Bizerte or Bizerta ( ar, بنزرت, translit=Binzart , it, Biserta, french: link=no, Bizérte) the classical Hippo, is a city of
Bizerte Governorate
Bizerte Governorate ( ar, ولاية بنزرت ' ) is the northernmost of the 24 governorates of Tunisia. It is in northern Tunisia, approximately rectangular and having a long north coast. It covers an area of 3,750 km² including two larg ...
in Tunisia. It is the northernmost city in Africa, located 65 km (40mil) north of the capital
. It is also known as the last town to remain under French control after the rest of the country won its independence from France. The city had 142,966 inhabitants in 2014.
Punic
The Punic people, or western Phoenicians, were a Semitic people in the Western Mediterranean who migrated from Tyre, Phoenicia to North Africa during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' – the Latin equivalent of the ...
Perseus Digital Library Perseus.tufts.edu name ( xpu, 𐤏𐤐𐤅𐤍, ), probably related to the word ''ûbôn'', meaning "harbor". To distinguish it from
Hippo Regius
Hippo Regius (also known as Hippo or Hippone) is the ancient name of the modern city of Annaba, Algeria. It historically served as an important city for the Phoenicians, Berbers, Romans, and Vandals. Hippo was the capital city of the Vandal King ...
(the modern
Annaba
Annaba ( ar, عنّابة, "Place of the Jujubes"; ber, Aânavaen), formerly known as Bon, Bona and Bône, is a seaport city in the northeastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia. Annaba is near the small Seybouse River ...
Scylax of Caryanda
Scylax of Caryanda ( el, Σκύλαξ ὁ Καρυανδεύς) was a Greek explorer and writer of the late 6th and early 5th centuries BCE. His own writings are lost, though occasionally cited or quoted by later Greek and Roman authors. The peri ...
mentions it as and ("Hippo the City").
Polybius
Polybius (; grc-gre, Πολύβιος, ; ) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic period. He is noted for his work , which covered the period of 264–146 BC and the Punic Wars in detail.
Polybius is important for his analysis of the mixed ...
mentions it as ( grc-gre, Ἱππὼν διάρρυτος, ''Hippōn Diárrhytos''), "Hippo Divided-by-the-Water", in reference to the town's prominent
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...
. It also appears in
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
,
Vandal
The Vandals were a Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century.
The Vandals migrated to the area betw ...
, and
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
sources as .Hippo Zarytus(in Perseus Digital Library) Perseus.tufts.edu Its Arabic name Banzart () and the French and English forms derived from it all represent phonetic developments of its ancient name.
History
Later history
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
armies took Bizerte in 647 in their first invasion of the area, but the city reverted to control from Constantinople until the Byzantines were defeated and finally driven from North Africa in 695–98. The troops of
Charles V Charles V may refer to:
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
* Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690)
* Infan ...
of the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
corsair
A corsair is a privateer or pirate, especially:
* Barbary corsair, Ottoman and Berber pirates and privateers operating from North Africa
* French corsairs, privateers operating on behalf of the French crown
Corsair may also refer to:
Arts and ...
harbour and struggled against the French and the Venetians.
With its occupation of Tunisia in 1881,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
gained control of Bizerte and built a large naval harbour in the city.
In 1924, after the French government officially recognized the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
(USSR), the western military fleet of White Russia that had been kept in the port of Bizerte was returned to the Soviet government. The ships were never moved from the port and finally were sold there as scrap metal.
In March 1939, towards the end of the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
,
Spanish Republican Navy
The Spanish Republican Navy was the Navy, naval arm of the Spanish Republican Armed Forces, Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939.
History
In the same manner as the othe ...
Commander Miguel Buiza ordered the evacuation of the bulk of the Republican fleet. Three cruisers, eight destroyers and two submarines left Cartagena harbor and reached Bizerte, where the French authorities impounded them.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
. The city suffered significant damage during the battle.
Due to Bizerte's strategic location on the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
retained control of the city and her naval base after Tunisian independence in 1956.
