什麼是突尼西亞

北非國家。面積154,530平方公里。人口約9,828,000（2001）。首都︰突尼斯。居民為阿拉伯人和柏柏爾人的後裔。語言︰阿拉伯語（官方語）、法語。宗教︰伊斯蘭教（國教）。貨幣︰第納爾（D）。突尼西亞的地形包含了海岸地區、山脈、丘陵、一系列鹽湖窪地和廣闊的撒哈拉沙漠。邁傑爾達河是最長（460公里）且唯一的一條常流河。突尼西亞是非洲最大的磷酸鹽和天然氣儲藏地之一，石油藏量亦豐富。服務業、農業、輕工業，生產和出口石油和磷酸鹽是經濟的重要項目。以突尼西亞海岸風光和羅馬遺址為主的旅遊業亦重要。政府形式是共和國，一院制。國家元首為總統，政府首腦是總理。

從西元前12世紀開始，腓尼基人在北非海岸就有一系列的貿易站。到了西元前6世紀，迦太基王國包含了如今突尼西亞的大部分地區。西元前146年羅馬人開始統治，直到西元7世紀中葉穆斯林阿拉伯人入侵為止。該地區經過多次的戰鬥，有勝有負，包括阿拔斯王朝、阿爾摩哈德王朝、西班牙以及鄂圖曼土耳其人。1574年起鄂圖曼土耳其人佔領了突尼西亞，直至19世紀晚期為止。當法國、英國和義大利在競爭統治權時，它保持了一段時間的自治。1881年它成為法國的保護國。第二次世界大戰中，1943年美國和英國的軍隊奪取了它，結束了德國的短暫佔領。1956年法國給予完全的獨立；布爾吉巴（H. Bourguiba）執政至1987年。

Tunisia

Nation, North Africa. Area: 59,664 sq mi (154,530 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 9,218,000. Capital: Tunis. The population is of Arab and Berber ancestry. Languages: Arabic (official), French. Religion: Islam (official). Currency: Tunisian dinar. Tunisia comprises a coastal region, mountains, an extensive plateau, a marshy area with shallow salt lakes, and a tract of the Sahara desert. The Medjerda is its largest (286 mi, or 460 km long) and only perennial river. Tunisia contains some of the largest phosphate and natural gas reserves in Africa, as well as substantial oil reserves. Major economic sectors are services, agriculture, light industries, and the production and export of petroleum and phosphates. Tourism, focusing on Tunisia's beaches and Roman ruins, is also important. Tunisia is a republic with one legislative house; its chief of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. From the 12th century BC the Phoenicians had a series of trading posts on the North African coast. By the 6th century BC the Carthaginian kingdom encompassed most of present-day Tunisia. The Romans ruled from 146 BC until the Muslim Arab invasions in the mid-7th century AD. The area was fought over, won, and lost by many, including the Abbasids, the Almohads, Spain, and the Ottoman Turks, who finally conquered it in 1574 and held it until the late 19th century. For a time it maintained autonomy as the French, British, and Italians contended for the region. In 1881 it became a French protectorate. In World War II U.S. and British forces captured it in 1943 to end a brief German occupation. In 1956 France granted it full independence; Habib Bourguiba assumed power and remained in office until 1987.