born Aug. 3, 1903, Al-Munastīr, Tun.
died April 6, 2000, Al-Munastīr
President of Tunisia (1957–87).
He studied at the Sorbonne, where he met independence-minded Algerians and Moroccans. He founded a nationalist newspaper in 1932. In 1934 he founded the Neo-Destour Party and became central to the Tunisian liberation movement. His efforts led the French to imprison him for three years, but he negotiated Tunisia's independence from that country in 1956. The Tunisian monarchy was abolished in 1957, and Bourguiba became president. During his 30 years in office he kept the army small and devoted much of the budget to improving education and health. Made president for life in 1975, he was removed from in 1987 because of ill health. He was succeeded by Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali .