Colors and the Meaning of the Tunisia Flag
The Tunisian flag consists of a white circle and a red colored moon and stars in the center of the flag on a red background.
Although the red color is the symbol of Islam, it was used because of the Ottoman Empire’s possession from the end of the 16th century until 1881. It was also used to represent resistance to Turkish supremacy. The crescent and star are regarded as traditional symbols of Islam and as symbols of luck. The white circle represents the sun.
History of the Tunisia Flag
After Tunisia entered the Ottoman domination from the mid-16th century, a flag with blue, red and green colors of different colors was used during the local ruling period. This was also not a single flag for Tunisia. In the sea, a separate flag was used in the army. In the palace of the Tunisian Bey, there was a flag used in the ceremonies, which contained more circles, swords, stars.
When Tunisian Hüseyin Bey II sent the Tunisian navy unit to support the Ottoman navy, he wanted to make clear that the Tunisian navy was on the side of the Ottoman Empire. However, in order to understand that this is the Tunisian navy, he decided on the crescent-star format in the red background and white circle. Ottoman flag star at that time was eight-headed, but Tunisia preferred a five-pointed star, and unlike the Turkish flag, Tunisia used the crescent and the star in a white circle.
Reformist Ahmet Bey, who came to the throne after Hüseyin Bey II who first used the flag in Tunisia, made the flag official in 1837 with the decree issued. At the same time, political, legal, military and economic reforms were made in Tunisia.
After the adoption of the flag in Tunisia, it became easier to memorize, to draw, and therefore to produce, and the flag was gradually adopted. In the French colonial period, which lasted almost 70 years, the Tunisians took the crescent and star further and fought for independence. The crescent and star of Tunisia retained the same form after independence. Today the flag of Tunisia and Turkey are mixed sometimes due to their similarity to each other.
Neighboring Countries of Tunisia
It is a country located in North Africa and has a Mediterranean coast. It is neighboring Algeria to the west and Libya to the east. The great Sahara Desert is located in the south.
Main Characteristics of Tunisia
There are many activities for tourists in Tunisia. You can visit historical places, make desert safaris in the south and spend time at the beaches on the north. The capital is Tunisia, the same name as the country. The official language of the country is Arabic. The Tunisian dinar is used as the currency.
The Mediterranean climate prevails. Summers are hot and dry, winters are mild and rainy. Rainfall starts in the middle of autumn and continues until mid-spring. The coastal zone is cooler than the inner parts. The basis of the country cuisine consists of lamb, mutton, fish, seafood and vegetables. Pasta varieties are of great importance. They use a lot of olives in their meals.
|Currency||tunisian dinar (TND)|
|Highest Point||Jebel ech Chambi (1,544 m)|
|Total Area||163,610 km2|