Kerkennah Islands

Kerkennah Islands (Tunisian Arabic: قرقنة‎  qarqna) are a group of islands lying off the east coast of Tunisia in the Gulf of Gabès, at 34°42′N 11°11′E / 34.700°N 11.183°E / 34.700; 11.183. The Islands are low-lying being no more than 13 metres (43 feet) above sea level. The main islands are Chergui and Gharbi. The archipelago has an area of 160 square kilometres (62 sq mi) and a population of 15,501 (2014).

Kerkennah's main town, Remla (on Chergui) has a population of 2,000. The population of the islands significantly decreased during the 1980s due to drought. The islands were unable to provide suitable irrigation systems and, with clean water rapidly running out, many islanders were forced to leave for mainland Tunisia, the nearest town being Sfax.

History

Kerkennah has a lengthy, but simple history. The natives of Tunisia and Kerkennah originally settled there, but during the spread of the Roman Empire, Kerkennah was used as a port and look-out point by the Romans, to keep note of off-shore activity. In 2 B.C, Augustus exiled Sempronius Gracchus, a lover of Julia the Elder, to the islands for 14 years for his shameful indiscretions with his then married daughter.