On March 20^th we celebrate Tunisia’s Independence Day! We take this opportunity to wish an amazing day of celebration to our wonderful Nobel team members from Tunisia!

If you’re interested in learning more about the beautiful country of Tunisia, join us below in discovering some fun and interesting facts:

Did you know that?

• Tunisia gained its independence from French colonial protectorate on March 20^th 1956 through the separatist movement led by Habib Bourguiba, who became the first Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tunisia. Today, Tunisia is officially the Republic of Tunisia.
• To celebrate the national holiday, parades are held across the country and wreath-laying ceremonies take place to honor those who fought for the country’s independence.
• On this day, Tunisians decorate streets, cars, and buildings with the Tunisian flag and the national colors of red and white. The crescent and the star depicted on the flag of Tunisia are traditional symbols of Islam and are also considered symbols of good luck. The white color represents peace. Meanwhile, the red background symbolizes blood, as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the country’s martyrs during its struggle for independence.
• Tunisia is located in North Africa and is the smallest country in the Maghreb region.
• The word Tunisia is derived from Tunis – a central urban hub and the capital of modern-day Tunisia. The present form of the name, with its Latinate suffix -ia, evolved from French Tunisie. It is also associated with the Berber root tns, which means “to lay down” or “encampment”. In some interpretations, the name of Tunisia is related the Carthage goddess Tanith (or Tunit) and the ancient city of Tynes.
• The official language of Tunisia is Arabic, but French is also widely spoken due to its colonial past.
• At the beginning of recorded history, Tunisia was inhabited by Berber tribes. Its coast was settled by Phoenicians starting as early as the 12^th century BC.
• Tunisia is home to the ancient city of Carthage, founded in the 9^th century BC by Phoenicians. Carthage reached its height in the 4^th century BC as one of the largest metropolises in the world and the center of the Carthaginian Empire, a major power in the ancient world.
• In Kebili, a town in the south of Tunisia, archeologists found animal bones and tools from the Stone Age. They believe that the artifacts are from around 200,000 years ago.
• Kairouan in Tunisia is the fourth most important city in Islam after Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. Kairouan is the oldest Muslim-Arab base in the Maghreb. It was the capital city of Ifriqiya (the name for all of North Africa), but the capital was moved to Tunis. After that, though, Kairouan remained an important center for Islam in North Africa. In the city, there is the Great Mosque of Kairouan and the Mosque of the Three Doors, both remarkable in their own right.
• Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia, is known for its medina (old town) and it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Tunisia is popular among tourists for its golden beaches and sunny weather, representing a great holiday destination. The coastal resorts outside of Monastir, and the night life-driven city of Hammamet are not to be missed!
• Second only to the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Bardo National Museum located in Tunis, Tunisia is the largest museum in Africa.
• Around 2/3 of the country’s land is used for agriculture. Tunisia is currently the world’s biggest exporter of organic olive oil, but it also grows dates, tomatoes, potatoes, and raises chicken, sheep and cattle for meat.
• Couscous, called kosksi, is the national dish of Tunisia, and can be prepared in many ways. It is cooked in a special kind of double boiler called a kiska:s in Arabic or couscoussière in French. The couscous used is a tiny granule made from steamed and dried durum wheat. It is frequently served in an enormous traditional bowl with bits of meat and vegetables. It is served mostly on festive occasions and large gatherings, from weddings to funerals.
• Other traditional foods include tajines (a kind of quiche, without a crust, made with beaten eggs, grated cheese, meat and various vegetable fillings, and baked like a large cake), harissa sauce (made of red chili, garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, olive oil, and sometimes also caraway or mint) and baklava (a popular sweet pastry of Tunisian origin made with layers of phyllo dough, honey, and nuts).
• The country’s national animal is the Caracal, a wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
• Although jasmine was not native to Tunisia (it was brought by the Andalusians in the 16^th century), it became Tunisia’s national flower.
• The Sahara desert covers most of southern Tunisia, making it a popular destination for desert tourism and film production. Many parts of the Star Wars movies have been filmed in Tunisia.
• Music and theatre dominate the national cultural scene, with many international and regional festivals punctuating the calendar year.
• The International Festival of the Sahara, which honors the cultural traditions associated with the Tunisian desert, attracts many tourists and musicians from all around the world.
• Football is the most popular sport in Tunisia. The Tunisia national football team, also known as “The Eagles of Carthage”, won the 2004 African Cup of Nations (ACN), which was held in Tunisia.
• Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406) was an influential historian, philosopher, and scholar whose works on the philosophy of history and social science had a significant impact on the development of the modern discipline of sociology.
• Tawfik Mathlouthi (1948-present) is a scientist and inventor who developed a new method for the synthesis of hydroxyapatite, a material used in bone implants.
• Fatma Bouvet de la Maisonneuve (1843-1908) was a writer and feminist who was one of the first Tunisian women to write in Arabic. She is best known for her novel “La Tunisienne,” which explores the lives of women in Tunisian society.