Sabha, Libya

2025-07-29T17:50:46Z

2601:5C5:8302:3940:657D:26EB:EE5C:F03B: /* Climate */ fixed error drawn from chart

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement


| official_name = Sabha
| other_name = Sabhā
| native_name = {{lang|ar|سبها}}
| nickname =
| settlement_type = [[List of cities in Libya|City]]
| motto =

| image_skyline = Sebha Bank from Kazem hotel 2010-02-08.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_caption = Sebha Bank from Kazem hotel (2010)
| image_map =
| mapsize =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Libya 
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in [[Libya]]
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Libya}}
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = [[Fezzan]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Libya|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Sabha District|Sabha]]

| government_footnotes =
| government_type =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| area_total_km2 =

| population_as_of = 2012
| population_footnotes = <ref name="gazeteer">{{cite web |last=World Gazetteer |author-link=World Gazetteer | url=http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1273372850&men=gcis&lng=en&des=gamelan&geo=-133&srt=dpnn&col=abcdefghimoq&msz=1500&pt=c&va=&srt=pdnn |title=Libya: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population |access-date=15 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121204173451/http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1273372850&men=gcis&lng=en&des=gamelan&geo=-133&srt=dpnn&col=abcdefghimoq&msz=1500&pt=c&va=&srt=pdnn |archive-date=4 December 2012}}</ref>
| population_note =
| population_total = 99028
| population_density_km2 =
| population_density_sq_mi =
| population_metro =
| population_density_metro_km2 =
| population_blank1_title = Ethnicities
| population_blank1 =
| population_blank2_title = Religions
| population_blank2 =
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| population_density_blank1_sq_mi =

| timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset = +2
| timezone_DST =
| utc_offset_DST =
| coordinates = {{coord|27|02|20|N|14|25|35|E|region:LY|display=inline}}
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 420
| elevation_ft = 

| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| area_code =
| website =
| footnotes =
| registration_plate_type = [[Vehicle registration plates of Libya|License Plate Code]]
| registration_plate = 1
}}

'''Sabha''' or '''Sebha''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɛ|b|.|h|ɑː}} ({{langx|ar|سَبْهَا|Sabhā}}) is an oasis city in southwestern [[Libya]],<ref name="MalcolmLosleben2004">{{cite book |last1=Malcolm |first1=Peter |last2=Losleben |first2=Elizabeth |title=Libya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_l87ixBRpKIC&pg=PA10 |year=2004 |publisher=Marshall Cavendish |isbn=978-0-7614-1702-6 |page=10}}</ref> approximately {{convert|640|km}} south of [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]].<ref>Walt, Vivienne. "[http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2099890,00.html?hpt=hp_t1 The Capture of Gaddafi's Son: The Reformer Who Refused to Reform] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111122015652/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2099890,00.html?hpt=hp_t1 |date=2011-11-22 }}." ''[[TIME (magazine)|TIME]]''. 19 November 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2011.</ref> It was historically the capital of the [[Fezzan]] region and the [[Fezzan-Ghadames Military Territory]] and is the capital of the [[Sabha District]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Libya in Pictures |author=Francesca Davis DiPiazza |year=2006 |publisher=Twenty-First Century Books |isbn=0-8225-2549-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/libyainpictures0000dipi }}</ref> [[Sabha Air Base]], south of the city, is a [[Libyan Air Force (1951–2011)|Libyan Air Force]] installation that is home to multiple [[MiG-25]] aircraft.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/libya/af-orbat.htm Libya: Ministry of Defense: Air Force: Air Order of Battle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630213931/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/libya/af-orbat.htm |date=30 June 2018 }} GlobalSecurity.org</ref>

