25th July: Tunisia Republic Day

Tunisia Republic Day Commemorates the proclamation of the Republic in 1957.

10 things you may not know about Tunisia:

1. The country is named for its capital city, Tunis. Tunis probably derives from a Berber word meaning "encampment", In Arabic, the word for the city and the country are the same and it is only by context that it is possible to tell the difference.
2. The Berbers were the first known inhabitants of Tunisia. Phoenician and Cypriot settlers arrived in the 10th century BC and founded the ancient city of Carthage, which was conquered by Rome in 149 BC. The area was known as the "Granary of the Empire" because a lot of cereal crops were produced there.
3. In the 7th century AD, Arab Muslims conquered the land. They founded the city of Kairouan, the first Islamic city in North Africa. In 670 AD, the Great Mosque of Kairouan was built; it is famous for having the oldest standing minaret in the world.
4. France invaded in 1881 and the country became a French protectorate, until it became independent in 1956.
5. In 2013 the population was approximately 10.8 million.
6. Tunisia has two distinct Mediterranean coasts, due to a sharp southward turn in its northern coastline.
7. The highest point is Jebel ech Chambi, a 1544m high mountain above the city of Kasserine in western central Tunisia, which is covered by a pine forest. The lowest point is Chott el Djerid, a large salt lake in the south.
8. The longest river is the Medjerda River, at 450 km.
9. The national football team is known as "The Eagles of Carthage."
10. The southernmost administrative division in the Tunisia is called Tataouine. If that sounds familiar, it may be because George Lucas named Luke Skywalker's home world of Tatooine after it.