Site of Carthage, Tunisia : This astronaut photograph was acquired June 8th 2006, with a Kodak 760C digital camera using an 800 mm lens, from the The International Space Station. The city-state of Carthage in North Africa was founded by Phoenician settlers in 814 BC, and  completely destroyed by the Roman Republic during the Third Punic War (149-146 BC). The favorable location of the ancient city of Carthage is clear in this astronaut photograph. Bays along the coastline provide ready access to the Gulf of Tunis, which leads to the Mediterranean Sea. Docks along the coastline (lower right) support the shipping industry. Modern Carthage is a wealthy suburb of the Tunis metropolitan area (the center of which is located to the southwest of the image). Dense concentrations of white rooftops are obvious in the residential subdivisions to the north and south of the ancient city location. Large tracts of new developments appear to be in progress along the curving, light-colored roadways to the west of the historical city (lower image center). The green, shallow waters of an evaporating salty lake are visible at image left.