Category Archives: Tunisia

My country!!!

I’ve been in many countries around the world, and met so many different people from different places. One of the very first questions every body asked me, was “where are you from?”. I always answered that I am from TUNISIA and from CROATIA.

While some people knew where was Croatia, only few knew about Tunisia. I always answered the same answer: It is a good occasion to revise your geography homework!

Well, Tunisia is in AFRICA! It is a small country between Algeria and Lybia. It is a pure Mediterranean country!

It’s superficy is 164.418 Km2 with a long sea shore of 1150 Km, the Atlas mountains (highest pick is 1529m) and a peace of the Sahara desert in the south (almost 40% of the country surface). Its capital is Tunis. It has obtained the independence from France colonisation in 1956. The official language is ARABIC but Frensh is spoken by almost every body. The other secondary languages are Italian, English, German and others. It has a population of almost 10 millions people (in year 2002) with a density of 60 people/Km2. It is composed of over 98% of Muslims (Sunnite malekites and Hanafites) and the rest are Jewish, Christians Catholics and others.

Tunisia is a very pacific country, with a very mild international political attitude, and always trying to have a fare attitude toward every part. A very “special” democracy was instored since 1987 with the arrival of our actual president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Many changes has occurred since, with a very notable economy progress, “security” and stability. I must stop talking about the delicate subject of internal politics… but for sure, Tunisia is a very interesting sight seeing place! Tourists from all over the world travel to visit the very beautiful places all over the country. There are really many places that you can really enjoy!! It is a secure and safe place to go!!!! Autochthons are friendly and are used to welcome tourists! Please do not worry, you will be safe in that country! No matter if the officials of your country place Tunisia in a list among other “please do not go” country, I am confident that Tunisia is SAFE for tourists!!

Also, Tunisia benefits of a very wide cultural patrimony. Is the most ancient political entity of the Maghreb countries. With an over 7000 years of history, including Caspians, Phenicians, Carthago, Romans, Byzantines, Vandals, Berbers, Arabo-muslims conquerors, Spanish, Ottomans, Jewish and many others. There are plenty ruins here and there that you might want to visit. CARTHAGE was the center of the Mediterranean economy and ruled until Rome invaded Carthage and stayed there after 3 punic wars for over 400 years.

I’ve been all over the country, in land and in the waters, here are some of the pictures that I took! Enjoy, and if you have ant y questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me (surfing@surfingcarpet.com)!

Carthage

Carthage قرطاج was Founded by the queen Elissa (or queen Didon, same person!) a princess of Tyre around the 10th century BC! Carthage grew into a vast economic power throughout the Mediterranean Sea, accumulating wealth and influence through its economic prowess. Carthage was a superpower, contemporaneously with the Roman Republic of the 2nd and 3rd Century BC, and was its rival for dominance of the western Mediterranean. This rivalry led to a series of wars known as the Punic Wars, each of which Carthage lost. These losses led to a decline in Carthage’s political and economic strength, mostly due to the harsh penalties imposed on Carthage by Rome as conditions of the cessation of hostilites. The third and final Punic war ended with the complete destruction of the city of Carthage and the annexation of the last remnants of Carthaginian territory by Rome. Although a distinct Carthaginian civilization ceased to exist, remnants of it contributed to later Mediterranean cultures.
While the term Carthaginian is used by many modern writers, many ancient writings used the adjective Punic to describe anything to do with Carthaginian civilization, because of the Latin term Punicus (earlier Poenicus), itself borrowed from Greek, “Phoenicia.”
Romans stayed for centuries, then invided by the Vandals, then Byzantins, then by the Arabs, themselves invaded by French…

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERACarthage Byrsa

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