In 1961 Tunisian forces blockaded the area of Bizerte and demanded French withdrawal. The face-off escalated when a French helicopter took off and drew fire. The French brought in reinforcements; when these were fired upon, France took decisive military action against the Tunisian forces. Using superior weapons and decisive force the French took Bizerte and
Menzel Bourguiba
Menzel Bourguiba ( ar, منزل بورقيبة, Manzil Būrgībah, lit=House of Bourguiba), formerly known as Ferryville, is a town located in the extreme north of Tunisia, about from Tunis, in the Bizerte Governorate.
Toponymy
The town's na ...
. During three days in July 1961, 700 Tunisians died (1200 wounded); the French lost 24 dead (100 wounded).
Meetings at the
UN Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, and ...
and other international pressure moved France to agreement; the French military finally abandoned Bizerte on 15 October 1963.
Geography
File:Circonscription de Bizerte.png, ''Circonsciption of Bizerte.''
Location
Bizerte is on a section of widened inlet and east-facing coast of the north coast of Tunisia, 15 kilometres from
Ras ben Sakka
Ras ben Sakka (Arabic for "Cape Ben Sakka"), the tip of Cape Angela in northern Tunisia, is the northernmost point of the African continent.
It is located from Bizerte and to the northeast of Ichkeul Lake World Heritage Site.
It is located ...
(the northernmost point in Africa on the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
), 20 kilometers northeast of the
Ichkeul lake
Lake Ichkeul ( ar, بحيرة اشكل) is a lake in northern Tunisia, located 20 kilometres (12 miles) to Bizerte, the northernmost city in Africa on the Mediterranean Sea. The lake and wetlands of Ichkeul National Park are an important stoppin ...
(a World Heritage Site), 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of the archaeological site of Utica and 65 kilometers north of
.
West of the city there are coastal hills forming an outcrop of the
Tell Atlas
The Tell Atlas ( ar, الاطلس التلي, Latn, ar, al-ʾaṭlas al-tlī) is a mountain chain over in length, belonging to the Atlas mountain ranges in North Africa, stretching mainly across northern Algeria, with ends in both north-easter ...
with well-conserved woods and vantage points. Its associated beaches include Sidi Salem, La Grotte, Rasenjela, and Al Rimel. It is on a section of Mediterranean climate coastline, close to
Sardinia
Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
, as opposed to coasts in the south of the country which have a year-round dry desert climate.
The city is centered on the north shore of the canal of Bizerte linking the Mediterranean Sea to a tidal lake, the Lac de Bizerte which is larger than all parts of the town combined, to the immediate south. Built-up areas are in three directions:
*South-west along the widening canal with jetties at Pecherie and Jarrouba, the latter associated with
Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base
Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base is a Tunisian Air Force base located approximately 7 km west of Menzel Abderhaman, and 9 km west-southwest of Bizerte.
Units stationed at the base are:
* No. 11 Squadron
: Jet trainer squadron, Aermacchi M ...
adjoining the opening of the lake and military/rescue heliport.
*North are Sidi Salam and Corniche. They are within meters of the coast and on coast-facing slopes of the Ain Berda, a range of hills toward Cap Blanc, a small headland in the Ain Damou Plage natural conservation area.
*Zarzouna,
Menzel Jemil Menzel Jemil (Tunisian Arabic: منزل جميل ) is a coastal town and municipality in north-eastern Tunisia, 60 km north of the capital, Tunis. Administratively it is located in the Menzel Jemil Delegation of the Bizerte Governorate
Bize ...
and Menzel Abderrahmane are on the south shore of the canal, formed by the locality of Zarzouna and the towns of
Menzel Jemil Menzel Jemil (Tunisian Arabic: منزل جميل ) is a coastal town and municipality in north-eastern Tunisia, 60 km north of the capital, Tunis. Administratively it is located in the Menzel Jemil Delegation of the Bizerte Governorate
Bize ...
and Menzel Abderrahmane, by a moveable bridge and both Menzels face the lake itself. The rest of the
isthmus
An isthmus (; ; ) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea counterpart of an isthmu ...
on which they stand is the gently rising Foret de Remel, reaching a high point east of its forest area at
Cap Zebib
Cape Zebib (french: Cap Zebib; ar, رأس زبيب, ''Ras Zebib'') is a headland in northern Tunisia near the town of Metline. The bay between Cape Guardia and Cape Zebib has the sandy Skala Beach; Skala was also an ancient port. Bizerte stand ...
