Tunisia

Tunisia's easily accessible Mediterranean coastline and strategic location have drawn conquerors and visitors over time, and its good access to the Sahara has connected its people to the African interior. The Greek legend has it that Dido, the princess of Tyre, was the first foreigner to settle among the indigenous tribes of present-day Tunisia in 9th century BC, when she founded the city of Carthage. While the tale is certainly apocryphal, Carthage grew to become one of the great cities and powers of antiquity, with its colonies and ports spread across the western Mediterranean. Later, Carthage has fought a number of wars with its rival, Rome. Rome triumphed in the middle of the 2nd century BC, destroyed Carthage and dominated the region for the next 500 years. Then, in the 7th century, the Arab conquerors converted the Berber natives of North Africa to Islam. The country was ruled by a series of Islamic dynasties and empires until it came under French colonial rule at the end of the 19th century. After independence in 1956, efforts were made to modernize the economy. The culture of Tunisia is extremely diverse, partly because of the long period of Ottoman and then French rule, but also due to the fact that the Jewish and Christian populations have lived among the Muslim-majority population for centuries. The country's capital, Tunis, has become one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in the region, with a mix of ancient Arabic souks and mosques and modern office buildings. Tunisians are famous for their hospitality and easy-going approach to everyday life.