Sfax

Sfax (Arabic صفاقس, Safāqus DMG ) is a port and industrial city in Tunisia and capital of the province of the same name. It lies on the Mediterranean Sea, about 270 km south of Tunis and today, with approximately 270,000 inhabitants, the second largest city in the country. She is primarily known as a business center.

  • 3.1 Museums
  • 3.2 Sport

History

The ancient Taparura was built by the Romans about 3 km from the modern city of Sfax, there remained but received very few remains. When the Aghlabids built the Muslim city in the 9th century, Taparura served as a quarry. The Thaenae levied under Hadrian to Colonia was located 12 km to the south.

The city gained economic importance as a major exporter of olive oil and dried fish very quickly. From 1148 on she was by the Norman king of Sicily, Roger II, busy, which was sold in 1159 by the Almohad Abd al - Mu'min.

With the establishment of the French protectorate in 1881 Sfax suffered severe damage during the conquest of French troops, whose crew refused the city. During World War II, were also encountered damage than 1942/1943 as part of the Battle of Tunisia came here to battles between the Axis against the Allies.

Economy and infrastructure

Economy

The economy in the region of Sfax, originally based on the production of olive oil and fishing. Since the extraction of phosphate in the sixties Sfax experienced a clear upswing. Increase in the number -processing businesses, the rapid growth of the service sector and the diversification of agriculture.

  • Agriculture: The region of Sfax is known for olive and almond trees. The region has about 6.1 million olive trees and 5 million almond trees. 40 % of the Tunisian olive oil and 30 % of the almonds are produced in Sfax. Less common are growing vegetables and fruit growing. Animal husbandry is an important economic sector in the region. Approximately 50 % of poultry production in Tunisia comes from Sfax. Sfax is also the first milk producer in Tunisia. In the fishing industry Sfax secures with an annual output of 25,000 tons of 25 % of national production and 70 % of exports.
  • Industry: In 2300 commercial buildings and 16 industrial estates Sfax is after the Greater Tunis, the second industrial center in Tunisia. Most trades are in the sectors of food production, construction industry, chemical industry (mainly phosphate), textiles, engineering and energy working. Especially in the latter area produces Sfax annually around 1.2 million tons of oil and 1.7 billion cubic meters of gas.
  • Services: Around 100,000 people are employed in this sector. In particular, the trade sector plays an important role. Sfax has become a commercial center due to the quality of its dealers and the increasing trade flows with Libya.

Traffic

  • Automobiles: In Sfax great roads all lead to the seaside town center. Several rings around the city will help to relieve the traffic. Thus, the city has the structure of a spider web. At the national level Sfax is connected to the other regions of the country through the country roads GP1, GP13, GP14 and other roads. Sfax is located on the road network of the Trans - African highways, the highway is still expanded in Tunisia.
  • Public transport: Several bus lines serve the passenger between the city center and the suburbs, and between the suburbs. Taxi is also an important means of transport.
  • Rail transport: The SNCFT Station of Sfax is on the railway tracks Tunis - Sfax, Tunis - Gabes and Gafsa Tozeur Tunis, Tunis - Sfax for the major axis.
  • Aviation: 7 km from the city center, the International Airport Sfax Thyna. The airport is also used for domestic flights as well as flights to Libya, France and the Hajj season to Saudi Arabia.
  • Transport: The port of Sfax is to La Goulette is the second largest in the country. It extends across the whole coast to the city center. Some 1,300 ships arrive there annually. Mainly the port for the transport of industrial and commercial goods is used. Nevertheless, a part of the port for the ferry traffic between Sfax and 20 km away Kerkenna Islands is set up.

Culture and Sport

A part of the novel Les Choses ( Things ) by Georges Perec plays in Sfax in the 60s. Thither flee the two protagonists of the novel, Sylvie and Jérôme.

Museums

  • The Archaeological Museum has a collection of mosaics, pottery and coins from the Roman period that have been found in the archaeological sites of the region.
  • "Dar Jellouli ": museum of traditional art, housed in a built-up in the Medina of Sfax in the 17th century luxury hotel. Besides the traditional dresses and wooden works of art and common household tools are issued to illustrate the lifestyle of the residents of Sfax for centuries.
  • " La Kasbah ": museum of traditional architecture.

Sports

In Sfax 40 sports clubs are registered, where about 7,200 athletes are active. Most common are the sports of football, volleyball, basketball, handball, tennis, athletics, weightlifting, swimming, judo and boxing. The most popular sports clubs in the city are:

  • Club Sportif Sfaxien
  • Sfax Railway Sports
  • Stade Sportif Sfaxien

Last Sfax was also the venue for the African Cup of Nations 2004 and the Men's Handball World Championship for Men 2005.

Twinning

  • France Grenoble (France), since 1998
  • Germany Marburg ( Germany ), since 1971
  • Senegal Dakar ( Senegal)
  • Morocco Casablanca ( Morocco)
  • Algeria Oran ( Algeria)
  • Russia Makhachkala (Russia)

Air table

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