Population
According to a CIA World Factbook estimate, Tunisia's population stood at just over 11.4 million people in July 2017.

Language
The official language of Tunisia is Arabic. French acts as a language of commerce and is spoken by around two thirds of the population, while Berber is the principal language of the south.

Religion
Tunisia's official religion is Islam and approximately 99% of the population identify as Sunni Muslims. The remaining 1% is made up by Christians, Jews and Shia Muslims.

Currency
Tunisia's currency is the Tunisian dinar; for accurate exchange rates, use this online converter.

Climate
Northern Tunisia has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The further south you go, the climate gets more arid; and in the southern desert, it is hot, dry and sunny all year round. Rainfall is almost non-existent, though winter nights in the desert can get chilly.

When to Go
Tunisia is a year-round destination, but if you're heading to the north, the best weather occurs between May and October. In the Sahara, summers are typically scorching and those with a low tolerance for extreme heat may prefer to travel during the winter (November to February).

According to Greek legend, Dido, a princess of Tyre, was the first outsider to settle among the native tribes of what is now Tunisia when she founded the city of Carthage in the 9th century BCE. Although the story is certainly apocryphal, Carthage nonetheless grew into one of the great cities and preeminent powers of antiquity, and its colonies and entrepôts were scattered throughout the western Mediterranean region. Carthage fought a series of wars with its rival, Rome. Rome prevailed in the mid-2nd century BCE, razed Carthage, and ruled the region for the following 500 years.