Sfax (; ar, صفاقس, Ṣafāqis ) is a city in

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

, located southeast of

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

. The city, founded in AD849 on the ruins of

Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...

Taparura Taparura was an ancient Berber, Punic and Roman city in the location of modern-day Sfax, Tunisia. It was a former Catholic diocese. The same ancient name was revived in the 1980s as a coastal urban development project on the location of former che ...

, is the capital of the

Sfax Governorate The Sfax Governorate ( ') is one of the governorates of Tunisia. The governorate has a population of 955,421 (2014) and an area of 7,545 km². Its capital is Sfax. It is along the east coast of Tunisia, and includes the Kerkennah Islands. Ad ...

(about 955,421 inhabitants in 2014), and a

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 ...

port. Sfax has a population of 330,440 (census 2014). The main industries are

phosphate In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthophosphoric acid . The phosphate or orthophosphate ion is derived from phospho ...

olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...

and

nut Nut often refers to: * Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, or a collective noun for dry and edible fruits or seeds * Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt Nut or Nuts may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Com ...

processing, fishing (largest fishing port in

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

) and

international trade International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories because there is a need or want of goods or services. (see: World economy) In most countries, such trade represents a significant ...

. The city is the second-most populous after the capital, Tunis.

History

Carthaginian and Aghlabid eras

Present-day Sfax was founded in AD849 on the site of the Berber town of

. The modern city has also grown to cover some other ancient settlements, most notably

Thenae Thenae or Thenai ( grc, Θεναί), also written Thaena and Thaenae, was a Carthaginian and Roman town (') located in or near Thyna, now a suburb of Sfax on the Mediterranean coast of southeastern Tunisia. Name The city was founded with the P ...

in its southern suburb of

Thyna Thyna, formerly Henchir-Tina, is a town and commune in the Sfax Governorate, Tunisia. As of 2004 it had a population of 26,635.city-state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...

. The city was conquered by

Roger II of Sicily Roger II ( it, Ruggero II; 22 December 1095 – 26 February 1154) was King of Sicily and Africa, son of Roger I of Sicily Roger I ( it, Ruggero I, Arabic: ''رُجار'', ''Rujār''; Maltese: ''Ruġġieru'', – 22 June 1101), nicknamed Rog ...

in 1148 and occupied until it was liberated in 1156 by the

Almohads The Almohad Caliphate (; ar, خِلَافَةُ ٱلْمُوَحِّدِينَ or or from ar, ٱلْمُوَحِّدُونَ, translit=al-Muwaḥḥidūn, lit=those who profess the unity of God) was a North African Berber Muslim empire fo ...

, and was briefly occupied by European forces again, this time by the Spanish, in the 16th century, before falling into Ottoman hands. Sfax became an integral base of the Barbary piracy, prompting an unsuccessful invasion by

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

in 1785.

Hafsid era

Abou Yahya Abou Bekr finally re-established

Hafsid The Hafsids ( ar, الحفصيون ) were a Sunni Muslim dynasty of Berber descentC. Magbaily Fyle, ''Introduction to the History of African Civilization: Precolonial Africa'', (University Press of America, 1999), 84. who ruled Ifriqiya (western ...

unity and recaptured

Kerkennah Kerkennah Islands ( aeb, قرقنة '; Ancient Greek: ''Κέρκιννα Cercinna''; Spanish:''Querquenes'') are a group of islands lying off the east coast of Tunisia in the Gulf of Gabès, at . The Islands are low-lying, being no more than abo ...

from the Christians in 1335. The peace returned to the country was only disturbed by rare episodes, the most lasting of which began with the price of Sfax by the dissident brothers, Ahmed and Abdelmalèk ben Makki. Towards 1370, following the arrival of Caliph Abdul-Abbbas, Sfax returned under the Hafside era. After more than three centuries which had seen the preponderance of the Hafsids be maintained, the conflict between the

Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic o ...

and the

Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance peoples, Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of National and regional identity in Spain, national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex Hist ...

would precipitate the fall of their dynasty. In 1534, the privateer Barberousse enters Tunis, proclaims the decline of the Hafsids and effortlessly reunites the towns of the coast and among them the town of Sfax.

