Tunisia

B

Principal Cities

The capital and largest city of Tunisia is the seaport of Tunis, with a population of 1,996,000 (2003 estimate). Other important cities include Sfax, or Şafāqis (population, 1998 estimate, 248,800); Sūsah, or Sousse (population, 1994, 125,000); and Bizerte, or Bizerta (population, 1998 estimate, 105,520).

C

Religion

Islam is the state religion and is adhered to by more than 99 per cent of the population; virtually all Muslims in Tunisia belong to the Sunni branch. There are small numbers of Roman Catholics, Jews, Greek Orthodox, and Protestants.

D

Language

Six languages are spoken in Tunisia. Standard Arabic is the official language but Tunisian Spoken Arabic is the most widely used language (spoken by 98 per cent of the population). Standard Arabic is not a mother tongue: it is learnt in schools and places of worship and is used in official domains. French is spoken as a first language by a minority of Tunisians, a relic of Tunisia’s former status as a French protectorate. The Berber language, Djerbi, also survives as a minority tongue.

E

Education

Education in Tunisia is free, and virtually all eligible children attend primary school. Instruction is conducted mainly in Arabic, although French is also used, especially at the college and university levels. In 1997–1998 some 4,417 primary schools had a total enrolment of about 1.37 million pupils, and some 712 secondary schools, about 1,143,082. In addition, more than 60,000 students were enrolled at vocational and technical schools. In the same year more than 226,102 students were enrolled in institutions of higher education, primarily the three divisions of the University of Tunis (1960). Adult literacy was 76.2 per cent in 2005. In 2002–2003, 6.7 per cent per cent of the country’s gross national product (GNP) was spent on education.

F

Culture

Tunisia has three major libraries, all based in Tunis. The National Library has a collection of more than 700,000 volumes. The Musée National du Bardo, founded in 1888 in Tunis, has collections of Punic, Greek, Roman, and Islamic art. Tunis also has a state-supported municipal theatre, but much theatre activity takes place at the International Cultural Centre at al-Hammamat. The Carthage Festival, an international arts festival, is held annually at the site of the ancient city. Tunisia was selected to host the African Nations Cup in 2004.