Kufra or Kofra (Arabic: الكفرةAl Kufra), also spelled Cufra in Italian, is the largest district of Libya And second largest in Africa Which is slightly smaller than the country of Turkmenistan. Its capital is Al Jawf, one of the oases in Kufra basin.[2] There is a very large oil refinery near the capital. In the late 15th century, Leo Africanus reported an oasis in the land of the Berdoa, visited by a caravan coming from Awjila. It is possible that this oasis was identical with either the Al Jawf or the Taiserbo oasis, and on early modern maps, the Al Kufra region was often labelled as Berdoa based on this report.
The name Kufra (comes from Kufuh and Epher) itself is a derivation from kafir, the Arabic term for non-Muslims.[3] Kufra did not fall under the dominion of either the Arabs or the Ottomans and was owned by the ArabBedouin tribe of the Zuwayya only in the mid 19th century, and eventually by the Italians by the 1930s. In 1931, during the campaign of Cyrenaica, General Rodolfo Graziani easily conquered Kufra, considered a strategic region, leading about 3,000 soldiers from infantry and artillery, supported by about twenty bombers.[4]
GeographyEdit
Kufra's location in Libya's southeast places it on the country's border with Egypt, Sudan (unlike any other Libyan district), and Chad. It borders the following regions of these countries, namely, New Valley Governorate, Egypt in the east, Shamaliyah State, Sudan in southeast, North Darfur State, Sudan in the far southeast, Bourkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Region, Chad in the south. Domestically, it borders the following districts, namely, Murzuq in west, Jufra in northwest and Al Wahat in north. Kufra is a part of Cyrenacian geographical subdivision, the largest region in Libya and which is mostly semi arid in nature. The region receives an annual rainfall of 5 in (130 mm). There are no perennial rivers in the region, but the region is abundant with groundwater aquifers.[5] All three regions of the county have mostly a flat undulating plain and occasional plateau, with an average elevation of around 423 m (1,388 ft). Around 91 per cent of the land is covered by desert, with only 8.8 per cent agricultural land (with only 1% arable lands) and 0.1 per cent of forests. It is desert climate in all other parts of the region. Dust storms lasting four to eight days are fairly common during Spring.[6][7]
Per 2006 census, there were totally 13,313 economically active people in the district. There were 6,295 government employees, 2,178 employers, 6,454 first level workers, and 1 second level worker. There were 85 workers in state administration, 85 in agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry, 2,445 in agriculture and hunting, 2,029 in education, 1,558 in private enterprises, 584 in health and social work, 85 in production, 2,214 in technical work, and 354 service workers. The total enrollment in schools was 17,364 and the number of people above secondary stage and less than graduation was 875.[8] As per the report from World Health Organization (WHO), there was one communicable disease centre, one dental clinic, one general clinic, three out-patient clinics, five pharmacies, 16 PHC centres, one rural clinic, and no specialized clinics.[9]
Local administrationEdit
During 2007, the northern part of Kufra District was moved to the newly created Al Wahat District. Besides the main Oasis group of the Kufra basin, four more oases belong to the region, which lie northwest of Kufra basin are Rebiana, Buzema, Wadi Zighen and Tazirbu. The oasis-valleys of Jabal Arkanu and Jebel Uweinat lie southeast of the basin.[10] Libya became independent in 1951 from the colonial empire and generally known for its oil rich resources.[11] As a part of decentralization in 2012, the country is administratively split into 13 regions from the original 25 municipalities, which were further divided in 1,500 communes.[12] As of 2016, there were 22 administrative divisions in the country in the form of districts.[6]
NotesEdit
^"Districts of libya". statoids.com. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
^Francesca Di Piazza (2005). Libya in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN0-8225-2549-6.
^Abun-Nasr, Jamil M. (1987). A History of the Maghrib in the Islamic Period. Cambridge University Press. p. 320. ISBN9780521337670.
^McColl, R. W. (2014). Encyclopedia of World Geography, Volume 1. Infobase Publishing. p. 543. ISBN9780816072293.
^ ab"Libya profile". 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
^Otman, Waniss; Karlberg, Erling (2007). The Libyan Economy: Economic Diversification and International Repositioning. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 1–3. ISBN9783540464631.
^"Census of Libya". General Information Authority, Libya. 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^"Health statistics of Libya". World Health Organization (WHO). 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^"Libya profile - Timeline". BBC. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
^(PDF) (Report). Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), United Nations. 2004. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 February 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
ReferencesEdit
Bertarelli, L.V. (1929). Guida d'Italia, Vol. XVII (in Italian). Milano: Consociazione Turistica Italiana.
