Zuwara Berber languages:ⵣⵡⴰⵔⴰ | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: ⴰⵜ ⵡⵉⵍⵍⵓⵍ | |
  Zuwara Location in Libya | |
| Coordinates:32°56′N12°05′E / 32.933°N 12.083°E /32.933; 12.083 | |
| Country |  Libya |
| Region | Tripolitania |
| Elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 55,893 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| License Plate Code | 9 |
Zuwarah,Zuwara, orZwara (Berber languages:ⵣⵡⴰⵔⴰ); (Arabic:زوارة) is a coastal city in north-westernLibya.
Zuwara is primarily inhabited by indigenousBerber people of Libya. The local Berber dialect, known locally asZuwari, is commonly spoken as a first language by the inhabitants of Zuwara.
Zuwara is famous for its beaches and seafood. It is situated 102 km (63 mi) west ofTripoli and 60 km (37 mi) from theTunisian border. It is the capital of theNuqat al Khamsdistrict. Zuwarah consists of 49 districts.
The settlement was first[citation needed] mentioned by the travellerAbdallah al-Tijani in the years 1306-1309 as composed of two parts:Zwara al-soughra ("Little Zwarah") andZwara al-koubra ("Greater Zwarah").[3] In theCatalan Atlas (1375) it was called as Punta dar Zoyara. The town is mentioned byLeo Africanus in the 16th century. It later served as the western outpost ofItalian Libya (1912–43), being the terminus of the now-defunctItalian Libya Railway from Tripoli 105 kilometres (65 mi) to the east. Its artificial harbour shelters a motorized fishing fleet. Cereals, dates, andesparto grass (used to make cordage, shoes, and paper) are local products.
It was in 1973 in Zuwara thatMuammar Gaddafi first proclaimed the Libyan "Cultural Revolution".
During the2011 Libyan Civil War, the city was reported byAl Jazeera to be under control of the localanti-Gaddafi forces on 23 February 2011, and lost by the government ofMuammar Gaddafi.[4] Thousands of anti-government protesters, gathered in the Zuwara town square on 24 February, repulsed anotherLibyan Army attempt to retake the city. Loyalist forces used the pro-government towns ofJumayl andRiqdalin to the south as bases for their attacks on the city.[5] However, from March onwards, the city was under the control of loyalist forces.[6] Amidst theAugust rebel coastal offensive, rebels took Zuwara on 18 August.[7]
In September[citation needed] 2011, and following the fall of the Gaddafi government, Zuwara was the first City in Libya to democraticallyelect its local council.[8]
The city'sPort of Zwara is used as a transfer point for smuggled fuel by the militias who fight the government. Often these vessels fly the flag ofPalau and are operated from a mailbox in theMarshall Islands.[9]
Zuwara has ahot desert climate (Köppen climate classificationBWh).
| Climate data for Zuwarah (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 31.8 (89.2) | 36.5 (97.7) | 39.2 (102.6) | 41.2 (106.2) | 47.0 (116.6) | 50.2 (122.4) | 47.0 (116.6) | 47.0 (116.6) | 46.0 (114.8) | 43.8 (110.8) | 39.0 (102.2) | 32.5 (90.5) | 50.2 (122.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 18.3 (64.9) | 19.3 (66.7) | 21.1 (70.0) | 23.2 (73.8) | 26.1 (79.0) | 28.5 (83.3) | 30.9 (87.6) | 32.3 (90.1) | 30.7 (87.3) | 28.6 (83.5) | 24.2 (75.6) | 19.8 (67.6) | 25.3 (77.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 13.7 (56.7) | 14.6 (58.3) | 16.6 (61.9) | 19.0 (66.2) | 22.0 (71.6) | 24.9 (76.8) | 27.6 (81.7) | 28.6 (83.5) | 27.2 (81.0) | 24.2 (75.6) | 19.1 (66.4) | 15.0 (59.0) | 21.0 (69.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 9.0 (48.2) | 9.8 (49.6) | 12.1 (53.8) | 14.8 (58.6) | 18.0 (64.4) | 21.3 (70.3) | 24.1 (75.4) | 24.9 (76.8) | 23.8 (74.8) | 19.8 (67.6) | 14.1 (57.4) | 10.1 (50.2) | 16.8 (62.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 2.5 (36.5) | 1.0 (33.8) | 4.0 (39.2) | 6.8 (44.2) | 9.5 (49.1) | 14.0 (57.2) | 18.0 (64.4) | 16.0 (60.8) | 16.0 (60.8) | 10.8 (51.4) | 4.0 (39.2) | 3.5 (38.3) | 1.0 (33.8) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 33.1 (1.30) | 27.6 (1.09) | 15.5 (0.61) | 9.6 (0.38) | 4.6 (0.18) | 0.8 (0.03) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.7 (0.07) | 16.6 (0.65) | 22.0 (0.87) | 30.2 (1.19) | 43.2 (1.70) | 204.9 (8.07) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1 mm) | 4.1 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 26.0 |
| Source:NOAA[10] | |||||||||||||