Sabha was where the erstwhile ruler of Libya, [[Muammar Gaddafi]], grew up and received secondary education and where he also later became involved in political activism.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Qaddafi and the Libyan Revolution|first1=David|last1=Blundy|author1-link=David Blundy|first2=Andrew|last2=Lycett|author2-link=Andrew Lycett|publisher=Little Brown & Co|location=Boston and Toronto|isbn=978-0-316-10042-7|year=1987|url=https://archive.org/details/qaddafilibyanre00blun}}</ref> After the [[Libyan Civil War (2011)|Libyan Civil War]] and the resultant instability in the country, Sabha reportedly grew in importance as a [[slave]] auctioning town.<ref name="emma">{{cite news |last1=Graham-Harrison |first1=Emma |date=10 April 2017 |title=Migrants from west Africa being 'sold in Libyan slave markets' |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/10/libya-public-slave-auctions-un-migration |access-date=21 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622132319/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/10/libya-public-slave-auctions-un-migration |archive-date=22 June 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, an investigation by the National Commission for Human Rights in Libya (NCHRL) revealed that while there was illegal slavery, reports were exaggerated, as slave auctions were rare and not made public.<ref name=libyaobserver /> The city was seized by forces loyal to the [[Libyan National Army]] (LNA) and its leader [[Khalifa Haftar]] in January 2019,<ref name="aljazeerareports">{{Cite news|last=Cherif |first=Youssef |date=8 April 2019 |title=How far can Haftar get with his Tripoli offensive? |newspaper=Al Jazeera |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/haftar-tripoli-offensive-190407155352767.html }}</ref><ref name="actualdate">{{Cite news|date=29 January 2019|title=Libya: Haftar's LNA Captures The Southern City Of Sabha |newspaper=Al Shahid News |url=https://alshahidwitness.com/libya-haftar-lna-sabha/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427184339/https://alshahidwitness.com/libya-haftar-lna-sabha/ |archive-date=27 April 2020 }}</ref> but some politicians in the area switched their loyalty to the [[Government of National Accord]] (GNA) in May 2020.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|last=Golden |first=Rabia |date=5 May 2020 |title=Activists and officials from Sabha announce support to GNA |newspaper=The Libya Observer |url=https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/activists-and-officials-sabha-announce-support-gna }}</ref>

== History ==
In historical times, Sabha was a major centre of the Libyan caravan trade.<ref name="DiPiazza2005">{{Cite book |last=DiPiazza |first=Francesca |title=Libya in Pictures |date=1 September 2005 |publisher=Twenty-First Century Books |page=[https://archive.org/details/libyainpictures0000dipi/page/19 19] |isbn=978-0-8225-2549-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/libyainpictures0000dipi |url-access=registration |access-date=26 November 2016 }}</ref> Sabha Oasis, near Sabha, was the test site of [[OTRAG rocket]]s, 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 {{convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}} was launched. It was also a remote test site for the Soviet Space program from 1984 to 1991.<ref>{{cite news |title=Пранаб Мукерджи: Коррупция – это зло, которое может угнетать дух нации |url=https://www.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/articles/2012/07/26/antikrizisnyj_prezident |access-date=12 March 2016 |agency=Vedomosti |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313042805/https://www.vedomosti.ru/newspaper/articles/2012/07/26/antikrizisnyj_prezident |archive-date=13 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In a 2004 report by the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]], the Sabha base was linked with Libya's nuclear weapons program.<ref>Griffiths, Katherine (2007) "Libya stalls on pledge to destroy stock of uranium" ''The Daily Telegraph'' 13 August 2007, p. 16</ref> In September 2011, [[Anti-Gaddafi forces]] [[Battle of Sabha|seized Sabha]] as part of the [[Fezzan campaign]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/20/world/africa/libya-sabha/index.html?hpt=wo_c2 |publisher=CNN |first=Ben |last=Wedeman |date=20 September 2011 |access-date=20 September 2011 |title=Government forces enter Libya's Sabha, to cheers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110921023118/http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/20/world/africa/libya-sabha/index.html?hpt=wo_c2 |archive-date=21 September 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> No sign of a nuclear weapons program was found.

In April 2017, ''[[BBC]]'' reported that there was a [[slavery|slave market]] for African migrants in Sabha.<ref name="bbcafricanmigrantssoldinlibya">{{cite news |title=African migrants sold in Libya 'slave markets', IOM says |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-39567632 |access-date=11 April 2017 |work=BBC News |date=11 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170411141110/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-39567632 |archive-date=11 April 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2019, forces loyal to LNA leader Khalifa Haftar launched an operation to take control of Sabha and were able to enter the city by the end of the month.<ref name="aljazeerareports" /> On 29 January 2019, it was announced that Haftar successfully captured Sabha.<ref name="actualdate" /> In February 2019, Haftar's forces were spotted patrolling the city's neighborhoods.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Megerisi |first=Tarek |date=1 April 2019 |title=While You Weren't Looking, General Haftar Has Been Taking Over Libya|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/04/01/while-you-werent-looking-general-haftar-has-been-taking-over-libya-oil-united-nations/ |journal=Foreign Policy }}</ref><ref name="actualdate" /> By May 2, 2020, politicians and activists loyal to the Tripoli-based government had announced their support of the GNA,<ref name="auto" /> and the city is currently{{When|date=December 2021}} under the control of pro-GNA municipal governments.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Golden |first1=Rabia |date=5 May 2020 |title=New governing council formed for the Sabha Municipality |newspaper=The Libya Observer |url=https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/new-governing-council-formed-sabha-municipality |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106165309/https://libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/new-governing-council-formed-sabha-municipality |archive-date=6 November 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Climate ==
{{climate chart|Sabha
|5|19|7
|7|22|0
|11|26|10
|16|32|7
|20|36|1
|24|39|0
|23|38|0
|23|38|0
|21|36|0
|17|31|0
|11|25|1
|6|20|1
|float=right
|clear=none
|source=<ref name="WMO" /><ref name="DWD" />
}}

Due to its location in the Sahara Desert, Sabha has a [[hot desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''BWh''), with mild winters with a high [[diurnal temperature variation]], very hot summers with temperatures reaching {{convert|40|C|F|abbr=on}} regularly and hardly any precipitation. The average annual mean temperature is {{convert|22.7|C|F|abbr=on}}, the average annual high temperature is {{convert|30.2|C|F|abbr=on}} and the average annual low temperature is {{convert|15.2|C|F|abbr=on}}. June is the hottest month, having the highest average high at {{convert|39.2|C|F|abbr=on}}, the highest mean at {{convert|31.4|C|F|abbr=on}} and the highest average low at {{convert|23.6|C|F|abbr=on}}. January is the coldest month, with the lowest average high at {{convert|18.9|C|F|abbr=on}}, lowest mean at {{convert|11.7|C|F|abbr=on}} and lowest average low at {{convert|4.5|C|F|abbr=on}}.

Sabha receives just {{convert|8.2|mm}} of rain over 2.9 precipitation days, with a no rain in July and August and extremely little precipitation during the rest of the year. October, the wettest month, receives {{convert|2.1|mm}} of rainfall over 0.6 precipitation days. Humidity is low throughout the year, with April having a humidity of just 22% and January having a humidity of 42%. Sabha receives abundant amounts of sunshine, with 3526 hours of sunshine annually on average, with the most sunshine in summer and the least in winter. July receives the most sunshine of any month with 375 hours on average, while December and February both receive the least with 252 hours.

{{Weather box
| width = auto
| location = Sabha (1962–1990)
| single line = Yes
| metric first = Yes
| Jan high C = 18.9
| Feb high C = 22.0
| Mar high C = 26.1
| Apr high C = 31.8
| May high C = 35.7
| Jun high C = 39.2
| Jul high C = 38.3
| Aug high C = 37.8
| Sep high C = 35.9
| Oct high C = 31.3
| Nov high C = 24.9
| Dec high C = 20.0
| year high C = 30.2
| Jan mean C = 11.7
| Feb mean C = 14.4
| Mar mean C = 18.4
| Apr mean C = 23.9
| May mean C = 27.9
| Jun mean C = 31.4
| Jul mean C = 30.7
| Aug mean C = 30.4
| Sep mean C = 28.6
| Oct mean C = 24.1
| Nov mean C = 17.8
| Dec mean C = 12.9
| year mean C = 22.7
| Jan low C = 4.5
| Feb low C = 6.8
| Mar low C = 10.6
| Apr low C = 15.9
| May low C = 20.1
| Jun low C = 23.6
| Jul low C = 23.0
| Aug low C = 22.9
| Sep low C = 21.3
| Oct low C = 16.9
| Nov low C = 10.7
| Dec low C = 5.7
| year low C = 15.2
| Jan precipitation mm = 1.1
| Feb precipitation mm = 0.8
| Mar precipitation mm = 0.5
| Apr precipitation mm = 0.5
| May precipitation mm = 0.3
| Jun precipitation mm = 0.5
| Jul precipitation mm = 0.0
| Aug precipitation mm = 0.0
| Sep precipitation mm = 0.4
| Oct precipitation mm = 2.1
| Nov precipitation mm = 0.9
| Dec precipitation mm = 1.1
| year precipitation mm =
| unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 0.3
| Feb precipitation days = 0.3
| Mar precipitation days = 0.3
| Apr precipitation days = 0.2
| May precipitation days = 0.2
| Jun precipitation days = 0.1
| Jul precipitation days = 0.0
| Aug precipitation days = 0.0
| Sep precipitation days = 0.2
| Oct precipitation days = 0.6
| Nov precipitation days = 0.4
| Dec precipitation days = 0.3
| year precipitation days =
| Jan humidity = 42
| Feb humidity = 37
| Mar humidity = 31
| Apr humidity = 22
| May humidity = 27
| Jun humidity = 27
| Jul humidity = 32
| Aug humidity = 30
| Sep humidity = 27
| Oct humidity = 29
| Nov humidity = 38
| Dec humidity = 40
| year humidity = 32
| Jan sun = 260
| Feb sun = 252
| Mar sun = 269
| Apr sun = 275
| May sun = 304
| Jun sun = 341
| Jul sun = 375
| Aug sun = 361
| Sep sun = 295
| Oct sun = 284
| Nov sun = 258
| Dec sun = 252
| year sun =
| source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name="WMO">{{cite web |url=http://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=1195 |title=World Weather Information Service–Sebha |publisher=World Meteorological Organization |access-date=29 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321111310/http://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=1195 |archive-date=21 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| source 2 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (humidity and sun 1961–1990)<ref name="DWD">{{cite web |url=http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_621240_kt.pdf |title=Klimatafel von Sebha / Libyen |work=Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |language=de |access-date=29 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="DWDsun">{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp-cdc.dwd.de/pub/CDC/observations_global/CLIMAT/multi_annual/sunshine_duration/1961_1990.txt |title=Station 62124 Sebha |work=Global station data 1961–1990—Sunshine Duration |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017195327/ftp://ftp-cdc.dwd.de/pub/CDC/observations_global/CLIMAT/multi_annual/sunshine_duration/1961_1990.txt |archive-date=2017-10-17 |url-status=dead |access-date=29 March 2016 }}</ref>{{efn|{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20171017195318/ftp://ftp-cdc.dwd.de/pub/CDC/help/stations_list_CLIMAT_data.txt Station ID for Sebha is 62124]}} Use this station ID to locate the sunshine duration}}
}}

