Douz

Douz (Arabic دوز, Duz DMG ) is an oasis city in southern Tunisia with about 30,000 inhabitants. It is located 30 kilometers south of Kebili in Nefzaoua oasis area south of the Salt Lake Chott el Jerid. Due to its location at the edge of the Grand Erg Oriental, the city is known as the " gateway to the Sahara ."

Douz with environment is the center of the part still semi-nomadic tribe Mrazig which are descended from the Beni Hilal. Since the government has initiated programs to becoming settled, the number of nomads from year to year reduced.

In earlier times Douz was an important stop on the trans-Saharan caravan routes. The elimination of the caravan trade was offset by the expansion of tourism. For tourists, there are guided camel treks today. Each year 320,000 overnight stays are counted in the region of Douz. However, the desert tourism is ecologically unacceptable because of the increased water consumption and dehydration of the oases.

In the modern center of the largest weekly market on Thursdays Douz southern Tunisia takes place, together with the sedentary and nomadic buyers and sellers from the area, some from Algeria. Previously attracted even Tuareg from southern Algeria with their caravans to the market in Douz.