Religion

The Tunisian Arabs are nearly 100% Muslim. Within Islam there are several different sects or denominations. Most in Tunisia are Sunni Muslims, the mainline orthodox denomination of Islam. There are also significant numbers of Sufis and other local sects. While orthodox Islam is the professed faith of Tunisian Arabs, folk Islam is more influential. Folk Islam is a mix of pre-Islamic idolatry, superstition, fortune telling and astrology that is at the heart of rural Tunisians' spiritual worlds. Amulets protection from evil spirits are worn by many, even in the cities and at the universities. In an informal survey of university students, nearly 80% admitted having experimented with the occult. [What is Islam?][ Facts and Figures]