Tunisia is a small country on the northern tip of Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. The country has sandy beaches along its coast, green farmland in the north, and the vast Sahara Desert in the south. For 75 years, France controlled Tunisia as a colony. French officials made the laws, controlled the economy, and decided how the country would be run. Many Tunisians wanted to govern themselves. On March 20, 1956, Tunisia gained its independence. The country is about the size of the state of Georgia. Despite being small, it has a rich history. The ancient city of Carthage, one of the most powerful cities in the ancient world, was located in what is now Tunisia. Carthage once rivaled Rome itself. Today, ruins of Carthage are a major tourist attraction. Tunisia sits at a crossroads between Europe and Africa. The narrow Strait of Sicily separates it from the Italian island of Sicily by only about 90 miles. This location has made Tunisia an important trading point for thousands of years.