Tunisia is located in the center of North Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya. Arab Muslims from the Middle East gained control of most of North Africa in the seventh century, influencing the religion and overall culture of the region. Tunisia became part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in the late 1500s, and was a French protectorate from 1881 until independence in 1956. The country's first president Bourguiba established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, insisting on an anti-Islamic fundamentalist line while increasing his own powers to become a virtual dictator. He also established rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In November 1987, President Bourguiba was removed from office and replaced by Ben Ali in a bloodless coup. Winning a fifth term in office in multi-party elections in 2009, President Ben Ali has been in power since 1987. Tunisia has been relatively stable and prosperous under the leadership of President Ben Ali, but progress toward full democracy has been slow. The citizens of Tunisia do not enjoy political freedom, with government imposing restrictions on freedom of association and speech.