Tunis–Carthage International Airport
Tunis–Carthage International Airport, ar, مطار تونس قرطاج الدولي, ) is the international airport of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. It serves as the home base for Tunisair, Tunisair Express, Nouvelair Tunisia, and Tunisav ...
and the capital. On the town side the P11 passes semi-rural Louata, hugs Ichkeul Lake and branches into a western route, the P7, leading directly to
Tabarka
Tabarka ( ar, طبرقة ') is a coastal town located in north-western Tunisia, close to the border with Algeria. Tabarka's history is a mosaic of Berber, Punic, Hellenistic, Roman, Arabic, Genoese and Turkish culture. The town is dominated b ...
on the coast next to the Algerian border. The P11 leads south-west to
Béja
Béja ( ar, باجة ') is a city in Tunisia. It is the capital of the Béja Governorate. It is located from Tunis, between the Medjerdah River and the Mediterranean, against the foothills of the Khroumire, the town of Béja is situated on the ...
, a governorate center, in the foothills of the
Tell Atlas
The Tell Atlas ( ar, الاطلس التلي, Latn, ar, al-ʾaṭlas al-tlī) is a mountain chain over in length, belonging to the Atlas mountain ranges in North Africa, stretching mainly across northern Algeria, with ends in both north-easter ...
, forks into several roads at
Bou Salem
Bou Salem (بوسالم) is a town and commune in the Jendouba Governorate, Tunisia. As of 2004 it had a population of 20,098.hot-summer mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. The Mediterranean Sea breeze makes summers cooler and more humid than in the interior of Tunisia.
Demography
In 2020, the estimated population of Bizerte is 182,662, with a density of 392.4/km2.
Population structure
In 2014, the
Males
Male (symbol: ♂) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete, or ovum, in the process of fertilization.
A male organism cannot reproduce sexually without access to ...
reprensent 50.3% of the population and the
Females
Female (symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction.
A female has larger gametes than a male. Females a ...
49.7%.
The population aged to 60 years and more has reached 12.4%, while the urban population represents 60.4% of the population.
Demographic evolution
Architecture and landscape
Vieux Port
Le vieux port (the old port) of Bizerte is a port with its small pool surrounded by white houses, cafes and large boats in bright colors. The old port is the most charming place in Bizerte. The quay stretches in an arc along the Siena earth ramparts of the Kasbah and the low white houses. A modest boat painted in red and green slices through the calm water, a fisherman unloads his fish for the nearby market, another weighs anchor... Bizerte presents the familiar spectacle of a small Provençal or Spanish port which would have traded its bell tower for a minaret. The old port of Bizerte comes alive particularly at the end of the day, when the terraces of the bistros invade the quays.
Medina
The medina corresponds to the old town of Bizerte. It stretches north of the modern city, above Avenue Bourguiba, and runs along the old port to the Kasbah (the fortress). Once protected by a rampart facing inland, it was brought down during the French protectorate to assert its power over the city. The medina is a sort of labyrinth of narrow streets that intersect in all directions. In the souks, the smells change from one alley to another, according to the shops of craftsmen and their products. We do not hesitate to negotiate for any object. The names of the streets correspond to the old corporations present here: rue des armuriers, rue des carpenters, weavers, jewelers ... In narrow stalls you can see a craftsman at work. The tall octagonal-shaped minaret of the Great Mosque (dating from the 17th century) rises above the medina. At his side, the zaouïa of Sidi Mokhtar Dey, boss of Bizerte.
The Medina of Bizerte is an old town that surrounds the picturesque Old Port district. It is a bustling center of traditional crafts. In its winding labyrinth of narrow alleys and covered souks are the workshops of metalworkers and carpenters, and butchers and grocery stores. The streets are named after the artisans who live and work there: the blacksmiths on rue des Forgerons, the gunsmiths on rue des Armuriers, carpenters on rue des Menuisiers and butchers on rue des bouchers. It is a very atmospheric place to walk, and unlike the Medinas of Hammamet and Monastir, it has not been restored so it oozes with all the exotic charm of the Orient.
Kasbah
The Kasbah is located in north of the old port, it has a single entrance from the West side. It has small dimensions: approximately 175m by 120m and has 8 towers and a walkway. It was built in the 17th century.
