Ras Jebel

Ras Jebel
(رأس الجبل)
Tinisa
Commune and town
Ras-El-Djebel
Nickname(s): Râs-El-Djebel
Country  Tunisia
Governorate Bizerte Governorate
Population (2014)
 • Total 48,352
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
RasJebelPlain.

Ras Jebel is a town and commune in the Bizerte Governorate, Tunisia.

Ras Jebel also known as Rass El Djebell or Ras-El-Djebel is a town and archaeological site on the Mediterranean Coast of Tunisia.[1] It is located at 37°12'56.6n and 10°7'31.1e on Cap Sidi.[2]

During the Roman Empire the town, founded in the 3rd or 4th century, was a civitas of the Roman Province of Africa and was the seat of an ancient Christian Bishopric, which survives today as a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church. There is a set of ruins of the Roman era town of El Rhettas, 7km to the west. Ras El Djebel is set on a hill overlooking the sea and is at an altitude of 53m[3]

Towards the second half of the 14th century, the Andalusians expelled from Spain would have settled on the site after having benefited from agricultural concessions. The inhabitants of the town carry Ghwalbia's gentile in reference to the Arab tribe of Banou Ghalib from the Spanish region of Zaragoza, whence the majority of the first wave of Andalusians settled in Ras Jebel originated. A road linking the port of Carthage to the region of Ras Jebel is called "Qalat El Andalus" (citadel of the Andalusians).

In 1956 the population of the village was 10 and in 1975 was 15.[4] As of 2004 the commune had a population of 25,553.[5]

It was founded by the Romans between the third and fourth centuries. The town appears on the Peutinger Map from this time.

Economy

Historically, the region around Ras Jebel has been predominantly peasant agriculture. Irrigation from the Medjerda has led to benefits in yields. Ras Jebel is one of the villages with Andalusian traditions where intensive farming dates back to the distant past. Agriculture has become progressively market-oriented and uses increasingly intensive techniques (market gardening and fruit-growing irrigation as well as intensive livestock farming).

75% of Ras Jebel farms have an area of less than five hectares.[6]

Over the last decades, a textile industry has been established in the outskirts of the city. The first plants to be established are those of Lee Cooper. This industry employs a large number of young workers from Ras Jebel and neighboring villages.

See also

References

Coordinates: 37°12′54″N 10°07′12″E / 37.215°N 10.12°E / 37.215; 10.12

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