Husseinid era

The founder of the new dynasty, Hussein, gave the country unquestionable economic prosperity. In Sfax, the mosque is enlarged, which regains its original extent; the new mihrâb is dated 1758, the work was completed in 1783. The ramparts were restored and two large reservoirs were built to supplement the Nasriah cisterns. In 1776, the southern suburb of the city, the Frankish quarter, was built, reserved for Jews and Christians, a major place of maritime trade, but which was also to serve as a buffer against sea attacks, which were still to be feared. The eventuality was not long in coming, the Venetians bombarding Sfax four times in the space of two years (1785–86). A large fort was built during the siege to flank Borj Ennar; it was demolished after the last war. Around 1830, the Frankish quarter was surrounded by a wall and in 1860 the city had a post office and telegraph. In 1876, the telegraph clerk made a plan of the city and told us about a signal tower built a century earlier and of which we have lost track.

French era

When the

Bey of Tunis Bey ( ota, بك, beğ, script=Arab, tr, bey, az, bəy, tk, beg, uz, бек, kz, би/бек, tt-Cyrl, бәк, translit=bäk, cjs, пий/пек, sq, beu/bej, sh, beg, fa, بیگ, beyg/, tg, бек, ar, بك, bak, gr, μπέης) is ...

signed the Bardo Treaty, in 1881, making

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

a protectorate, an insurrection broke out in Sfax. Six ironclads were dispatched from

Toulon Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...

('' Colbert'', ''Friedland'', ''Marengo'', ''Trident'', ''Revanche'', ''Surveillante'') to join the French Navy ships in Tunisian waters. In Sfax, three ironclads from the Division of the Levant were already present ( ''Alma'', ''Reine Blanche'', ''La Galissonnière''), 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.

World War II

During

World War II 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

Axis powers The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were ...

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. Colbert-Bougault.jpg, The French ironclad ''Colbert'' which bombarded Sfax (1881) Bab Diwan old 01.gif, Bab Diwan (1890) Colonel Bougrain, du 4e RST, et Léon Beaufils, contrôleur Civil, à Sfax, 1934.jpg, Colonel Bougrain and Léon Beaufils in Sfax (1934) The British Army in Tunisia 1943 NA1913.jpg, British Army in Tunisia (1943) Sfax. Les salines. On voit, sur les rails, des trains Decauville chargés d'acheminer le sel vers le port (CPA R. Marcelon n°9 - Coll. Ch. Attard).gif, Les Salines of Sfax (1910) German prisoners in Sfax POW camp 1946.jpg, German prisoners (1946) Bab Diwan old 03.jpg, Bab Diwan and Old view of Sfax (1954)

Geography

Climate

Sfax has a hot

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''BSh''). 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 (

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...

and

Benghazi Benghazi () , ; it, Bengasi; tr, Bingazi; ber, Bernîk, script=Latn; also: ''Bengasi'', ''Benghasi'', ''Banghāzī'', ''Binghāzī'', ''Bengazi''; grc, Βερενίκη (''Berenice'') and ''Hesperides''., group=note (''lit. Son of he Ghazi ...

). Summers, like all of North Africa, are hot and almost rainless, whilst winters are very pleasant with usually only light rain.

Topography

The topography of the governorate of Sfax tilts regularly from the west to the coast and local presents small hills and mountain ranges in the form of elongated draâs. Sfax 10

Relief

Sfax is characterized by a monotonous, low and slightly uneven relief. The altitude y rarely exceed 250 m, especially in the center-west of the governorate (Draâ Lahirech, 269 m; Djebel Chebka, 255 m). Most of the study site extends over wide plains not exceeding the 150 m above sea level, including a low coastal strip about 15 km wide and having an average altitude of 20 m.

Hydrography

The monotonous character, low and not very rugged of the topography largely determined the characteristics hydrographic in the governorate of Sfax. Indeed, the rivers are numerous, shallow and rarely reaches the sea. The hills and small mountain ranges of the center-west present a hydrographic hairline dense and relatively deep compared to the coastal strip. Like a few exoreic rivers (wadi Agareb, wadi Laâchech, wadi El Maleh), most of the Wadis are endorheic, leading to closed depressions of the sebkhas and garâas type. Depending on their morpho-structural conditions, these closed depressions take the form of basins synclinal (Menzel Chaker and Hancha regions) or the form of sebkhas and garâas (Noual, Bou Jmal, Mchiguigue, Karafita... etc.).