On the other side of the canal, the kasbah rises its ramparts above the medina: it is accessed for the beautiful view of the city, the port, the lake and the sea. The origins of this fortress go back to the time of the Byzantine occupation: rectangular in shape, a tower occupies each corner. The entrance to the kasbah is a narrow arched passageway designed to slow down any invaders attempting to enter it at the time. The interior of the fortress is a maze of small alleys lined with houses. At the foot of the north-west rampart, the market place comes alive with the cry of the merchants, and the stalls give the impression of an organized jumble. Beyond stretches the Andalusian quarter, where the Moors from Spain took refuge in the 17th century. Further along, linked by a rampart of the kasbah, we can see the silhouette of the fort of Spain, which overlooks Bizerte at an altitude of about 40 meters on a height to the north. This fort dates from 1573, built during the Turkish domination by the Pasha of Algiers. It is built so as to be able to face the artillery, composed of thirteen sides with re-entrant angles. Now far from any threat, the fort has since been redeveloped into an open-air theater, which notably hosts the Bizerte International Festival (music, dance, film).
Education
Bizerte is served by the ISG (Institut Supérieur de Gestion)
Health
There is in Bizerte a large hospital ''Hôpital Régional de Bizerte'', one of the biggest in the region.
Economy
Bizerte's economy is very diverse. There are several military bases and year-round tourism. As a tourist centre the region is however not as popular as the eastern coast of Tunisia. There is manufacturing (textile, auto parts, cookware), fishing, fruits and vegetables, and wheat.
Miscellaneous
* The port of Bizerte is being developed into a significant Mediterranean yachting marina that was scheduled to open in May 2012. The superyacht section of the marina will be called Goga Superyacht Marina, and will have berths for yachts of up to 110m in length. It is expected that this will give a significant boost to the local economy as the yacht owners and also the hundreds of professional crew will become year-round consumers. The service industries supplying the yachts will gradually develop and bring additional employment.
* The actor
Abdelmajid Lakhal
Abdelmajid Lakhal (November 29, 1939 – September 27, 2014) was a Tunisian theatre and film actor and theatre director. He was considered to be a professional and versatile interpreter. Recently, he performed classical pieces (Carlo Goldoni ...
was born in Bizerte.
* The
Teapacks
Teapacks (also known as Tipex) ( he, טיפקס) is an Israeli band that formed in 1988 as HaHotzaa La'Poal (Hebrew: , ''The Execution'') in the southern Israeli city of Sderot. Originally the band was named after the correction fluid Tipp-Ex, ...
song "Lo haya lano klum" is about how bandleader
Kobi Oz
Kobi Oz ( he, קובי אוז, , born Ya'akov Uzan ( he, יעקב אוזן, ) on 17 September 1969) is the lead singer of Israeli group Teapacks.
Biography
Yaakov Uzan was born on 17 September 1969 in Sderot to Tunisian Jewish parents who moved t ...
' family were expelled from Bizerte by the Nazis in 1942.
Titular see
Hippo Diarrhytus is a
titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...
of the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. In 1989–2002 it was held by
Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz
Tadevuš Kandrusievič ( be, Тадэвуш Кандрусевіч; pl, Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz; born 3 January 1946) is a Belarusian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Minsk–Mohilev from 2007 to 2021. He has been a bish ...
, then by Jose Paala Salazar, O.P. in 2002–2004 and by Manfred Grothe since 14 October 2004. The city and see of Hippo Diarrhytus should not be confused with those of
Hippo Regius
Hippo Regius (also known as Hippo or Hippone) is the ancient name of the modern city of Annaba, Algeria. It historically served as an important city for the Phoenicians, Berbers, Romans, and Vandals. Hippo was the capital city of the Vandal King ...
where
Saint Augustine
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Af ...
of Hippo was the bishop.
