May 2, 1943 the German-Italian Army in Tunisia surrendered. Thus, the United States, United Kingdom, Free French, and Polish (as well as other forces) were able to win a major battle as an allied army. The battle, though often overshadowed by Stalingrad, represented a major allied victory of World War II largely because it forged the Alliance which would one day liberate Western Europe. Present-day politics Main article: Politics of Tunisia Tunisia is a republican presidential system characterized by bicameral parliamentary system, including the Chamber of Representatives and the Chamber of Advisors. President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has been in office since 1987, the year he acceded to the executive office of Habib Bourguiba after a team of medical experts judged Bourguiba unfit to exercise the functions of the office. At the time, Tunisia was on the verge of upheaval as Ennahdha's (banned Islamic party) supporters were attempting to seize power. Since his accession to power, also known as the Change, president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali launched a series of reforms meant to introduce political pluralism and boost the economy. In Tunisia, the President is elected to 5-year terms. He appoints a Prime Minister and cabinet, who play a strong role in the execution of policy. Regional governors and local administrators also are appointed by the central government. Largely consultative mayors and municipal councils are elected. There is a bicameral legislative body, the Chamber of Deputies, which has 182 seats, 20% of which are reserved for the opposition parties and the Chamber of Advisors which is composed of representatives from political parties, from professional organisations and by personalities appointed by the president of the Republic. Both chambers are composed of more than 20% of women, making it one of the rare countries in the Arab world where women enjoy equal rights. Incidentally, it is also the only country in the Arab world where polygamy is forbidden by law. This is part of a provision in the country’s Code of Personal Status which was introduced by the former president Bourguiba in 1956. The judiciary is independent. The military is professional and does not play a role in politics. Since 1987, Tunisia has gradually reformed its political system, it has abolished life presidency and opened up parliament to opposition parties. There are currently nine political parties in Tunisia, six of whom are represented in parliament. The majority party known as the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) in French, is composed of about 2 million members and more than 6000 representations throughout the country; although the party was renamed (in Bourguiba’s days it used to be known as the Socialist Destourian Party), its policies are still considered to be largely secular. Since 2007, all political parties represented in parliament benefit from state subsidies to cover the rising cost of paper and to expand their publication. In July 2008, new constitutional provisions have been voted by the country’s parliament. These provisions which include lowering the voting age to 18, as well as easing the conditions for eligibility for the presidency, also allow for any head of political party, whether represented in parliament or not to present their candidacy, to run for president. The state has also abolished the ‘depot legal’, which required prior authorization before sending to print, and issued legislation meant to bring amendments to the press code which provides journalists with greater freedom to express their ideas. Recently, the election of a syndicate of journalists met with a positive reaction from journalists. There are currently about 300 publications in Tunisia, most of them are financially and editorially independent. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), as well as other press freedom groups have regularly led fact finding missions and issued reports calling on Tunisia to free what they consider as detained journalists, however Tunisian authorities have reacted by saying that there are no journalists currently held for having expressed their ideas. The recent case in point was provided by the ‘Slim Boukhdir case’, a journalist (since then released before serving his term), who was sentenced to a year in jail for having insulted a police officer on duty, according to the version given by the authorities. CPJ denies this version, arguing he was convicted for having written articles critical of the president. Tunisian authorities maintain that only pornographic material and articles inciting to hate, are banned by law. This is the case in both the printed press and the internet which has witnessed a considerable development with more than 1,1 million users and hundreds of internet cafes, known as ‘publinet.’ Human rights are also the subject of controversy between human rights groups such as Amnesty International, who argue that rights are not respected, and Tunisian authorities that make the point that in recent international fora, such as the United Nations New York based Human Rights Commission and the Human Rights Committee in Geneva (2008), where all of the countries of the world go through a ‘periodic review’, Tunisia's effort to promote a comprehensive system of human rights was officially acknowledged. Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, has consistently expressed his opposition to the presence of religious parties in parliament. While Tunisia cannot boast the natural resources its neighbors have, standards of living are among the best in the developing world.[13] This can be evidenced by two compelling economic observations: the level to which Tunisia has become self-sufficient in material goods, and the extent of real estate development in the cities and major towns of the country. Put simply, the mid-level retail outlet will typically offer goods of which more than 90% of which are internally produced. As to the rise of the building and construction industry, a fleeting visit to any of Tunisia's smaller towns (let alone the cities) will confirm that development is rampant: many projects, especially hotels, are newly opened, and many more stand as skeleton buildings, ready to be developed as soon as demand - and capital funds - are available to bring them to completion. Poverty has significantly been reduced thanks to a national solidarity policy and strong social commitment from the government and now stands at 3,8%, instead of some 50% in 1956. See also: Foreign relations of Tunisia Quoting from the The World Factbook: Following independence from France in 1956, 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. In recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society. Economy Main article: Economy of Tunisia Tunisia has a diverse economy, ranging from agriculture, mining, manufacturing, petroleum products and tourism. In 2007 it had a GDP of $35 billion (official exchange rates)[14], or $76.07 billion (purchasing power parity) [15]. It also has one of Africa and the Middle East's highest per-capita GDPs (PPP) [16]. The agricultural sector stands for 11,6% of the GDP, industry 25,7%, and services 62,8%. The industrial sector is mainly made up of clothing and footwear manufacturing, production of car parts, and electric machinery. Transportation The country maintains 19 232 km of roads,[17] where the A1 Tunis-Sfax, P1 Tunis-Libya and P7 Tunis-Algeria are major highways. There are 30 airports, Tunis Carthage International Airport and Monastir International Airport being the most important ones. Tunisia is served by four airlines: Tunisair, Karthago Airlines, Nouvelair and Sevenair. The railway network is operated by SNCFT, and amounts to 2135 km in total[18]. The Tunis area is served by a tram network, Metro Leger. Region The region of Tunisia has some deserts, including part of the Sahara Desert in the south. In the north and mid the land is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. Tunisia is not cold in the winter, where it snows, but the temperature still can get below 0°C (32°F). In the summer it can get up to 32°C (90°F). Most of Tunisia has four seasons. Religion The constitution declares Islam as the official state religion and requires the President to be Muslim. Tunisia also enjoys a significant degree of religious freedom, a right enshrined and protected in its constitution which guarantees the freedom to practice one's religion.[19] The country has a culture that encourages acceptance of other religions; religious freedom is widely practiced. However, the government has been accused[citation needed] of limiting the freedom of Muslims by banning the wearing the Headscarf (Hijab). The government believes the Hijab is a "garment of foreign origin having a partisan connotation".[citation needed] Individual Tunisians are tolerant of religious freedom and generally do not inquire about a person's personal beliefs.[19] religion percent Islam  ? 98% Christian  ? 1% Other  ? 1% source: The World Factbook (CIA) Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul The majority of Tunisia's population (98%) are Muslims, while 1% follow Christianity and the rest (1%) adhere to Judaism or other religions.[20] However, there are no reliable data on the number of practicing Muslims. Some reports stipulate that atheists form the second largest group in the country (making it probably on top of any other North African country)[21]. Tunisia has a sizable Christian community of around 25,000 adherents; mainly Catholics (20,000) and to a lesser degree Protestants. Judaism is the country's third largest religion with 1,500 members. One-third of the Jewish population lives in and around the capital. The remainder lives on the island of Djerba, where the Jewish community dates back 2,500 years[19]. Djerba, an island in the Gulf of Gabès, is home to El Ghriba synagogue, which is one of the oldest synagogues in the world. Many Jews consider it a pilgrimage site with celebrations taking place there once every year. Tunisia is one of the very few North African countries where synagogues and churches are open to worshipers.