Sfax "the second city and economic center of Tunisia"

The history of Sfax

Sfax, the second city and economic center of Tunisia, is a port city in the east located approximately 270 kilometers from Tunis. Rich in its industries and its port, the city plays an important economic role with the export of olive oil and fresh or frozen fish. Sfax is a business city and attracts few tourists. This does not exclude the presence of some interesting sites, such as the Medina and Thyna, despite the presence of processing plants phosphate.Sfax has 265 131 inhabitants (for an urban area, the Grand Sfax, about 500 000) and presents itself as a very large urban area (220 square kilometers or as much as the Greater Tunis with four times the population), flat and within a structured communication routes spiderweb urban fabric. It is bordered on the east by the Mediterranean Sea and the beginning of the Gulf of Gabes.

Sfax: History 

Sfax, ancient Berber Syphax and the Roman Taparura result is rebuilt by the Aghlabides the ninth century from the materials of the ancient Roman town about three kilometers. They build the walls that give the medina its current configuration. The city must resist the Hilali from Egypt in 1057 and from 1095 to 1099, it is a small independent emirate. 
It passes, like most coastal towns, under the rule of Prince Norman Roger of Sicily in 1148 before being reinstated in the Muslim sphere by the Almohad Abd al-Mumin in 1159. 
Representing decision of Sfax in 1881 
Sfax knows the revolt of Ali Ben Ghdahem in 1864 opposing the Bey of Tunis, which took place during a pogrom [ref. needed], and that of 1881 to deny French protectorate. The French troops are forced to bombard to overcome. 
It also bombed by the Allies during the Tunisian campaign (World War II) when it is occupied by the Axis powers in 1942-1943. Sfax is the city illustrate two major national independence activists murdered by the colonial terrorist organization Red Hand: unionist Farhat Hached (native of the archipelago of Kerkennah) who was shot Dec. 5, 1952 and is responsible Hedi Chaker Destour who was killed Sept. 13, 1953. 

Sfax: Culture 

The Archaeological Museum of Sfax includes a collection of ancient archaeological finds in the city and nearby sites. It is located in the municipal building. 
The city had a municipal theater between 1903 and 1942 property built in a neo-Moorish architecture, in line with the seat of the municipality and the Ramdane palace was destroyed during the bombing Sfax experienced during the Tunisian campaign yet that targeted the commercial port farther south of the city. 
Sfax focuses the main educational institutions in southern Sahel: the University of Sfax and a major university teaching centers in the country. Among the best known of the city high schools include the School of Sfax driver. In 2007, the College of Sfax pilot opened. 

Sfax: Economy 

Sfax is the first commercial port of Tunisia in terms of traffic (2000) and the second in terms of value. The port has two features: it is one of the few places in the Mediterranean where the tidal range exceeds 1.50 and 2 meters and equinoxes, sheltered from onshore winds by Kerkennah islands and shoals in the Gulf Gabes mitigating the effects of waves, no pier or breakwater are needed. Despite the significant maritime trade with the rest of the country Kerkennahet, the port is reduced until 1886 to a mere wooden pier 50 meters long. An artificial harbor is dug in the sand and opened to traffic in 1891, but quickly makes it inadequate and a new port is dug phosphate mining. As in Tunis, dredging products are gaining ground on the sea Like all great Tunisian ports, Sfax asouffert during the Tunisian campaign.'s Afrika Korps destroyed a portion of the docks before retreating April 11, 1943 . fishing also occupies a prominent place in the regional economy, with a fleet of about 300 shrimp trawlers, 50 tuna seiners, 1,500 motor boats and sailing boats 2000. The city produces about 25,000 tonnes of fish per year, one-third of national output. Much of this fishery is exported abroad (10 000 tonnes) or 70% of Tunisian exports of products from the sea. 
The surrounding areas are in turn focus on agriculture as their main resource: six million olive trees and nearly five million almond trees, the governorate of Sfax is thus placed at the forefront of producing areas olive oil (38.5% with more than 200 000 tonnes) and almonds. Livestock are an equally important sector of the regional economy. With 340,000 sheep, 50,000 goats and about 30 000 cattle, the region also has a place in this area. A dairy industry has taken hold in the wake of this intensive farming and it totals 75,000 tonnes of milk per year. 
The industry is booming and statistics put the figure at 4,000 companies. Regarding the tourism sector, and it houses a twenty hotels of various standings. The city should know soon a revival in this area with the completion of the project Taparura launched on 6 April 2006 and intended to reconcile the city with its coastline.