Serbian Army in Bizerte 1915–1919
Army
After the
Serbian army's retreat through Albania
The Great Retreat, also known in Serbian historiography as the Albanian Golgotha ( sr, Албанска голгота / ''Albanska golgota''), was a strategic withdrawal of the Royal Serbian Army, which marked the end of the second Serbian ca ...
in 1915, during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, part of the army was transported by the French navy to their naval base in Bizerte. Serbian soldiers, and a small number of civilians, arrived in Bizerte on three occasions. In December 1915 and early 1916, after the Albanian Golgotha, then later in 1916 after the first clashes on the
Salonica front
The Macedonian front, also known as the Salonica front (after Thessaloniki), was a military theatre of World War I formed as a result of an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of German ...
in Greece and in the early 1917 when Serbian volunteers began to gather in Bizerte. During the entire war, the soldiers were transported to the Salonica front while the wounded were transported back to Tunisia. It is estimated that over 60,000 Serbian soldiers passed through the camp. The training of the volunteers was organized in the camp, education of the disabled but also the cultural events. French-Serbian dictionary was compiled and published by
Veselin Čajkanović
Veselin Čajkanović ( sr-cyr, Веселин Чајкановић; 1881 in Belgrade – 1946) was a Serbs, Serbian classical scholar, philologist, philosopher, ethnologist, Oriental studies, orientalist, History of religion, religious histo ...
in Bizerte. Out of 7,000 copies, 5,000 and 1,000 were distributed to Serbian and French soldiers, respectively, while the remaining 1,000 copies were sold, with money being donated to the war invalids.
Serbian wounded soldiers were originally placed in the Lambert barrack. Few days later they were relocated to the away camp Lazouaz. Almost 200 barracks were built in the camp complex. Citizens of Bizerte, French soldiers and administration were highly obliging to the Serbs, especially the Bizerte governor, admiral Émile Guépratte. He was involved in the care of the soldiers on daily basis and organized ceremonial greetings for every ship upon arrival. The last Serbian soldiers left Bizerte on 18 August 1919. Admiral Guépratte directly disobeyed the order from the French High Command by which he was ordered to dislocate Serbs into the Sahara's hinterland. When Guépratte visited
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
for the first time in 1930, he was awaited by the crowd which carried the admiral on their shoulders from the
Belgrade Main railway station
The Belgrade Main railway station ( sr, Железничка станица Београд Главна, Železnička stanica Beograd Glavna) is a former train station in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It was built between 1882 and 1885 accord ...
to the
Slavija Square
Slavija Square ( sr-cyr, Трг Славија, Trg Slavija) is a major commercial junction between the intersections of Kralja Milana, Beogradska, Makenzijeva, Svetosavska, Bulevar oslobođenja, Deligradska and Nemanjina streets in Belgrade. The s ...
. The street where the admiral was carried, today bears his name ( sr, Улица адмирала Гепрата, Admiral Guépratte Street).
Hospitals
In Northern Africa, Serbian wounded soldiers were treated in the hospitals in Bizerte,
Sousse
Sousse or Soussa ( ar, سوسة, ; Berber:''Susa'') is a city in Tunisia, capital of the Sousse Governorate. Located south of the capital Tunis, the city has 271,428 inhabitants (2014). Sousse is in the central-east of the country, on the Gulf ...
Algiers
Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
,
Oran
Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...
and
Annaba
Annaba ( ar, عنّابة, "Place of the Jujubes"; ber, Aânavaen), formerly known as Bon, Bona and Bône, is a seaport city in the northeastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia. Annaba is near the small Seybouse River ...
. From December 1915 to August 1919, a total of 41,153 Serbian soldiers were treated. In Tunisian hospitals, 833 soldiers died (
typhus
Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposure.
...
,
malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...
, wounds, hunger and
frostbite
Frostbite is a skin injury that occurs when exposed to extreme low temperatures, causing the freezing of the skin or other tissues, commonly affecting the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin areas. Most often, frostbite occurs in the han ...
s). In Sidi Abdala, local population helped the Serbs providing food, medicines and nurture. A total of 1,722 people died there.
Cemeteries
The dead in Bizerte, Sousse and Tunis were buried in the memorial
ossuary
An ossuary is a chest, box, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains. They are frequently used where burial space is scarce. A body is first buried in a temporary grave, then after some years the ...
on the Christian cemetery in Bizerte. Those who died in Sidi Abdala were interred on the joint French-Serbian military cemetery. Those two cemeteries are the largest of all in Northern Africa where Serbian soldiers were buried – a total of 24 cemeteries in Tunisia,
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
, with 3,005 buried soldiers.
Notable residents
*
Georges Madon
Georges Félix Madon (28 July 1892 – 11 November 1924) was the fourth ranked French ace pilot of the First World War. His lengthy career and wide variety of aviation experiences were remarkable.
