Sfax


Sfax is a city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD849 on the ruins of Roman Taparura, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate, and a Mediterranean port. Sfax has a population of 330,440. The main economic activities of Sfax are industries, agriculture, fishing and trade. The city is often described as Tunisia's "second city", being the second-most populous city after the capital Tunis.

History

Present-day Sfax was founded in AD849 on the site of the ancient Roman town of Taparura. The modern city has also grown to cover some other ancient settlements, most notably Thenae in its southern suburb of Thyna.
By the end of the 10th century, Sfax, had become an independent city-state. The city was conquered by Roger II of Sicily in 1148 and occupied until it was liberated in 1156 by the Almohads, and was briefly occupied by European forces again; this time by the Spanish, in the 16th century, before falling into Ottoman hands this time. Sfax became an integral base of the Barbary piracy, prompting an unsuccessful invasion by Venice in 1785.
When the Bey of Tunis signed the Bardo Treaty, in 1881, making Tunisia a protectorate, an insurrection broke out in Sfax. Six ironclads were dispatched from Toulon to join the French Navy ships in Tunisian waters. In Sfax, three ironclads from the Division of the Levant were already present, together with four cannon boats. Sfax was bombarded, and on 16 July the city was taken by the French after hard fighting, with 7 dead and 32 wounded for the French.
During World War II, the Axis powers used the city as a major base until British forces took it on 10 April 1943. After World War II, Tunisia was returned to France, but gained independence in 1956.

Transport

The A1 motorway connects Sfax with Tunis. A narrow gauge railway system of SNCFT offers passenger services to Tunis and delivers phosphates and iron ore for export. Sfax is served by Sfax–Thyna International Airport and Syphax Airlines has regularly scheduled flights to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Tripoli International Airport, and charter flights to Jeddah Airport for the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Communications

Founded in 1961, Radio Sfax broadcasts twenty hours a day on MW 720 kHz/105.21 MHz.

Climate

Sfax has a hot semi-arid climate. Owing to its sheltered location relative to Mediterranean Sea winter storms, Sfax receives half the rainfall of Tunis and less even than the major cities of Libya. Summers, like all of North Africa, are hot and almost rainless, whilst winters are very pleasant with only light rain usual.
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Education

The University of Sfax includes:

Twin towns — sister cities

Sfax is twinned with: