Sabha, Libya

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      Sabha
      سبها
      Sabha, Libya is located in Libya
      Sabha
      Location in Libya
      Coordinates: 27°02′20″N 14°25′35″E / 27.03889°N 14.42639°E / 27.03889; 14.42639
      Country  Libya
      Region Fezzan
      District Sabha
      Elevation[1] 1,380 ft (420 m)
      Population (2011)[2]
       • Total 96,872
      Time zone UTC+2

      Sabha or Sebha /ˈsɛb.hɑː/ (Arabic: سبها‎ Sabhā) is a city in southwestern Libya with a population of about 130,000. It was historically the capital of the Fezzan region and the Military Territory of Fezzan-Ghadames and is now capital of the Sabha District.[3]

      Sabha is about 640 kilometres (400 mi) south of Tripoli.[4]

      Overview

      With a relatively large population, and growing fast, Sabha's importance is due to its being the air and road transport hub of the Fezzan, a military base, and the centre of a remarkable agricultural industry in the desert.

      Sabha is famous for the Fort Elena castle,[5] which is the castle featured on the reverse of the ten dinars banknote of Libya. Fort Elena was previously known as Fortezza Margherita, built during the Italian colonial period. Currently the Italian-built fort is a military institution.

      Sabha is known as the place where Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi announced "the dawn of the era of the masses".[6]

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      Climate

      Climate data for Sabha
      Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
      Average high °C (°F) 18
      (64)      		 22
      (72)      		 26
      (79)      		 32
      (89)      		 36
      (97)      		 40
      (104)      		 39
      (102)      		 38
      (100)      		 36
      (97)      		 33
      (91)      		 27
      (80)      		 17
      (62)      		 30.3
      (86.4)
      Average low °C (°F) 5
      (41)      		 8
      (46)      		 11
      (51)      		 16
      (60)      		 19
      (67)      		 23
      (74)      		 23
      (74)      		 23
      (74)      		 21
      (70)      		 18
      (64)      		 13
      (55)      		 7
      (45)      		 15.6
      (60.1)
      Precipitation cm (inches) 0
      (0)      		 0
      (0)      		 0
      (0)      		 0
      (0)      		 0.3
      (0.1)      		 0
      (0)      		 0
      (0)      		 0
      (0)      		 0
      (0)      		 0
      (0)      		 0.3
      (0.1)      		 0
      (0)      		 0.6
      (0.2)
      Source: Weatherbase[7]
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      Military

      In a 2004 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Sabha base was linked with Libya's nuclear weapons program.[8]

      Sabha Oasis, near Sabha, was the test site of OTRAG rockets, after launching was no longer possible in Shaba North in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo). On 1 March 1981 an OTRAG rocket with a maximum height of 50 km (31 mi) was launched.[citation needed]

      Sabha Air Base, south of the city, is a Libyan Air Force installation that is home to multiple MiG-25 aircraft.[9]

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      Transport

      See also: Sabha Airport and Fezzan Road

      An 800 km (500 mi) long railway has been proposed from Sabha to the port of Misrata for iron ore transport.[10] This railway could continue to Niger and beyond.

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      Libyan civil war

      Further information: 2011 Sabha clashes and Battle of Sabha

      Anti-Gaddafi forces seized Sabha in September 2011, as part of the Fezzan campaign.[11]

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      After the civil war

      2012 Sabha conflict

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      See also

      Portal icon Libya portal
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      References

      1. ^ Wolfram Alpha
      2. ^ World Gazetteer. "Libya: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". Retrieved 15 October 2011. 
      3. ^ Francesca Davis DiPiazza (2006). Libya in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 0-8225-2549-6. 
      4. ^ Walt, Vivienne. "The Capture of Gaddafi's Son: The Reformer Who Refused to Reform." TIME. November 19, 2011. Retrieved on November 19, 2011.
      5. ^ Martin, B. G. (1984) "Ahmad Rasim Pasha and the Fazzan Slave Trade, 1881-1896" pp. 64-65 in Willis, John Ralph (ed.) (1984) Slaves and Slavery in Muslim Africa: The Servile Estate Cass, London, pp. 51-82, ISBN 0-7146-3201-5
      6. ^ Vanderwalle, Dirk J. (1998). Libya Since Independence: oil and state-building. London: I B Tauris & Co Ltd. ISBN 1-86064-264-0. 
      7. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Sabha, Libya". Weatherbase. 2011.  Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
      8. ^ Griffiths, Katherine (2007) "Libya stalls on pledge to destroy stock of uranium" The Daily Telegraph 13 August 2007, p. 16
      9. ^ Libya: Ministry of Defense: Air Force: Air Order of Battle GlobalSecurity.org
      10. ^ Xinhua News Agency (2008) "Chinese win Libya rail bidding" International Herald Tribune 19 February 2008, Finance Section, p. 13
      11. ^ Wedeman, Ben (20 September 2011). "Government forces enter Libya's Sabha, to cheers". CNN. Retrieved 20 September 2011. 
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      External links

      Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sabha
      Capital
      • Sabha
      Map of the district of Sabha
      Towns and villages
      • Ghadduwah
      • Hagiara
      • Jadid
      • Al Mahdia
      • Al Nssiria
      • Samnu
      • Sukrah
      • Tamanhant
      • Al Tanawia
      • Umm al `Abid
      • Umm al Ahrar
      • Az Zighan
      Administrative seats of the districts of Libya (since 2007)

      Coordinates: 27°02′20″N 14°25′35″E / 27.03889°N 14.42639°E / 27.03889; 14.42639

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      Last modified on 17 June 2013, at 15:36