kufra, district, kufra, kofra, arabic, الكفرة, kufra, also, spelled, cufra, italian, largest, district, libya, second, largest, africa, which, slightly, smaller, than, country, turkmenistan, capital, jawf, oases, kufra, basin, there, very, large, refinery, nea. Kufra or Kofra Arabic الكفرة Al Kufra also spelled Cufra in Italian is the largest district of Libya And second largest in Africa Which is slightly smaller than the country of Turkmenistan Its capital is Al Jawf one of the oases in Kufra basin 2 There is a very large oil refinery near the capital In the late 15th century Leo Africanus reported an oasis in the land of the Berdoa visited by a caravan coming from Awjila It is possible that this oasis was identical with either the Al Jawf or the Taiserbo oasis and on early modern maps the Al Kufra region was often labelled as Berdoa based on this report KufraDistrictKufra in 1930Map of Libya with Kufra district highlightedCountryLibyaCapitalAl JawfArea Total483 510 km2 186 680 sq mi Population 2006 Total50 104 Density0 10 km2 0 27 sq mi 1 License Plate Code20 Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Local administration 4 Notes 5 ReferencesHistory EditThe name Kufra comes from Kufuh and Epher itself is a derivation from kafir the Arabic term for non Muslims 3 Kufra did not fall under the dominion of either the Arabs or the Ottomans and was owned by the Arab Bedouin tribe of the Zuwayya only in the mid 19th century and eventually by the Italians by the 1930s In 1931 during the campaign of Cyrenaica General Rodolfo Graziani easily conquered Kufra considered a strategic region leading about 3 000 soldiers from infantry and artillery supported by about twenty bombers 4 Geography EditKufra s location in Libya s southeast places it on the country s border with Egypt Sudan unlike any other Libyan district and Chad It borders the following regions of these countries namely New Valley Governorate Egypt in the east Shamaliyah State Sudan in southeast North Darfur State Sudan in the far southeast Bourkou Ennedi Tibesti Region Chad in the south Domestically it borders the following districts namely Murzuq in west Jufra in northwest and Al Wahat in north Kufra is a part of Cyrenacian geographical subdivision the largest region in Libya and which is mostly semi arid in nature The region receives an annual rainfall of 5 in 130 mm There are no perennial rivers in the region but the region is abundant with groundwater aquifers 5 All three regions of the county have mostly a flat undulating plain and occasional plateau with an average elevation of around 423 m 1 388 ft Around 91 per cent of the land is covered by desert with only 8 8 per cent agricultural land with only 1 arable lands and 0 1 per cent of forests It is desert climate in all other parts of the region Dust storms lasting four to eight days are fairly common during Spring 6 7 Per 2006 census there were totally 13 313 economically active people in the district There were 6 295 government employees 2 178 employers 6 454 first level workers and 1 second level worker There were 85 workers in state administration 85 in agriculture animal husbandry and forestry 2 445 in agriculture and hunting 2 029 in education 1 558 in private enterprises 584 in health and social work 85 in production 2 214 in technical work and 354 service workers The total enrollment in schools was 17 364 and the number of people above secondary stage and less than graduation was 875 8 As per the report from World Health Organization WHO there was one communicable disease centre one dental clinic one general clinic three out patient clinics five pharmacies 16 PHC centres one rural clinic and no specialized clinics 9 Local administration EditDuring 2007 the northern part of Kufra District was moved to the newly created Al Wahat District Besides the main Oasis group of the Kufra basin four more oases belong to the region which lie northwest of Kufra basin are Rebiana Buzema Wadi Zighen and Tazirbu The oasis valleys of Jabal Arkanu and Jebel Uweinat lie southeast of the basin 10 Libya became independent in 1951 from the colonial empire and generally known for its oil rich resources 11 As a part of decentralization in 2012 the country is administratively split into 13 regions from the original 25 municipalities which were further divided in 1 500 communes 12 As of 2016 there were 22 administrative divisions in the country in the form of districts 6 Notes Edit Districts of libya statoids com Retrieved 27 October 2009 Francesca Di Piazza 2005 Libya in Pictures Twenty First Century Books ISBN 0 8225 2549 6 Friedrich Gerhard Rohlfs Reise von Tripolis nach der Oase Kufra 1881 1 Abun Nasr Jamil M 1987 A History of the Maghrib in the Islamic Period Cambridge University Press p 320 ISBN 9780521337670 McColl R W 2014 Encyclopedia of World Geography Volume 1 Infobase Publishing p 543 ISBN 9780816072293 a b Libya profile 2016 Retrieved 23 November 2016 Otman Waniss Karlberg Erling 2007 The Libyan Economy Economic Diversification and International Repositioning Springer Science amp Business Media pp 1 3 ISBN 9783540464631 Census of Libya General Information Authority Libya 2012 Retrieved 17 November 2016 Health statistics of Libya World Health Organization WHO 2007 Retrieved 17 November 2016 Bertarelli 1929 p 515 Libya profile Timeline BBC 2 August 2016 Retrieved 20 November 2016 Great Socialist People s Libyan Arag Jamahiriya Public Administration and Country profile PDF Report Department of Economic and Social Affairs DESA United Nations 2004 p 9 Archived from the original PDF on 9 February 2017 Retrieved 17 November 2016 References EditBertarelli L V 1929 Guida d Italia Vol XVII in Italian Milano Consociazione Turistica Italiana 24 N 23 E 24 N 23 E 24 23 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kufra District amp oldid 1171614610, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
