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Overview
Punic Carthage rivalled Rome. After Roman and Byzantine rule, the Aghlabid emirate ruled from Kairouan, one of Islam's oldest cities.
Basic Information
CapitalTunis
Population12 million
Area163,610 km²
CurrencyTunisian dinar (TND)
LanguagesArabic
RegionNorth Africa
History Timeline
- 814 BCETraditional founding of Carthage
- 146 BCERome destroys Carthage
- 670Founding of Kairouan
- 1881 – 1956French protectorate
- 2011Jasmine Revolution
Ancient Peoples
- Phoenicians
- Berbers
- Romans
Ancient Kingdoms
- Carthage
- Numidia
Empires
- Carthaginian
- Roman
- Fatimid
- Ottoman
- French
Religions
- Sunni Islam
- Judaism
Culture
Kairouan Great Mosque, mosaic tradition, malouf music.
Language
Arabic; French widely used.
Important Battles
- Battle of Zama202 BCE
Scipio defeats Hannibal
Historical Figures
Hannibal Barca
247 – 183 BCE
Carthaginian general
Habib Bourguiba
1957 – 1987
First president
Archaeological Sites
- Carthage
- Dougga
- El Djem
- Kerkouane
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Carthage
- Kairouan
- Amphitheatre of El Djem
- Medina of Tunis
Dynasties
- Aghlabid
- Hafsid
Colonial Period
French protectorate 1881 – 1956.
Modern History
Republic; sparked the Arab Spring in 2011.