Thala, Tunisia
| Thala Tāla تالة | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Thala Location in Tunisia | |
| Coordinates: 35°34′N 8°40′E / 35.567°N 8.667°ECoordinates: 35°34′N 8°40′E / 35.567°N 8.667°E | |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Governorate | Kasserine |
| Elevation | 1,017 m (3,337 ft) |
| Population (2004)[1] | |
| • Total | 13,968 |
Thala (Arabic: تالة Tāla) is a town and commune in Tunisia. It is located in the Kasserine Governorate since 1956. As of the 2004 census it had 13,968 inhabitants.[1] The altitude of Thala is 1,017 metres (3,337 ft), which makes it the highest and the coldest town in the country.
History
Thala was the scene of fierce fighting during World War II, in the late stages of the Battle of the Kasserine Pass. The 10th Panzer Division sought to exploit its early success against US forces. In a series of defensive actions on 21 February 1943, the British 26th Armoured Brigade, part of Nickforce, blocked an advance by the German division's Kampfgruppe which, despite coming under the personal command of Erwin Rommel, were finally unable to make headway through fire from British tanks and artillery.[2]
Geography
Climate
The climate in Thala is semi-arid (BSh/BSk, according to the Köppen climate classification), with Mediterranean influences. Summers are moderately hot (by Saharan standards) and dry, and winters are chilly and wetter. Snowfalls can occur sometimes.
| Climate data for Thala, Tunisia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 9.4 (48.9) |
10.7 (51.3) |
15.2 (59.4) |
18.0 (64.4) |
23.4 (74.1) |
28.7 (83.7) |
32.6 (90.7) |
31.6 (88.9) |
25.9 (78.6) |
22.4 (72.3) |
14.7 (58.5) |
10.0 (50) |
20.22 (68.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 2.7 (36.9) |
3.1 (37.6) |
5.7 (42.3) |
7.6 (45.7) |
11.7 (53.1) |
16.0 (60.8) |
19.0 (66.2) |
18.7 (65.7) |
15.1 (59.2) |
13.0 (55.4) |
7.2 (45) |
3.9 (39) |
10.31 (50.58) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 25.6 (1.008) |
24.0 (0.945) |
30.4 (1.197) |
43.4 (1.709) |
35.8 (1.409) |
20.2 (0.795) |
10.7 (0.421) |
16.5 (0.65) |
49.2 (1.937) |
28.3 (1.114) |
30.4 (1.197) |
57.4 (2.26) |
371.9 (14.642) |
| Source: Weather Online.[3] | |||||||||||||
References
- 1 2 Recensement de 2004 (Institut national de la statistique) (French)
- ↑ United States Army in World War II - Mediterranean Theater of Operations - Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative In the West, by George F. Howe, Department of the Army 1957 (pp. 464-466)
- ↑ Tunisia climate - Travel planner Thala
