The People

The Tunisians are descendants of the ancient Phoenicians who colonized the northeast coast, of the Romans who later occupied the Punic (Phoenician) lands, and of the native Berbers. When the conquering Arabs came in the seventh century, there was rapid intermingling with the coastal population. The Berbers of the back country readily accepted the Arab way of life. Then in the 11th century Bedouins (nomadic Arabs) conquered the country; their descendants inhabit the desert regions of Tunisia. Except for a few isolated groups, the Berbers lost their separate identity. ( )

Through trade with sub-Saharan regions some blacks have been assimilated into the population. A small percentage of the population is of European origin.

Population

The population of Tunisia in 1994 was 8,785,364. The majority of the people live in the northeastern part of the country and in the Sahel.

Language and Religion

Arabic is the official language of Tunisia, but French is widely used in commerce and government. About 98 per cent of the people are Muslims of the Sunnite branch of Islam, the country's official religion. There are small minorities of Christians and Jews.

Education

Primary education is free and compulsory from age 6 to 12. Arabic is the language of instruction in the first two grades, but in higher grades French is also used. The secondary-school course of study is a six-year program; there is an alternative three-year program in industrial and agricultural subjects.

The University of Tunis was founded in 1960. It absorbed the 1,100-year-old Zeitouna (or Great Mosque) University, devoted to Islamic studies, as well as several other institutions of higher education. Various institutes give advanced occupational training.

Before Tunisia gained independence from France in 1956, educational facilities for the rural population were severely limited. Only about 25 per cent of the Tunisian Muslim children were receiving even basic schooling. Adult illiteracy was about 85 per cent, although in the cities there was a larger educated middle class than elsewhere in North Africa. After independence, the government greatly expanded the educational system, bringing schooling to a large majority of the country's school-age population.

Culture

The art of Tunisia is based primarily on Persian and Egyptian design as adopted by the Arabs. However, Roman and Byzantine influence shows in much of Tunisia's early Islamic architecture—for example, the Mosque of the Three Doors in Kairouan and the ribat (monastery-fortress) in Sousse. Later influences were those of Moorish Spain, brought by refugees when the Moors were expelled, and of Italy, with which Tunisia has had much contact. Turkish design was added in the 16th century when Ottoman corsairs gained control of the region.

Since independence the Tunisians have largely rejected the European culture imposed on them during the French protectorate and have returned to their own traditional styles. They are especially noted for their handicraft products—knotted carpets, silver and gold embroidery, metal filigree, and hand-woven fabrics.

The Tunisians value their ancient heritage, and many of the country's outstanding museums are devoted to antiquities. Among these are museums at Tunis, Sousse, and the site of Carthage. There is a large Roman amphitheater at El Djem.