Tunisia is a country in Northern Africa that has a Mediterranean Sea coastline in the very centre of Mediterranean Africa. Tunisia lies immediately to the south of Italy and Malta. Libya borders Tunisia to the south-east, whilst Algeria lies to the west.
History
Independence : 20 March 1956 (from France)
National holiday : Independence Day, 20 March - a time when hotel rooms are completely booked. Plan accordingly.
Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib Bourguiba established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to diffuse rising pressure for a more open political society.
Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration.
Climate
Temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south.
Terrain
Mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara desert.
Elevation extremes