Early years
Madon was born in Bizerte, Tunisia, ...
(1892–1924),
ace pilot
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
*
Claude Pujade-Renaud
Claude Pujade-Renaud (born 1932) is a French writer, whose first novel ''Le Ventriloque'' appeared in 1978. Since that time she has published over twenty novels, short-story and poetry collections, as well as combined creative works with long-time ...
(born 1932), writer
*
Maurice Poli
Maurice Poli (2 December 1933 – 26 April 2020) was a French actor, mainly active in Italian productions. He is regarded as one of the few actors to have taken part in virtually all the genres developed in Italy in over more than thirty years.Enr ...
(born 1933), actor
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Abdelmajid Lakhal
Abdelmajid Lakhal (November 29, 1939 – September 27, 2014) was a Tunisian theatre and film actor and theatre director. He was considered to be a professional and versatile interpreter. Recently, he performed classical pieces (Carlo Goldoni ...
(1939–2014), actor and theatre director
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Nikita Mandryka
Nikita Mandryka (20 October 1940 – 13 June 2021) was a French cartoonist.
He started drawing in the '' Vaillant'' magazine, before moving to ''Pilote'' in 1967, and then created ''L'Écho des savanes'' along with Claire Bretécher and Marcel ...
(1940–2021), cartoonist
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Lionel Duroy
Lionel Duroy de Suduiraut (born 1 October 1949) is a French writer and journalist born in Bizerte (Tunisia) into an impoverished family of aristocratic origin who long shared extreme right-wing ideas. His youth in this environment left a profoun ...
(born 1949), writer
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Pierre Cohen
Pierre Cohen (born 20 March 1950) is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the Haute-Garonne department, and is a member of the Socialist, Radical, Citizen and Miscellaneous Left group.
Early life
Cohen was born in ...
(born 1950), politician
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Jean-Marc Luisada
Jean-Marc Luisada (born 3 June 1958) is a French pianist born in Bizerte, Tunisia. He started on the piano at six years old, "the normal age".
Biography
At the age of 16 he began studies at the Conservatoire de Paris under Dominique Merlet and M ...
(born 1958), pianist
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Nabil Karoui
Nabil Karoui ( ar, نبيل القروي; born 1 August 1963) is a Tunisian people, Tunisian politician and businessman. One of the key figures in the Tunisian media landscape, Karoui is CEO of Karoui & Karoui World and owner of the Tunisian tel ...
(born 1963), politician and businessman
* Mondher Kebaier (born 1970), football coach
* Hassen Bejaoui, (born 1975), former footballer
*
Malek Jaziri
Malek Jaziri ( ar, مالك الجزيري, Mālik al-Jazīrī; born January 20, 1984) is a Tunisian professional tennis player. Jaziri reached his highest singles ranking on the ATP Tour of World 42 in January 2019. He reached the final of 2 ...
(born 1984), tennis player
* Hamdi Harbaoui (born 1985), footballer
*
Souheïl Ben Radhia
Souheïl Ben Radhia (born August 26, 1985 in Bizerte) is a Tunisian footballer who currently plays for CA Bizertin.
Career
On March 2, 2010 Polish club Widzew Łódź signed him from Étoile Sportive du Sahel
Étoile may refer to:
Places
;Fr ...
(born 1985), footballer
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Farouk Ben Mustapha
Farouk Ben Mustapha ( ar, فاروق بن مصطفى; born 1 July 1989) is a Tunisian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper.
Career
Ben Mustapha was voted Ligue Professionnelle 1 player of the month for August 2009 by a fansite.
He ...
(born 1989), footballer
* Hamza Mathlouthi (born 1992), footballer
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Bilel Saidani
Bilel Saidani (born 29 June 1993) is a Tunisian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Tunisia national football team, Tunisian national team.
Professional career
Saidani made his professional debut with ...
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat (dialect), Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and Communes of France, commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions of France, region, with a population ...
, France, (a program of rehabilitation of historic centers)
*
European enclaves in North Africa before 1830
The European enclaves in North Africa (technically ‘Enclave and exclave#Related constructs and terms, semi-enclaves’) were towns, fortifications and trading posts on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of western North Africa (sometimes calle ...