Neighborhoods

Whether in the city center or between the radial roads, there are large, popular neighborhoods in Sfax, most of which are: * Hay El Rabdh * Hay El Habib * Hay El Bahri * Hay Bourguiba * Hay El Badrani * Hay Ennasr * Hay El Maez * Hay Thyna

Politics and administration

Mayor and municipality

Sadok Guermazi.jpg, Sadok Ghermazi Abdelmajid chaker2.JPG, Abdelmajid Chaker Mohamed Chaker.jpg, Mohamed Chaker Sfax Municipality 2018

The current Mayor of the city is Mounir Elloumi (belonging to

Ennahdha The Ennahda Movement ( ar, حركة النهضة, Ḥarakatu n-Nahḍah; french: link=no, Mouvement Ennahdha), also known as the Renaissance Party or simply known as Ennahda, is a self-defined Islamic democratic political party in Tunisia. Foun ...

), elected is the occasion of

2018 Tunisian local elections Local elections were held in Tunisia on 6 May 2018 under the supervision of the Independent High Authority for Elections. These were Tunisia's first free and democratic local elections following the Tunisian Revolution and saw unaffiliated inde ...

Administrative division

The

Governorate of Sfax The Sfax Governorate ( ') is one of the governorates of Tunisia. The governorate has a population of 955,421 (2014) and an area of 7,545 km². Its capital is Sfax. It is along the east coast of Tunisia, and includes the Kerkennah Islands. Ad ...

has 16 municipalities :

Demographics

In 2019, the population of Sfax has reached 1 013 021 inhabitants. The urban population represents 63.7% of the population. 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 ...

represent 50.2% of the population structure with a population of 140,752. As to 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 ...

, they represent 49.1% with a population of 139,814.

Architecture and urbanism

Medina

The Medina represents one of the most important quarters of Sfax. it plays a touristic and historical role of the city. It was built by Aghlabid prince Abu Abbass Muhammad between 849 and 851. The medina is home to about 113,000 residents and is dominated by the Great Mosque of Sfax.

Walls and gates

Apart from Borj Ennar and three other towers that disappeared, the walls of the medina kept the same original architecture since 1306. These are 2,750 meters long and have 34 dungeons. Their height varies between seven and eleven meters. Originally, the medina had only two doors: Bab Jebli, also known as Bab Dhahraoui (northern door), and Bab Diwan or Bab Bahr (the sea door). Yet, in the 20th century and because of the economic development and the huge increase of the population, new doors had to be created to reduce the flow from these two main doors such as Bab El Ksar and Bab Jebli Jedid.

Kasbah

Like most of the other medinas of

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

, Sfax has its own kasbah. It is a desert fortress, located in the southwestern corner of the medina. It was used for different purposes throughout history, first, a control tower built by the

Aghlabids The Aghlabids ( ar, الأغالبة) were an Arab dynasty of emirs from the Najdi tribe of Banu Tamim, who ruled Ifriqiya and parts of Southern Italy, Sicily, and possibly Sardinia, nominally on behalf of the Abbasid Caliph, for about a cen ...

on the coast, then the seat of the municipal government, and then the main army barracks. Its construction was preceded by the deployment of the wall and the

medina quarter A medina (from ar, مدينة, translit=madīnah, lit=city) is a historical district in a number of North African cities, often corresponding to an old walled city. The term comes from the Arabic word simply meaning "city" or "town". Histori ...

. Today it is served as a museum of traditional architecture.

Mausoleums and mosques

Also here are the

Sidi Amar Kammoun Mausoleum Sidi Amar Kammoun mausoleum (Arabic: زاوية سيدي عمر كمون) is one of the most important mausoleums of the medina of Sfax. Location The mausoleum is on Borj Ennar street, very close to the walls of the medina. It is located in the ...

, Sidi Ali Ennouri Mausoleum, Sidi Belhassen Karray Mausoleum, El Ajouzine Mosque, Bouchouaicha Mosque, Driba Mosque and

Sidi Elyes Mosque The Sidi Elyes Mosque (Arabic: جامع سيدي إلياس) is one of the most important and oldest mosques of the ''medina of Sfax'', Tunisia. Localisation The mosque is located in the "Houmet Al Hisar" (literally the quarter of the embargo ...

