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Ten Fun Facts about Tunisia

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Several years ago my family and I learned about the wonderful country of Tunisia through a T-shirt craft project. Not only did Tunisia’s flag make for a great design (see picture below), but we discovered some amazing facts about this nation, the smallest in Africa. Tunisia, which is bordered by Algeria, Libya, and the Mediterranean Sea, is considered the only full democracy in the Arab world. Read on for 10 more interesting fun facts about Tunisia!
Discover some amazing fun facts about Tunisia, the smallest African nation and the only full democracy in the Arab world!

Did you know…

10. Cape Angela is the northernmost point of Africa. It is located about 15 kilometers from Bizerte, the northernmost city in Africa and 22 kilometers from Ichkeul Lake.

9. Before the country of Tunisia was created, the area was called Ifriquiya or Africa.

Fun facts about Tunisia | Arabs leaving mosque in Tunis
Arabs leaving mosque in Tunis c. 1899| Photo credit: Photochrom Print Collection – Library of Congress Catalog: http://lccn.loc.gov/2001699400

8. El Djem is the 3rd largest Roman ruin in the world. It is almost as big as the Colosseum in Rome but even more impressive is that it can be seen for miles due to the size of the little houses in the small town around it.

Fun facts about Tunisia | The Amphitheatre of El Je
The Amphitheatre of El Jem | Photo credit: Institute for the Study of the Ancient World as part of the Ancient World Image Bank (AWIB). Further information: www.nyu.edu/isaw/awib.htm.

7. Domestic violence is a crime. The Law of Eliminating Violence against Women is the first piece of legislation ever passed by the Tunisian government which criminalizes domestic abuse.

6. The language in Tunisia is Tounsi, a dialect of Arabic.

5. El Ghriba synagogue is the oldest in Tunisia and still in use today. One of the legends associated with its founding claims that either a stone or a door from Solomon’s Temple is incorporated into the building.

Fun facts about Tunis | Ghriba synagogue
Entrance of the Ghriba synagogue in Djerba | Photo credit: Wikimedia / Tico at Romanian Wikipedia

4. Food is spicier than the rest of the Arab world; shakshuka and couscous are staples.

3. Matmata is a place in Tunisia where people live in underground houses. Its subterranean dwellings were featured in the Star Wars movies.

2. Souad Abderrahim was voted the first female mayor in the Arab world on July 3, 2018.

1. The Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet won the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize! The Tunisian General Labor Union, the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade & Handicrafts, the Tunisian Human Rights League and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers were critical in building a democracy in Tunisia.

 

This post is part of a series…

Middle Eastern and North African Heritage Month | Multicultural Kid Blogs

Welcome to the fourth annual Middle Eastern and North African Heritage Month blog hop from Multicultural Kid Blogs! Visit all the participating blogs below for great resources on teaching children about the heritage of this region. Don’t miss our series from last year, 2016, and 2015!

You can also find even more resources on our North Africa and the Middle East Pinterest board:

Participating Blogs
A Crafty Arab on Multicultural Kid Blogs
Family in Finland
Kid World Citizen

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Kay Tarapolsi

Koloud ‘Kay’ Tarapolsi is a Libyan American artist who creates art to promote a positive image of Arab culture. In 2011 she started a 30 Days of Ramadan Crafty Challenge on her blog and has had a wonderful time making over 100 DIY tutorials with her 3 daughters. She founded ACraftyArab.com a number of years ago and enjoys selling her art in various locations around the United States and online. Kay hopes to write an Arab craft book someday, but only after her addiction to Pinterest is under control.

Latest posts by Kay Tarapolsi (see all)

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Comments

  1. The beauty of Tunisia lies in its variety. From camel rides in the Sahara Desert, soaking your feet in the Mediterranean Sea, visiting film sites where Star Wars took place, to visiting local houses that belong to native Berbers…it’s a land with a sordid history but an extraordinary destination.

    I like the way you share these fun facts. As the most northern country in the continent of Africa. It calls both Algeria and Libya neighbors, along with the gorgeous coastline of the Mediterranean Sea where the city Hammamet embodies beautiful resorts that tourists have flocked to since the 1960’s. In addition, travelers can traverse through the magnificent Sahara Desert.