Who Is Mohamed Bouazizi? Age, Biography and Wiki
Mohamed Bouazizi was born on March 29, 1984, making him 41 years old as of 2025. He became a symbol of resistance and the fight for freedom in Tunisia after his tragic self-immolation on December 17, 2010. This act exemplified the deep-seated socio-economic issues in Tunisia and inspired the Arab Spring movements across the region. While Bouazizi's life was cut short, his influence remains significant in discussions about human rights and protest movements.
| Occupation | Activists |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | March 29, 1984 |
| Age | 26 Years |
| Birth Place | Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia |
| Horoscope | Aries |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Date of death | 4 January, 2011 |
| Died Place | Ben Arous, Tunisia |
Popularity
Mohamed Bouazizi's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Details about Mohamed Bouazizi's height and weight are scarce, as he was predominantly known for his activism rather than his physical attributes. However, he is often described as an average-built individual who worked tirelessly as a street vendor, spending long hours on the streets to support his family.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
While there is limited information regarding Bouazizi’s personal relationships, it is known that he was from a close-knit family. He supported his mother and siblings as part of his daily struggle to make ends meet. Due to the nature of his activism and the tragic circumstances surrounding his death, there is no public information available regarding a romantic partner or spouse.
His father left a three-hectare plot of land whose produce hardly provided for the family. His uncle tried to build a farm that used irrigation water by taking a loan from a bank to finance the project. With Mohamed working on the farm, his uncle fell in debt, and subsequently, the bank took hold of the land. It was during that time that Bouazizi became a street vendor.
Net Worth and Salary
Given that Bouazizi was a street vendor, his net worth was modest, primarily characterized by the meager earnings from his daily sales. His tragic act of self-immolation undoubtedly elevated his status posthumously, but prior to it, he lived a life entrenched in financial struggles. As a revered figure in history, the concept of ‘net worth’ for Bouazizi in the traditional sense does not apply.
According to friends and family, local police officers had been targeting and mistreating Bouazizi since his childhood, regularly confiscating his produce cart; Bouazizi, having no other way to make a living, continued working as a street vendor.
Ostensibly, he was targeted because he lacked a vendor's permit, but whether he even required one was initially unclear: Rania Abouzeid of Time claimed that street vending was outright illegal in Tunisia, while The Guardian reporter Peter Beaumont claimed that Bouazizi had attempted to secure a permit but was refused.
Following his death, it was confirmed by then-head of the Sidi Bouzid State Office for Employment and Independent Work Hamdi Lazhar that no permit is required to sell from a cart.
As a result, police were accused by two of Bouazizi's sisters of attempting to extort him, leaving him ultimately unable to pay the bribes necessary to allow his street vending to continue. In an interview with Reuters, one of the sisters stated: "What kind of repression do you imagine it takes for a young man to do this?
A man who has to feed his family by buying goods on credit when they fine him ... and take his goods. In Sidi Bouzid, those with no connections and no money for bribes are humiliated and insulted and not allowed to live."
Career, Business and Investments
Before the events that thrust him into the spotlight, Mohamed Bouazizi worked as a street vendor in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia. He sold fruits and vegetables to support his family. His career as a vendor highlighted the struggles faced by many in Tunisia and throughout the Arab world, where unemployment and economic difficulty plague the youth. Bouazizi's courageous act ignited discussions on justice and reform that are ongoing today.
According to Bouazizi's sister and uncle, people immediately panicked when he caught fire, and one of them tried to douse him with water. Bouazizi had suffered burns on over 90% of his body before locals managed to stop the flames. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was placed in an intensive care unit.
He was subsequently transferred to a second, larger hospital in Sfax, more than 110 km away, and then to the Ben Arous Burn and Trauma Centre in the capital, 270 km away.
Social Network
Following his death, Mohamed Bouazizi has been commemorated across various social platforms, where activists and supporters honor his memory and the cause he represented. Several social media campaigns and pages dedicated to Bouazizi's legacy continue to promote discussions surrounding human rights and social justice movements inspired by his sacrifice.
In 2011, Bouazizi was posthumously awarded the Sakharov Prize jointly along with four others for his and their contributions to "historic changes in the Arab world". The Tunisian government honored him with a postage stamp.
The Times of the United Kingdom named Bouazizi as "Person of 2011", The Jerusalem Post's Amotz Asa-El named him "Person of the Jewish Year 5771" and "The Protester" was named Time 2011 Person of the Year.
Education
Details regarding Bouazizi's education are limited. He is believed to have had a basic education, which was not uncommon for many youths in Tunisia facing economic hardships. His focus was primarily on supporting his family through his work rather than pursuing further academic achievements.
Along with his six siblings, Bouazizi was educated in a one-room country school in Sidi Salah, a small village 19 km from Sidi Bouzid.
Although several media outlets reported that Bouazizi had a university degree, his sister, Samia Bouazizi, stated that he had never graduated from high school, but that it was something he had wanted for both himself and his sisters.
With his uncle in poor health and unable to work regularly, Bouazizi had worked various jobs since he was ten, and in his late teens he quit school in order to work full-time.
