Al-Fashir

Al-Fashir
Aerial view of Al-Fashir
Al-Fashir
Location in Sudan
Coordinates:
Country Sudan
State North Darfur
Population (2006)
 • Total 264,734

Al Fashir or Al-Fashir (Arabic: الفاشر‎) is the capital city of North Darfur, Sudan. It is a large town in the Darfur region of northwestern Sudan, 120 miles (195 km) northeast of Nyala, Sudan. [1] A historical caravan post, Al-Fashir is located at an elevation of about 2,400 feet (700 m).[1] The town serves as an agricultural marketing point for the cereals and fruits grown in the surrounding region. Al-Fashir is linked by road with both Al-Junaynah and Umm Kaddadah. Late in the 18th century, Sultan 'Abd al-Rahman al-Rashed of the Fur Sultanate of Darfur founded his capital city at Al-Fashir, and the town developed around the sultan's palace grounds.[1]

It was one of the cities Amelia Earhart visited while attempting to cross the world.[2]

Al-Fashir has 264,734 residents (2006), increased from 2001, population (2001 est.) 178,500.[1]

Due to the nearby Abu Shouk[3] and Al Salam[4] IDP camps with the influx of humanitarian aid from the United Nations as a result of the Darfur crisis, the city has experienced a significant economic and population boom. Rents and retail sales increased, including the selling of bottled water and the opening of a pizza parlor to cater to the demand from western aid workers. The number of gas stations has tripled in three years as a result of the increase in the amount of automobiles in the city. Employment opportunities also increased as the United Nations offered jobs to citizens. Economics analyst Adam Ahmed stated that the "people [of Al-Fashir] are beginning to think in a more business-minded way" to make the most of their situation.[5]

Al Fashir University was created in 1990 by decree of President Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir, and was officially opened in February 1991 in premises west of El Fasher airport and South of the El Fashir school.[6]

Contents

Climate

Climate data for Al Fashir
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 30
(86)		 32
(89)		 35
(95)		 37
(98)		 38
(100)		 38
(100)		 35
(95)		 33
(91)		 35
(95)		 36
(96)		 32
(89)		 30
(86)		 34.1
(93.3)
Average low °C (°F) 9
(48)		 11
(51)		 15
(59)		 18
(64)		 21
(69)		 23
(73)		 22
(71)		 21
(69)		 21
(69)		 18
(64)		 13
(55)		 9
(48)		 16.5
(61.7)
Precipitation cm (inches) 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 1
(0.3)		 2
(0.6)		 8
(3.1)		 11
(4.5)		 4
(1.4)		 1
(0.2)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 26
(10.1)
Source: Weatherbase [7]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d "Al-Fashir" (description), Encyclopædia Britannica, 2007, webpage:
  2. ^ Vizard, Frank (February 1997) "On Earhart's Wings" Popular Science 250(2): pp. 50–52, page 51
  3. ^ Mitchell, Andrea (2007) Talking Back...to Presidents, Dictators, and Assorted Scoundrels (2nd edition) Penguin Books, New York, page xli, ISBN 978-0-14-303873-3
  4. ^ "Northern Darfur: Abu Shouk and Al Salam IDP Camps" map, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Date Created: 1 February 2009
  5. ^ Sanders, Edmund. A Darfur capital is a humanitarian boomtown, Los Angeles Times, 2008-04-30.
  6. ^ "History of the University". Al Fashir University. http://www.fashir.edu.sd/. Retrieved 15 September 2011. 
  7. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Al Fashir, Sudan". Weatherbase. 2011. http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=627600&refer=wikipedia.  Retrieved on November 24, 2011.

External links