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Arab Culture & Civilization
Explore this exemplary library of articles and resources on Arab societies and culture. This site was originally created by the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE).
When colonial power France finally recognized Tunisia as an independent state in 1956, the country's first president, Habib Bourguiba, established a strict one-party state. He ruled the country for 31 years with a top-down social progressivism, repressing Islamic opposition and establishing rights for women that were far ahead of many Arab countries. Bourguiba was overthrown in a bloodless coup in 1987 by Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, who is serving his fourth five-year term. The authorities have relaxed their political control only slightly. Tunisia has maintained a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations.
Tunisia has maintained a stable economy since becoming independent and, unlike many countries in the region, has worked hard to diversify its economic base. Currently it has strong agricultural, mining, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Progressive social policies have also raised the standard of living. But the country - which is slightly larger than the U.S. state of Georgia -- also faces many problems familiar to the region: a young population (median age is 28) that is frequently highly educated but too often unemployed, a high trade deficit and a need for economic development that encourages medium- or small-sized business.
Tunisia and Malta are currently discussing an agreement to look for oil and natural gas on the continental shelf between their countries.
Education: On becoming independent in 1956, Tunisia inherited a small but efficient educational system based on French and, to a lesser extent, Islamic influence. In 1958, the government nationalized most of the existing facilities; remaining private institutions were subject to government regulation. In the same year the government began a comprehensive plan for educational development to achieve universal, free, compulsory primary education and a significant expansion of the secondary school system. Arabic is the language of instruction in early primary grades but is later replaced by French. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Tunisia-EDUCATION.html
Health: Health conditions have shown significant improvement in recent years, although diet and sanitation remain deficient. Epidemics have virtually disappeared and the incidence of contagious diseases has been considerably reduced. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Tunisia-HEALTH.html
Religion: Islam is the state religion and nearly all Tunisians are Sunni Muslims. A small number are of the mystical Sufi branch. The Christian community, which contains only about 20,000 people, is made up primarily of Roman Catholics, Russian Orthodox, French Reform, Anglicans, Greek Orthodox, and a small number of Jehovah's Witnesses. There are approximately 1,800 Jews in the country and about 150 Baha'is. Though members of other established, non-Muslim religions are generally allowed to practice freely, proselytizing is prohibited by law. Muslims who convert to another faith are often denied the right to vote, obtain a passport, and to enlist in the army, as well as facing social discrimination. Members of the Baha'i faith are only allowed to practice their faith in private, since the government considers the religion to be a heretical sect of Islam. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Tunisia-RELIGIONS.html
Population
Tunisia's population was estimated at 10,486,339 in 2009, compared with 8,790,000 in the 1994 census. In 2000 the birth rate was 17.38 births per 1,000 population while the death rate was 4.98 deaths per 1,000 population. The population is expected to reach 11.2 million by 2015 with a projected annual population growth rate of 1.17 percent.
The Tunisian population is almost entirely of Arab descent (98 percent). Europeans make up 1 percent of the population, and Jewish and other ethnic groups make up the rest. Tunisia's population is young: 30 percent of the people are below the age of 14, and only 6 percent are older than 65. The population is increasingly concentrated along the eastern coast, with 43 percent either living in the capital city or on the mid-eastern and northeastern coasts. There has been a large population shift from the countryside to the cities due to increased job opportunities in the urban areas; since 1984, 86 new towns have been created.
Tunisia was the first Arab country to initiate nationwide birth-control programs. Since the creation of the Department of Family Planning and Population in 1966, the birth rate has fallen sharply, from 3 percent in 1966 to 1.17 percent in 2000. This drop is the result of an increase in the standard of living, widespread access to education, and improved health care. The number of women who are entering the labor force increased by 12 percent in 2000, and women's rights are actively promoted. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Africa/Tunisia.html
This Sunny Tunisia website contains information on Tunisia’s culture, history, climate, food, drink, money, and media. The culture page discusses information such as people, language, religion, family life, social life, clothing, bath-houses, cafes, art and music.
This website provides information on the Tunisian culture. Topics include history, urbanism, food, economy, social structure, gender roles, government, marriage, arts, medicine, and religion.
This article from ARAMCO highlights Tunisia’s rich ceramic heritage. Topics include the history of clay ceramics, modern ceramics, and information on artists.
This Tourism Tunisia website provides a profile on the Bardo Museum. Included is information on the location of the museum and brief descriptions of historical periods of collections.
This website lists and describes several museums in Tunisia. They are as follows: the National Bardo Museum, the Carthage National Museum, the Ceramic Museum, Museum of Medina, the Memorial of Martyrs of Sejoumi, the Museum of Tradition Inheritance, the Postal Museum, the El Jem Museum, and the Sidi Zitouni Popular Art and Traditions Museum.
Arabic