[citation needed] Governorates Governorates of Tunisia Main articles: Governorates of Tunisia and Delegations of Tunisia Tunisia is subdivided into 24 governorates, they are: Ariana Béja Ben Arous Bizerte Gabès Gafsa Jendouba Kairouan Kasserine Kebili Kef Mahdia Manouba Medenine Monastir Nabeul Sfax Sidi Bou Zid Siliana Sousse Tataouine Tozeur Tunis Zaghouan The governorates are divided into 264 "delegations" or "districts" (mutamadiyat), and further subdivided into municipalities (shaykhats)[22] and sectors (imadats).[23] Military Main article: Military of Tunisia The Tunisian armed forces are divided into three branches: Army Air Force Navy Due to the peaceful relations Tunisia enjoys with its neighboors, its military spending is modest, 1.6% of GDP (2006). The army is responsible for national defence and also internal security. It appears that in recent years, Tunisia's defence forces have become more focused on Islamist groups in North Africa. The U.S. has conducted exercises with Tunisian defence forces due to this concern.[citation needed] Geography Topographic map of Tunisia. Tunis bay Ressas mount from Tunis Lake Main article: Geography of Tunisia Tunisia is a country situated on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, midway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Nile Valley. It is bordered by Algeria in the west and Libya in the south-east. An abrupt southern turn of its shoreline gives Tunisia two faces on the Mediterranean. Despite its relatively small size, Tunisia has great geographical and climactic diversity. The Dorsal, an extension of the Atlas Mountains, traverses Tunisia in a northeasterly direction from the Algerian border in the west to the Cape Bon peninsula. North of the Dorsal is the Tell, a region characterized by low, rolling hills and plains, although in the northwestern corner of Tunisia, the land reaches elevations of 1,050 meters. The Sahil is a plain along Tunisia's eastern Mediterranean coast famous because of its olive monoculture. Inland from the Sahil, between the Dorsal and a range of hills south of Gafsa, are the Steppes. Much of the southern region is semi-arid and desert. Tunisia has a coastline 1,148 kilometres in length. In maritime terms, the country claims a contiguous zone of 24 nautical miles, and a territorial sea of 12 nautical miles. Tunisia's climate is temperate in the north, with mild rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The south of the country is desert. The terrain in the north is mountainous, which, moving south, gives way to a hot, dry central plain. The south is semiarid, and merges into the Sahara. A series of salt lakes, known as chotts or shatts, lie in an east-west line at the northern edge of the Sahara, extending from the Gulf of Gabes into Algeria. The lowest point is Shatt al Gharsah, at -17 m, and the highest is Jebel ech Chambi, at 1544 metres. Demographics Main article: Demographics of Tunisia The majority (98%) of modern Tunisians are Berber/Arab, and are speakers of Tunisian Arabic. However, there is also a small (1% at most) population of Berbers located in the Jabal Dahar mountains in the South East and on the island of Jerba. The Berbers primarily speak Berber languages, often called Shelha, or have shifted to Tunisian Arabic. Numerous other peoples have also invaded, migrated to, and been assimilated into the population over the millennia such as Romans, Vandals, and Ottoman Turks. Additionally, after the Reconquista and expulsion of non-Christians from Spain, many Spanish Moors and Jews also arrived at the end of the 15th century. In addition, from the late 1800s to after World War II, Tunisia was home to large populations of French and Sicilians, although nearly all of them, along with the Jewish population, left after Tunisia became independent. Nearly all Tunisians (98% of the population) are Muslim.There has been a Jewish population on the southern island of Djerba for 2000 years, and there remains a small Jewish population in Tunis which is descended from those who fled Spain in the late 15th century. There is a small indigenous Christian population. Small nomadic indigenous minorities have been mostly assimilated into the larger population. Language Advert primarily in Tunisian Arabic Arabic is Tunisia's official language. However, as is the case in the rest of the Arab world, a vernacular form of Arabic is used by the public. In Tunisia, the dialect is Tunisian Arabic, which is closely related to the Maltese language.