Tunisia

American  

[too-nee-zhuh, -shuh, -nizh-uh, -nish-uh, tyoo-] / tuˈni ʒə, -ʃə, -ˈnɪʒ ə, -ˈnɪʃ ə, tyu- /

noun

1. a republic in North Africa, on the Mediterranean: a French protectorate until 1956. 48,330 sq. mi. (125,175 sq. km). Tunis.

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Tunisia British  

/ -ˈnɪsɪə, tjuːˈnɪzɪə /

noun

1. a republic in N Africa, on the Mediterranean: settled by the Phoenicians in the 12th century _bc ; made a French protectorate in 1881 and gained independence in 1955. It consists chiefly of the Sahara in the south, a central plateau, and the Atlas Mountains in the north. Exports include textiles, petroleum, and phosphates. Official language: Arabic; French is also widely spoken. Official religion: Muslim. Currency: dinar. Capital: Tunis. Pop: 10 835 873 (2013 est). Area: 164 150 sq km (63 380 sq miles)

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Tunisia Cultural  

1. Republic in northwestern Africa, bordered by Algeria to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east, and Libya to the southeast.

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Discover More

Tunisia was a French protectorate from 1881 to 1956, when it achieved independence.

In the sixth century b.c., Tunisia became the center of power for the city of Carthage.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anti-Tunisian
  adjective
• Tunisian
  adjective
• pro-Tunisian
  adjective

Example Sentences

They had undergone a hard and thorough lesson in geography in their late teens and twenties, and certainly understood the location and significance of the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Tunisia or Normandy.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

Uprisings rocked and, in some cases, uprooted strongman rulers in places such as Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

Those uprisings, later coined the Arab Spring, succeeded in bringing about a short democratic sojourn in Tunisia and a much briefer one in Egypt, but they also unleashed unrest.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

At least five people died and several remain missing after Tunisia experienced its heaviest rainfall in over 70 years last month.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

Because of my twelfth place win in Tunisia and my earlier gold medal finishes in the domestic tournaments, my national ranking had improved significantly.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad