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Tunisia flag Tunisia
Tunisia
Quick Facts
Region:
Africa
Full Name:
Tunisian Republic
Capital City:
Tunis
Language Spoken:
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce),
French (commerce)
Personnel risk: MODERATE
Evacuation risk: MODERATE
Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in getting the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first 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. Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.