[24] There is also a small minority of speakers of Shelha, a Berber language.[25] French also plays a major role in the country, despite having no official status. It is widely used in education (e.g. as the language of instruction in the sciences in secondary school), the press, and in business. Most educated Tunisians are able to speak it. Many Tunisians, particularly those residing in large urban areas, readily mix Tunisian Arabic with French. Education Sadiki College in Tunis. Education is given a high priority and accounts for 6% of GNP. A basic education for children between the ages of 6 and 16 has been compulsory since 1991. Tunisia ranked 11th in the category of "quality of the educational systems" in The Global Competitiveness Report 2007, released by The World Economic Forum. While children generally acquire Tunisian Arabic at home, when they enter school at age 6, they are taught to read and write in Standard Arabic. From the age of 8, they are taught French while English is introduced at the age of 12. Main article: List of universities in Tunisia Colleges and universities in Tunisia include: Ecole Polytechnique de Tunisie International University of Tunis Université Libre de Tunis Université de l'Aviation et Technologie de Tunisie Institut National d'Agronomie de Tunis Université des Sciences de Tunis Culture Main article: Culture of Tunisia The culture of Tunisia is mixed due to their long established history of conquerors such as Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks, Spaniards, and the French who all left their mark on the country. Current ethnicity consists of Arab/Berber (98%), European (1%), others (1%). The dominant Religion in Tunisia is Sunni Islam (99%). There are also small groups of Christians and Jews. Affiliations Tunisia is a member of the following organizations: Organization Dates United Nations since 12 November 1956 Arab League since 1958 Organization of the Islamic Conference since 1969 World Trade Organization since 29 March 1995 Mediterranean Dialogue group since February 1995 Cultural references In the movie Star Wars , the scenes on the planet Tatooine were filmed in Tunisia[26] and most of the sets are still there. The skeleton of a krayt dragon, in the background of one of the scenes, is also still found in the desert of Tunisia. A Tunisian location in the TV show LOST plays a semi-crucial role. Related topics Communications in Tunisia Cuisine of Tunisia Tourism in Tunisia History of the Jews in Tunisia Tunisian Italians Military of Tunisia Transportation of Tunisia Les Scouts Tunisiens Gay rights in Tunisia Islam in Tunisia Music of Tunisia Tunisian Arabic List of schools in Tunisia Women in Tunisia Men in Tunisia See also Africa portal Main article: Outline of Tunisia References ^ "(Arabic) Article 4", Tunisia Constitution, 1957-07-25  ^ a b "(Arabic) Article 1", Tunisia Constitution, 1957-07-25  Translation by the University of Bern: Tunisia is a free State, independent and sovereign; its religion is the Islam, its language is Arabic, and its form is the Republic. ^ a b "National Statistics Online". National Statistics Institute of Tunisia. July 2008. http://www.ins.nat.tn/. Retrieved on 7 January 2009.  (Arabic) ^ a b c d "Tunisia". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2009&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=744&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=42&pr.y=8. Retrieved on 2009-04-22.  ^ a b Room, Adrian (2006). Placenames of the World: Origins and Meanings of the Names for 6,600 Countries, Cities, Territories, Natural Features, and Historic Sites. McFarland. pp. 385. ISBN 0786422483.  ^ a b c Lapidus, Ira Marvin (2002). A History of Islamic Societies (2 ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 302-303. ISBN 0521779332.  ^ Ham, Anthony; Hole, Abigail; Willett, David. (2004). Tunisia (3 ed.). Lonely Planet. pp. 65. ISBN 1741041899.  ^ a b Stearns, Peter N.; Leonard Langer, William (2001). The Encyclopedia of World History: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern, Chronologically Arranged (6 ed.). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. pp. 129-131. ISBN 0395652375.  ^ a b Singh, Nagendra Kr (2000). International encyclopaedia of islamic dynasties Vol. 4: A Continuing Series. 4: A Continuing Series. Anmol Publications PVT. LTD.. pp. 105-112. ISBN 8126104031.  ^ J. Ki-Zerbo, G. Mokhtar, A. Adu Boahen, I. Hrbek. General history of Africa. James Currey Publishers. pp. 171-173. ISBN 0852550936.  ^ Populations Crises and Population Cycles, Claire Russell and W.M.S. Russell ^ Smeaton Munro, Ion. Trough Fascism to World Power: A History of the Revolution in Italy. pag 221 ^ [1] ^ "world economic forum competitivness report 2008-2009". http://www.weforum.org/documents/GCR0809/index.html. Retrieved on 2009-01-19.  ^ "cia world factbook, Tunisia". https://www.cia.gov/li