== Landmarks ==
[[File:سبها_المدينة_القديمة.jpg|thumb|Contrast between the size of the [[ancient city]] of Sabha and modern city.]]
Sabha is famous for the Fort Elena castle,<ref>Martin, B. G. (1984) "Ahmad Rasim Pasha and the Fazzan Slave Trade, 1881-1896" [https://books.google.com/books?id=sasFc2yN7AcC&pg=PA64 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}}</ref> which is the castle featured on the reverse of the ten dinars [[Libyan dinar#Banknotes|banknote]] of Libya. Fort Elena was previously known as Fortezza Margherita, built during the [[Italian North Africa|Italian colonial period]]. Currently the Italian-built fort is a military institution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.agcnews.eu/libia-fortezza-margherita-salvataggio/ |title=Salvare la Fortezza Margherita |publisher=Agcnews.eu |date=25 March 2014 |access-date=26 November 2016 |language=it}}</ref> [[Sabha University]] is situated in the city. It has been involved with field studies in the desert.<ref name="Worsley2000">{{cite book |last=Worsley |first=D. |title=Geological Exploration in Murzuq Basin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WX2iJQmKTvcC&pg=PA112 |date=19 December 2000 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-0-08-053246-2 |page=112}}</ref> There are numerous irrigation canals, which are used to provide freshwater for growing crops.<ref name="DiPiazza2005" />

== Transport ==
The city is served by [[Sabha Airport]], which underwent expansion in the late 1970s.<ref>{{cite book |title=Translations on Near East and North Africa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q_O5AAAAIAAJ |year=1977 |publisher=Joint Publications Research Service |page=31}}</ref> An {{convert|800|km|mi|abbr=on}} long railway has been proposed from Sabha to the port of [[Misrata]] for iron ore transport.<ref>''Xinhua News Agency'' (2008) "Chinese win Libya rail bidding" ''International Herald Tribune'' 19 February 2008, Finance Section, p. 13</ref>

== Reports of slave auctions ==
In 2017, The [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|United Nations Migration Agency]] reported that Sabha had turned into a modern-day slave auctioning town. Each slave (mostly migrants from countries to the south of Libya, especially [[Nigeria]]) was sold for around US$325, with reports up to 1000 such sales each month.<ref name="phil">{{cite news |last1=Hoad |first1=Phil |title=Sabha in the spotlight: the city where migrants are sold as slaves |url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jun/19/sabha-spotlight-city-migrants-sold-slaves-world-refugee-day |access-date=21 June 2017 |work=The Guardian |date=19 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620213412/https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jun/19/sabha-spotlight-city-migrants-sold-slaves-world-refugee-day |archive-date=20 June 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> While this aspect of Sabha had been kept under check during the reign of [[Muammar Gaddafi]], it raised its head again due to the turbulence in Libya caused by the civil war. Most of the migrants came here escaping equally tragic conditions back home in [[Burkina Faso]], Nigeria and other [[West Africa|neighbouring African countries]].<ref name="emma" /> However, the National Commission for Human Rights in Libya (NCHRL) revealed that the media reports of slavery were exaggerated and that slave auctions were not public, as suggested by CNN.<ref name=libyaobserver>{{Cite web|url=https://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/libyan-human-rights-body-upset-over-cnn-report-slave-auctions-libya|title=Libyan human rights body upset over CNN report of slave auctions in Libya |newspaper=The Libya Observer |first1=Abdulkader |last1=Assad |date=Nov 18, 2017 }}</ref> The slave auctions which were discovered were revealed to be rare.<ref name=libyaobserver />

== See also ==
{{Portal|Libya}}
* [[List of cities in Libya]]
* [[Railway stations in Libya]]
* [[2012 Sabha conflict]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Sabha (city)|Sabha}}
* {{Wikivoyage-inline|Sabha}}
* [http://wikimapia.org/#lat=27.07&lon=14.42&z=13&l=4&m=b&search=Sabha Sabha map] at [[WikiMapia]]

{{Sabha District}}
{{District capitals of Libya}}
{{Coord|27|02|20|N|14|25|35|E|region:LY_type:city(130000)|display=title}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sabha, Libya| ]]
[[Category:Populated places in Sabha District]]
[[Category:Baladiyat of Libya]]

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Sabha, Libya