City hall

The city hall of Sfax is in the center of the modern city and opens on Habib Bourguiba Street in parallel with the main entrance of the historic city. The Municipal Palace draws attention to the magnificence and beauty of its exterior architecture and its interior decorations and masterpieces. This unique landmark was designed by French architect Rafael Guy, who blended the Arab-Moriscan character with the European character The project of the construction of the Palace of the scourge began at the beginning of the twentieth century, where the municipality issued a tender for this purpose in the newspaper Adebash Svaxian on 30 June 1904 and began construction works in late 1905 and ended in 1906 In 1912, he began to expand gradually until around 1943 After 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 town hall was completed in 1955. Sfax,façades de l’immeuble.jpg Sfaxcentre.jpg Hotel de ville de Sfax.jpg Town hall of Sfax.jpg Place de Magdebourg - Demi-Finale de CAN 2019 14.jpg

Cityscape

Culture

The city of Sfax includes an archaeological museum, located in the municipal building and is open during the hours of municipal services, which includes a collection of ancient archaeological discoveries in the city and in the close sites, including the ancient city Thanae (Thyna); its collections include pieces dating from prehistoric, Roman and Islamic. Sfax also contains a museum of arts and traditions located in the medina called Dar Jallouli.

Education

Sfax concentrates the main educational institutions of the south of the Sahel: The

University of Sfax The University of Sfax (Arabic: جامعة صفاقس French: Université de Sfax) is a university located in Sfax, Tunisia. It was founded in 1986 under the name University of the South with the purpose of covering all academic institutions in S ...

includes: * ENIS (École Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax) issued a number of well-known scientists and industrialists. * ESCS (École Supérieure de Commerce de Sfax) issued a number of managers, Economy and Management researchers and young entrepreneurs. * FLSHS (Faculté des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines de Sfax) issued a number of renowned poets and prose writers. * Sfax Faculty of Medicine (Faculté de Médecine de Sfax). * ISAAS (Institut Supérieur d'Administration des Affaires de Sfax) * FSEGS (Faculté des Sciences Économiques et de Gestion de Sfax). * FSS (Faculty of Science Sfax) . * ISIMS (Institut Supérieur d'Informatique et de Multimédia de Sfax). * FDS (Faculté de Droit de Sfax) * ISAMS (Institut Supérieur des Arts et Métiers de Sfax) * IHEC (Institut des Hautes Etudes Commerciales de Sfax) The

North American Private University North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...

was founded in 2012 and brings together 3 institutes: * The International Institute of Technology (IIT). * The International School of Architecture (ISA, a department of IIT). * The International School of Business (ISB).

Theater

The city had a municipal theater between 1903 and 1942, a building built by the architect Raphaël Guy according to a neo-Moorish architecture22, in line with the seat of the municipality and the Ramdanetru palace and being bombarded with the campaign of Tunisia which nevertheless targets the commercial port much further south of the city and during which the Frankish quarter was completely razed.

Festival

The city of Sfax organizes the International Festival of Sfax, a summer event which welcomes artists from various countries.

Maison de France

The French Institute of Sfax, commonly Maison de France (French House), is a space of meeting, reflection, and creation open to all and also of expression. Whose goal is to support and supervise the activities of the civil city and its artists. It was opened the 16 June 2006. It has more than 40 000 visitors per year, and more than 50 cultural events. There is also a library that makes more than 20,000 documents available to the public.

Economy

Sfax is the second industrial city the most important in Tunisia. The most important industries are leather and wool are also characterized by the cultivation of olive, almond, and fishing. It is also known for the people of Sfax mastering many traditional crafts and industries such as construction, handicrafts, carpentry, blacksmithing, and the production of the modern and traditional gold and silver.

Sectors

Agriculture, especially olive cultivation, despite all these changes occupies an important place in the regional economy. Agricultural land occupies almost the entire area of the region (90%). The city produces on average 40% of the olive oil and 30% of the almonds of Tunisia, which makes it the first national producer. Another component of the Sfaxian economy is the exploitation of petroleum: the Miskar natural gas field covers a total area of 352 km2 and has a capacity of 22.7 billion m³. On there exploit 1.18 million tons per year.

