Jarbah

Jarbah, also Djerba (ancient Meninx), island, south-eastern Tunisia, in the Gulf of Gabes (Qābis), an arm of the Mediterranean Sea. With dimensions of about 27 km (17 mi) by 26 km (16 mi) the island has an area of 510 sq km (197 sq mi). The island's terrain is flat and arid but the soil is arable; artesian wells are the principal source of water. Olives, dates, and figs are the chief crops. Besides farming, the island's principal occupations include sponge and oyster fishing, pottery and jewellery making, and the manufacture of cloth and olive oil. Hawmat as Suq (Houmt-Souk) on the northern side of the island is the administrative and trade centre. In ancient Greek and Roman legend the island was the home of the lotus-eaters. As Meninx, it was a Roman possession, and during the Middle Ages, it was taken successively by the Arabs (in 655), the Normans of Sicily, the Spanish, and the Turks. In 1881 Jarbah, together with the mainland of Tunisia, was occupied by the French. Population (1984) 92,269.