC by Phoenician and Cypriot settlers. After the series of wars with Greek city-states of Sicily in the 5th century BC, Carthage rose to power and eventually became the dominant civilisation in the Western Mediterranean.

A Carthaginian invasion of Italy led by Hannibal during the Second Punic War, one of a series of wars with Rome, nearly crippled the rise of Roman power. After the Battle in 149 BC, Carthage was conquered by Rome, the region became one of the main granaries of Rome and was fully Latinised. During the Roman period the area of what is now Tunisia enjoyed a huge development. The prosperity of the area depended on agriculture, called the Granary of the Empire. In addition to the cultivation and the capture and transporting of exotic wild animals from the western mountains, the principal production and exports included the textile, marble, wine, timber, livestock, pottery and wool.

Around the second half of the 7th century and the beginning of the 8th century, the region was conquered by Arab Muslim, who founded the city of Kairouan, which became the first city of Islam in North Africa. In AD 670, the Great Mosque of Kairouan was erected; it has the oldest standing minaret in the world, it is also considered a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. The Arab governors of Tunis founded the Aghlabid Dynasty, which ruled Tunisia, Tripolitania and eastern Algeria from AD 800-909. Tunisia flourished under Arab rule, as extensive irrigation installations were constructed to supple towns with water and promote agriculture. This prosperity permitted luxurious court life and was marked by the construction of new palace cities such as Al-Abassiya and Raqadda in AD 809 and AD 877.

During AD 972-1148 the area was conquered by local Zirids and the invasion of Tunisia by the Banu Hilal sent the region’s urban and economic life into further decline. The coasts were held briefly by the Normans of Sicily in the 12th century but following the conquest of Tunisia in 1159-1160 by the Almohads the last Christians in Tunisia disappeared either through forced conversion or emigration. Tunisia remained part of the Almohad state until 1230 when the son of Abu Hafs declared himself independent. During the reign of the Hofsid dynasty, fruitful commercial relationships were established with several Christian Mediterranean states. In the 16th century it became part of the Ottoman Empire. Under loose Turkish rule, Tunisia became a centre of piratical activity in the 16th – 19th century before its establishment as a French protectorate in 1886. Tunisia achieved independent from France in 1956 led by Habib Bourguiba, who later became the first Tunisian President.

The majority of Tunisia’s population (98%) are Muslims while about 2% follow Christianity and Judaism or other religions. The bulk of Tunisia belongs to the Maliki School of Sunni Islam and their mosques are easily recognisable by square minarets. However, the Turks brought with them the teaching of the Hanafi School during the Ottoman rule, and their mosques traditionally have octagonal minarets. Arabic is the official language and Tunisian Arabic known as Derja. In 2010, there were about 6,639,000 French-speakers in Tunisia or about 64% of population.

The culture of Tunisia is mixed due to their long-established history of outside influence from people such as Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks, Italian, Spaniards and the French who all left their mark on the country.

Under the leadership of Khun Bilaibhan Sampatisiri, Honorary Advisor to the Siam Society Council, The Society will arrange a cultural trip to The Republic of Tunisia from 3 March to 13 March 2020. We will have an opportunity to visit the amazingly diverse landscape of the Mediterranean coastline to glimpses of the Sahara Desert. Experience Tunisia culture both ancient and modern, discover the mysterious troglodytes houses of the Berbers and visit main archaeological & historical monuments of Tunisia.