Statistics

The working population is divided between three sectors: agriculture and fishing (25.3%), services (25.6%), and manufacturing industries (24.4%). Statistics of the sfaxian economy by sectors and field :

Agriculture

* Cultivable land (S.A.U): 639,000 ''ha'' * Irrigated Areas: 12,300 ''ha'' * Forests and pastures: 118,000 ''ha''

Fishing

* Coastal fishing: 6,500 ''

Tonnes The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the short ton ( United States ...

'' * Trawl fishing: 13,000 ''tonnes'' * Tuna fishing: 2,700 ''tonnes'' * Fire fishing: 1,140 ''tonnes'' * Sponge and mussel peach: 417 ''tonnes''

Energy

* Oil: 1,2 millions m3 * Gas: 1,7 milliards m3

Transport

Motorways

The

A1 motorway A1, A-1, A01 or A.1. may refer to: Education * A1, the Basic Language Certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages * Language A1, the former name for "Language A: literature", one of the IB Group 1 subjects * A1, a ...

connects Sfax with

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

and also with

Gabès Gabès (, ; ar, قابس, ), also spelled Cabès, Cabes, Kabes, Gabbs and Gaps, is the capital city of the Gabès Governorate in Tunisia. It is located on the coast of the Gulf of Gabès. With a population of 152,921, Gabès is the 6th largest ...

that was inaugurated in

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...

. * Motorways : ** A1 : (

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

, Bouhajla,

M'saken M'saken ( ''Msākan''; also spelled ''Masakin'', ''Msaken'') is a town in north-eastern Tunisia, close to Sousse. Etymology The origin of the word comes from "Msaken" masken (plural masken) meaning "habitat", "house" or "dwelling". This refer ...

) * Projects : ** National roads : (

Sidi Bouzid Sidi Bouzid ( ar, سيدي بوزيد '), sometimes called ''Sidi Bou Zid'' or ''Sīdī Bū Zayd'', is a city in Tunisia and is the capital of Sidi Bouzid Governorate in the centre of the country. Following the suicide of Mohamed Bouazizi in ...

Tataouine Tataouine ( ber, Tiṭṭawin; ar, تطاوين) is a city in southern Tunisia. It is the capital of the Tataouine Governorate. The below-ground "cave dwellings" of the native Berber population, designed for coolness and protection, render the ...

)

Railways

A narrow-gauge railway system of SNCFT offers passenger services to Tunis and delivers phosphates and iron ore for export.

Airports

Sfax is served by

Sfax–Thyna International Airport Sfax–Thyna International Airport (french: link=no, Aéroport International de Sfax–Thyna, ar, مطار صفاقس الدولي) is an airport serving Sfax in Tunisia. The airport is located 6 kilometers (4 miles) southwest from Sfax. Histo ...

and

Syphax Airlines Syphax Airlines was a scheduled airline with its head office and main base at Sfax–Thyna International Airport in Sfax, Tunisia. It served destinations in the Mediterranean. History The airline was incorporated as a limited company in 2011 by ...

has regularly scheduled flights to

Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (french: Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, ), also known as Roissy Airport or simply Paris CDG, is the principal airport serving the French capital, Paris ( and its metropolitan area), and the largest intern ...

, Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport,

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport Sabiha is an Arabic word () meaning "Morning" and a female given name. In Urdu it (خوبصورت، گوری چٹی) refers to beautiful, and blonde hair. People with the name include: People Given name *Sabiha Sultan ota, رقیه صبیحه س� ...

Tripoli International Airport Tripoli International Airport () is a closed international airport built to serve Tripoli, the capital city of Libya. The airport is located in the area of Qasr bin Ghashir, from central Tripoli. It used to be the hub for Libyan Airlines, Af ...

, and charter flights to

Jeddah Airport King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) ( ar, مطار الملك عبدالعزيز الدولي) is an international airport serving Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, also known as "Jeddah International Airport"( ar, مطار جدة الدولي). T ...

for the

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...

