Tunisian Independence Day | Independence Day of Tunisia

There are a lot of cities, countries, places, sites, and locations that are not so famous but have a lot of things to know about. Some of them are naturally beautiful and some of them are culturally heart-warming. These places are worth visiting. Similarly, some countries have proven their existence long ago, but maybe you don’t know about them. In this article, you will get to know a beautiful country called Tunisia, about its Independence Day, and various other insights. The Tunisian Independence Day is celebrated on March 20th every year. 

Tunisian Independence Day: Overview

Tunisia is a small Arab country that lies in North Africa. It is the northernmost country on the African continent. Tunisia is a neighboring country of Algeria. Algeria borders Tunisia from the West and Southwest. It is also a part of the Maghreb region of North Africa. The capital city of Tunisia is Tunis. Tunisia is a poor country according to the data measured using the international poverty line of living in 2020. The total population of Tunisia according to the census of 2020 is 1.18 crores. The country’s population identifies itself as Arabs. The official language of the country is Tunisian Arabic which is also known as Tounsi.

History of Independence:

On March 20, 1956, Tunisia officially gained its independence. Tunisia was called Ifriqiyah in the Islamic period. In 1230, separate Tunisian dynasty from North Africa by Hafsids. Muslims settled in the country after being excluded from Spain during Reconquista. In 1574, Tunisia was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire but it ended in the 19th century.

In 1835, Tunisia was surrounded by two major powers France and Ottoman Empire. France’s influence in the country came from its neighboring country Algeria which was already ruled by the French colonial. In 1881 French established their dynasty in the country. The stated publican modernized and reformer was Ahmad Bey who ruled from 1837 to 1855. With the help of France, he established a modern military force and industries. He introduced conscription, abolished slavery, and involved native Tunisians in the government. But he showed great economy and power of the country to Europe which caused the debt, high taxes, etc.

The next bey was Muhammad who ruled from 1855 to 1859. He tried to ignore Europe but was caught in the charges of disturbances and corruption.

Tunisia became a French colonial country by treaty. The bey and government structure remained the same. They didn’t confiscate the lands but northern Tunisia’s Majardah valley and the Sharik Peninsula was given to other European countries. In the 1890s a French group started to reform the country in European style and participated highly in the Tunisian Government. 

During World war I a political party was established Destour Party which demanded and presented a document that a constitutional form of government should be established where Tunisians can get the same rights as Europeans. But it didn’t succeed and the leader of the party was arrested. In 1934, Tunisian lawyer Habib Bourguiba and his colleagues formed a new party called Neo Destour. They gained mass support and destroyed the plan of the French to suppress it until 1936 when new governance. The Popular Front France government arrested Bourguiba and other leaders in 1938 on charges of civil disobedience.

In July 1954 The French premier Pierre Mendes granted complete autonomy to Tunisia. In June 1955 an agreement was signed by Tunisian delegates but captured strict limits in the fields of foreign education, etc., policy They negotiated with France for almost two years to gain their freedom. The French rule in Tunisia started in 1881 and ended in 1956. They granted full independence to the country and prime minister Bourguiba was chosen. He had the main hand in the independence of the country. The rule of the beys was also abolished in July 1957. A republic was introduced and Bourguiba became the president.

Present Status:

At present, the country has a constitutional rule. Kais Saied is the present president of Tunisia since 23 October 2019. The previous president Ben Ali left his position because of his death due to prostate cancer on 19 September 2019 at the age of 83. About 52 percent of the population are involved in trade, 25 percent in industries, and 12 percent in agriculture. The climate of the country is normal with mild, rainy winters, and hot, dry summers. Tunisia is a country that is also rich in wildlife. It is composed of flora and fauna. You can find 84 species of mammals and 375 species of birds. 

Tunisia is considered a country of culture. There are about seven cultural heritage sites included by UNESCO. They are:

• Amphitheatre of EI Jem [1979]
• The archaeological site of Carthage [1979]
• Dougga [1997]
• Kairouan [1988]
• Medina of Sousse [1998]
• Medina of Tunis [1979]
• Punic Town of Kerkuane [1985]

There is one natural world heritage site in Tunisia which is:

• Ichkeul National Park [1980]

There are many famous food items in the local area of Tunisia. They are so delicious in taste and can make you love them. Some of them are:

• Couscous
• Brik
• Harissa
• Oja
• Yoyos
• Mint Tea

Tunisia is a country of culture and history. It has such beautiful sites which can make you feel free and renew your soul the right way. They can give you a stress-free and memorable holiday. Although Tunisia is a good place for visiting, petty crimes are performed at extremely high rates there. So, before visiting you should take all the precautions to be safe from the thieves. The population of the country is engaged in many works for their income source.