Ghat
Encyclopedia
Ghat is the capital of the Ghat District in the Fezzan
region of southwestern Libya
.
. It was a stronghold for the Kel Ajjer
Tuareg federation whose territory covered most of south-western Libya - including Ubari
, Sabha and Ghadames
, plus south-eastern Algeria
(Djanet
and Illizi
).
From the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD, the Fezzan was home to the Garamantian Empire, a city state which operated the Trans-Saharan trade routes between the Carthaginians—and later the Roman Empire
—and the Sahel
ian states of West
and Central Africa
. During the 13th and 14th century, portions of the Fezzan were part of the Kanem Empire
, while the Ottoman
rulers of North Africa
asserted their control over the region in the 17th century.
Beginning in 1911, Ghat and the Fezzan was occupied by Italy. Berber
and Arab adherents to a militant Sufi religious order, the Sanusiya, resisted early Italian attempts at conquest, and Italy's control of the region was precarious until at least 1923, with the rise of the Italian Fascist regime. To defend their positions, the Italians built a fortress that dominates the city from the hill of Koukemen. This fort is still standing, and is a tourist attraction of the city.
During the Second World War, Ghat was occupied by France from 1943 until 1 January 1952, when the United Nations General Assembly
passed a resolution stating that Libya should become independent. Fezzan Province was then absorbed within the borders of the Kingdom of Libya
.
-linked fighters.
2011 Libyan civil war
The Fezzan campaign
and border proximity were the regional components that included Ghat in the 2011 Libyan civil war
.
Ghat is an important tourist destination
due to the existence of prehistoric rock paintings
and engravings
in the neighboring Tadrart Acacus
and Tassili N'Ajjer mountains, in addition to the beauty of the surrounding desert landscapes. A major tourist attraction in the town itself is the Fortress of Ghat, Koukemen.
Ghat Airport
is the local airport in Ghat. It is served by Ghadames Air Transport
to Sabha.
Fezzan
Fezzan is a south western region of modern Libya. It is largely desert but broken by mountains, uplands, and dry river valleys in the north, where oases enable ancient towns and villages to survive deep in the otherwise inhospitable Sahara.-Name:...
region of southwestern Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
.
History
In historical times, Ghat was a major terminal point on the Trans-Saharan trade route and a major administrative center in the FezzanFezzan
Fezzan is a south western region of modern Libya. It is largely desert but broken by mountains, uplands, and dry river valleys in the north, where oases enable ancient towns and villages to survive deep in the otherwise inhospitable Sahara.-Name:...
. It was a stronghold for the Kel Ajjer
Kel Ajjer
Kel Ajjer is a Tuareg confederation in western Libya and eastern Algeria. Their main stronghold was Ghat, with Ubari coming second. They speak the language Tamahaq.-See also:* Azjar*Tuareg**Kel Adagh**Kel Ahaggar**Kel Ayr...
Tuareg federation whose territory covered most of south-western Libya - including Ubari
Ubari
Ubari is an oasis town and the capital of the Wadi al Hayaa District, in the Fezzan region of southwestern Libya. It is in the Libyan section of the Sahara Desert...
, Sabha and Ghadames
Ghadames
Ghadames or Ghadamis is an oasis town in the Nalut District of the Fezzan region in southwestern Libya.-Geography:Ghadames lies roughly to the southwest of Tripoli, near the borders with Algeria and Tunisia. Ghadames borders Illizi Province, Algeria and Tataouine Governorate, Tunisia.The oasis...
, plus south-eastern Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
(Djanet
Djanet
Djanet is an oasis city in southeast Algeria. It is located in Illizi Province, 412 kilometers from Illizi. It is inhabited by the Kel Ajjer Tuareg people. It is the capital of Djanet District.-Transport:...
and Illizi
Illizi
Illizi is a town situated in the south-eastern part of Algeria, capital of Illizi Province. It is one of the gates to the Tassili N'Ajjer National Park with caves situated under the sands containing prehistoric drawings dating from 6000 years BC. There is a hotel and two camping sites, as well as...
).
From the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD, the Fezzan was home to the Garamantian Empire, a city state which operated the Trans-Saharan trade routes between the Carthaginians—and later the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
—and the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
ian states of West
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
and Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
. During the 13th and 14th century, portions of the Fezzan were part of the Kanem Empire
Kanem Empire
The Kanem Empire was located in the present countries of Chad, Nigeria and Libya. At its height it encompassed an area covering not only much of Chad, but also parts of southern Libya , eastern Niger and north-eastern Nigeria...
, while the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rulers of North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
asserted their control over the region in the 17th century.
Beginning in 1911, Ghat and the Fezzan was occupied by Italy. Berber
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
and Arab adherents to a militant Sufi religious order, the Sanusiya, resisted early Italian attempts at conquest, and Italy's control of the region was precarious until at least 1923, with the rise of the Italian Fascist regime. To defend their positions, the Italians built a fortress that dominates the city from the hill of Koukemen. This fort is still standing, and is a tourist attraction of the city.
During the Second World War, Ghat was occupied by France from 1943 until 1 January 1952, when the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
passed a resolution stating that Libya should become independent. Fezzan Province was then absorbed within the borders of the Kingdom of Libya
Kingdom of Libya
The Kingdom of Libya, originally called the United Libyan Kingdom came into existence upon independence on 24 December 1951 and lasted until a coup d'état led by Muammar Gaddafi on 1 September 1969 overthrew King Idris of Libya and established the Libyan Arab Republic.- Constitution :Under the...
.
Present day
In the 2000s Ghat, as a garrison town, was the site of shootouts between Libyan security forces and al-QaedaAl-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
-linked fighters.
2011 Libyan civil war
The Fezzan campaign
Fezzan campaign
The Fezzan campaign was a military campaign conducted by the National Liberation Army to take control of southwestern Libya during the 2011 Libyan civil war. During April to June 2011, anti-Gaddafi forces gained control of most of the eastern part of the southern desert region during the...
and border proximity were the regional components that included Ghat in the 2011 Libyan civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
.
Tourism
Tourist destination
A tourist destination is a city, town, or other area that is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions and possibly some "tourist traps."...
due to the existence of prehistoric rock paintings
Cave painting
Cave paintings are paintings on cave walls and ceilings, and the term is used especially for those dating to prehistoric times. The earliest European cave paintings date to the Aurignacian, some 32,000 years ago. The purpose of the paleolithic cave paintings is not known...
and engravings
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
in the neighboring Tadrart Acacus
Tadrart Acacus
The Acacus Mountains or Tadrart Acacus form a mountain range in the desert of the of the Ghat District in western Libya, part of the Sahara. They are situated east of the Libyan city of Ghat and stretch north from the Algerian border about 100 km. Tadrart means 'mountain' in the native...
and Tassili N'Ajjer mountains, in addition to the beauty of the surrounding desert landscapes. A major tourist attraction in the town itself is the Fortress of Ghat, Koukemen.
Ghat Airport
Ghat Airport
Ghat Airport is an airport in Ghat, southern Libya .- Airlines and destinations :Note: All flights have been suspended until further notice due to the Libyan civil war.- References :*FlightStats: *- External links :...
is the local airport in Ghat. It is served by Ghadames Air Transport
Ghadames Air Transport
Ghadames Air Transport was a small airline that operated within Libya between 2004 and 2006.-Destinations:Ghadames Air Transport served the following destinations:*Tripoli Airport - Tripoli*Benina Airport - Benghazi*Sabha Airport - Sabha...
to Sabha.
See also
- BerberBerber peopleBerbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
- Tuareg
- Green Sahara
- List of cities in Libya