Media

Founded in 1961,

Radio Sfax Radio Sfax is an Arabic language radio station in Sfax, Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capit ...

broadcasts twenty hours a day on MW 720 kHz/105.21 MHz. There is also: * Al Qalam TV * Diwan FM * ''Chams El-Janoub'', hebdomadaire arabophone * ''La Gazette du Sud'', mensuel francophone

Sport

Sfax has three sports clubs, for football, volleyball and basketball:

CS Sfaxien Club Sportif Sfaxien ( ar, النادي الرياضي الصفاقسي) is a Tunisian professional association football club founded in 1928. History The club was founded in 1928 as ''Club Tunisien'', playing in green and red stripes. The team ...

, Sfax Railway Sport, Stade Sportif Sfaxien:

Notable people

* Ahmed Abbes, mathematician * Ali Abdi, professional footballer *

Max Azria Max Azria (January 1, 1949 – May 6, 2019) was a Tunisian-Jewish-born American fashion designer who founded the contemporary women's clothing brand BCBG MAX AZRIA. Azria was also the designer, chairman and CEO of the BCBG Max Azria Group,Musta ...

, fashion designer *

Mamdouh Bahri Mamdouh Bahri (born 31 July 1957 at Sfax, Tunisia)allaboutjazz.com, Mamdouh Bahri'', 16 March 2007, retrieved 19 December 2008 is a jazz guitarist who has combined Afro-Mediterranean music with a jazz tradition. Biography Bahri grew up in Tunisi ...

, artist, composer, jazz guitarist, and teacher * Hédi Bouraoui, poet and writer *

Nouri Bouzid Nouri Bouzid (born 1945) is a Tunisian film director and screenwriter. He has directed seven films between 1986 and 2006. His film ''Man of Ashes'' was screened in the Un Certain Regard section the 1986 Cannes Film Festival. Three years later, ...

, film director *

Hamdi Braa Hamdi Braa (born 7 September 1986) is a Tunisian basketball player for Stade Nabeulien in the Championnat National A. Braa has played professionally since 2004. He helped the club to the 2007 Tunisian Championship. Braa is a member of the Tunisia ...

, basketball player *

Mohamed Charfi Mohamed Charfi (11 October 1936 – 6 June 2008) was a Tunisia, Tunisian academic and politician who served as Ministry of Education (Tunisia), Minister of Education of Tunisia from 1989 to 1994. Early life Charfi was born in Sfax, Tunisia, on ...

, academic, politician, jurist, and scholar *

Eoin Colfer Eoin Colfer (; born 14 May 1965) is an Irish author of children's books. He worked as a primary school teacher before he became a full-time writer. He is best known for being the author of the Artemis Fowl (series), ''Artemis Fowl'' series. I ...

, Irish author; worked in Sfax in the 1990s and set several of his books there * Aymen Dahmen, professional footballer *

Moncef Dhouib Moncef Dhouib ( ar, المنصف ذويب ) (born 1952 in Sfax) is a Tunisian film director, actor, screenwriter and producer and puppeteer. He is a recipient of the FESPACO The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (Festiv ...

, director and screenwriter * Luciano Di Napoli (Sfax born), Italian pianist and conductor *

Tom Dixon Tom or Tommy Dixon may refer to: *Tom Dixon (American football) (born 1961), American football player * Tom Dixon (catcher) (1906–1982), Negro league baseball catcher * Tom Dixon (pitcher) (born 1955), Major League Baseball pitcher * Tom Dixon (C ...

, industrial designer *

Serge Dumont Serge Dumont is a global entrepreneur, business executive, and philanthropist. He is one of the pioneers in China’s corporate and marketing communications industry. From 2006 to 2018, he served as Omnicom Group Vice Chairman and Chairman, Asia ...

, business executive * Mohamed Fourati, surgeon * Mohamed Gouaida, footballer *

Farhat Hached Farhat Hached (; 2 February 1914 – 5 December 1952) was a Tunisian labor unionist and independence activist assassinated by the '' Main Rouge'', a French terrorist organization operated by French foreign intelligence. He was one of the leader ...

, trade union leader assassinated by the French government * Mohamed Jamoussi, artist, poet, composer, and famous singer *

Claude Kayat Claude Kayat (born 24 July 1939, Sfax, Tunisia) is a Franco-Swedish writer, dramatist and painter. Since 1958, he lives in Stockholm, Sweden, where he completed his studies; He got married, had children, and worked as a teacher of French and English ...

