Tunis

one of the Barbary states. It lies on the Mediterranean, northeast of Algeria. It belongs nominally to Turkey, but is under French "protection." The government is administered by French officers. Southern Tunis lies below sea level and contains tracts of salt marsh. Northern Tunis is mountainous, with many fertile valleys. The upper reaches are covered with oak. The valleys shelter 200,000 cattle, 20,000 horses, 150,000 camels, 700,000 sheep, and 500,000 goats. Agriculture is the leading occupation. The chief exports are esparto grass, hides, tallow, ores, dates, olives, sponges, dyes, almonds, oranges, and cork, in all, about $20,000,000 a year. The natives are skillful in weaving woolens and carpets, in embroidering leather, and in making saddles and slippers. The fisheries, including sardines, anchovies, tunny, and other fish, are worth $500,000 a year. Area, 51,000 square miles. Population, 1,900,000, largely Arabs and including 60,000 Jews. The ordinary expenditure for public purposes is $12,000,000 a year. Tunis, the capital, has a population of 170,000, inclusive of 40,000 Europeans. See Algeria