Misrata

Misratah (rarely Misrata or Misurata), (Arabic: مصراته, Mişrātah), a city and Sha'biyah (top level administrative division) in northwestern Libya, situated 210 km to the east of Tripoli on the Mediterranean coast near Cape Misratah.

With a population of about 400,000 in 2000 and 2005 estimates, it is the third largest city in Libya after Tripoli and Benghazi, though Sabha is the third most important city regional-wise, (as it is the cheif city of the region of Fezzan, one of the three traditional regions of Libya).

There is no consensus among different sources on whether the city was established by the Phoenicians (3000 years ago), ^[1] or the Romans, or the Muslim conquests (7th century AD); ^[2] nor on what was its old name (Tubartis, ^[3] Thubactis, ^{[2] [4]} or other variants). ^[5]

Recent archaeological discoveries indicate that some sort of urban stability existed in the current location of the city since Roman times ^{[citation needed]}. Most sources mention the 7th century AD as date of establishment,^{[2] [4]} when the city served as a caravan supply centre, while in the same time recognize possible Roman roots. ^[2]

Misratah today is a modern prosperous city with light industries (carpets and textiles among many others) and heavy industries (iron and steel industrial complex). The city has a great potential of expansion since it attracts a lot of internal immigration and is surrounded by uninhabited flat land with no obstacles. There is a port in the neighbouring town of Qasr Ahmed.

Although the city has no university, there are several higher education institutions including a number of university faculties that are administratively linked to universities of other cities in Libya (e.g. al-Tahaddi University of Sirt and al-Fateh University of Tripoli).

• Tripolitania

• Encarta Online's Misratah Page.
• Dynamic map of Misratah from Encarta Online (encarta.msn.com).
• Image from Misratah from the Encyclopaedia of the Orient (lexiorient.com).