, Franco-Swedish writer and dramatist *

Mounir Laroussi Mounir Laroussi (born August 9, 1955) is a Tunisian-American scientist. He is known for his work in plasma science, especially low temperature plasmas and their biomedical applications. Biography Early life Mounir Laroussi was born and rais ...

, scientist, inventor *

Christian Lauba Christian Lauba (born 26 July 1952) is a Tunisian born French composer and teacher, especially noted for his compositions for saxophone.Umble, James; Gingras, Michèle; Corbé, Hervé; Street, William Henry; Londeix, Jean-Mari''Jean-Marie Londeix ...

, composer *

Ali Maâloul Ali Maâloul ( ar, عَلِيّ مَعْلُول; born 1 January 1990) is a Tunisian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Al Ahly and the Tunisia national team. Club career Maâloul started his career with hometown club CS Sfax ...

, professional footballer * Abdessalem Mseddi, former Minister of Higher Education, linguist, and writer *

Georges Perec Georges Perec (; 7 March 1936 – 3 March 1982) was a French novelist, filmmaker, documentalist, and essayist. He was a member of the Oulipo group. His father died as a soldier early in the Second World War and his mother was killed in the Holoc ...

, writer *

Hatem Trabelsi Hatem Trabelsi ( ar, حاتم الطرابلسي, Ḥātem Ṭrabelsī; born 25 January 1977) is a Tunisian former professional footballer who played as a right-back for CS Sfaxien, Ajax, Manchester City and Al-Hilal Riyadh. At international lev ...

, former football player *

Saber Rebaï Saber Rebai ( ar, صابر الرباعي, ''Saber al Ruba'i''; born 13 March 1967) is a Tunisian pan-Arab singer, actor, and composer of Yemeni Origin. He is known for his song " Sidi Mansour". Some albums carry the variant transliteration Sab ...

, Tunisian pan-Arab singer and composer *

Majida Boulila Majida Boulila (12 November 1931 – 4 September 1952) was a Tunisian militant. Boulila, born Majida Baklouti, was a figure in the Tunisian national movement and a symbol of the liberation of Tunisian women. Boulila was arrested by French colo ...

, Militant *

Mounir Lazzez Mounir Lazzez (born November 16, 1987) is a Tunisian mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional fighter since 2012, he is the first fighter that was born and raised in an A ...

, UFC Fighter

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Sfax is twinned with: *

Grenoble lat, Gratianopolis , commune status = Prefecture and commune , image = Panorama grenoble.png , image size = , caption = From upper left: Panorama of the city, Grenoble’s cable cars, place Saint- ...

, France *

Makhachkala Makhachkala ( rus, Махачкала, , məxətɕkɐˈla, links=yes),; av, Махӏачхъала, Maħaçqala; ce, ХӀинжа-ГӀала, Hinƶa-Ġala; az, Маһачгала, Mahaçqala; nog, Махачкала; lbe, Махачкъала; ...

, Russia *

Marburg Marburg ( or ) is a university town in the German federal state (''Bundesland'') of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district (''Landkreis''). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has a population of approximate ...

, Germany *

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...

, Senegal *

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 ...

, Algeria * Safi, Morocco

Gallery

Avenue Habib Bourguiba Sfax 02.jpg Immeuble Frikha.JPG Vue du rue haffouz et jardin dakar sfax.jpg Hôtel de ville Sfax.JPG Place de l'église Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul de Sfax 03.jpg Bab diwan by night 3.jpg

References

Notes

External links

*
Sfaxonline.com

Histoiredesfax.com

CSS.org.tn
{{Authority control Populated places in Sfax Governorate Communes of Tunisia Cities in Tunisia Mediterranean port cities and towns in Tunisia Populated places established in the 9th century

History

Carthaginian and Aghlabid eras

Hafsid era

Husseinid era

French era

World War II

Geography

Climate

Topography

Relief

Hydrography

Neighborhoods

Politics and administration

Mayor and municipality

Administrative division

Demographics

Architecture and urbanism

Medina

Walls and gates

Kasbah

Mausoleums and mosques

City hall

Cityscape

Culture

Education

Theater

Festival

Maison de France

Economy

Sectors

Statistics

Agriculture

Fishing

Energy

Transport

Motorways

Railways

Airports

Media

Sport

Notable people

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Gallery

See also

References

Notes

External links