| Gabès قابس | |
|---|---|
| City | |
 View of Gabès bay | |
  Gabès | |
| Coordinates: 33°53′N 10°07′E / 33.883°N 10.117°E / 33.883; 10.117 | |
| Country |  Tunisia |
| Governorate | Gabès Governorate |
| Delegation(s) | Gabes Medina, Gabes West, Gabes South |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Mohamed Aziz Ibrahim Jed (SFBT) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 167,863 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Website | Official website |
Gabès (/ˈɡɑːbɛs/, UK also /ˈɡɑːbɪs/; Arabic: قابس, romanized: Gābis), also spelled Cabès, Cabes, and Kabes, is the capital of the Gabès Governorate in Tunisia. Situated on the coast of the Gulf of Gabès, the city has a population of 167,863, making it the 6th largest Tunisian city in the country. Located 327 km southeast of Tunis and 113 km from Sfax, Gabès lies at the delta of the Wadi Qabis, which originates 10 kilometers upstream at Ras al-Oued and serves as its primary water source.
Historically, the town was a Carthaginian settlement known as Tacapae before falling under Roman control. It was later ruined during the 7th-century Arab invasion but was recovered by Sidi Boulbaba, a revered companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a patron of the town. Although it experienced decline under the Ottomans, Gabès saw significant growth under French rule from 1881 to 1955, with the development of key infrastructure, including a railway, road network, and port. During World War II, the city served as the headquarters for Germany’s Afrika Korps until British and French forces retook it in 1943. Today, Gabès is a thriving commercial hub and oasis, with industries spanning fishing, agriculture, textiles, cement, brick manufacturing, and petrochemicals. Tourism also contributes to its economy, making it an important center in southern Tunisia.
History
Etymology
Takapes, the ancient name of Gabès, is a Punic Numidian (Berber) toponym. Later, the prefix "Ta" (meaning "the" in Punic) was dropped, and the place became known as Kapes. As in Arabic the sound /p/ is unknown, Kapes became known as Kabes, and later known as Gabès.
Roman period
Gabès is the ancient Tacapae or Tacape (Τακάπη in Ancient greek) or Tacapes of the Roman province of Tripolitania.
Strabo refers to this city as an important entrepot of the Lesser Syrtis. Pliny (18.22) remarks that the waters of a copious fountain at Tacape were divided among the cultivators according to a system where each had the use of the water during a certain interval of time.
The Tabula Peutingeriana shows Tacape between Macomades and Sabratha.
Bishopric
Tacapae became a Christian bishopric that, no longer being a residential see, is included in the Catholic Church's list of titular sees.
Three of its bishops are known:
- Dulcitius, legate of the bishops of Tripolitana to the Council of Carthage (403) and present at the Conference of Carthage (411);
- Servilius, exiled by Huneric in 484;
- Caius or Gallus, legate of the bishops of his province to the Council of Carthage (525).
After the Roman and Christian period
- 7th century: The Umayyad Caliphate conquest. Muhammed's companion Sidi Abu Lubaba Al'Ansari settles in Gabès.
- 1148: The Zirids sack Gabés
- 1574: Gabès becomes part of the Eyalet of Tunis after the Ottoman conquest.
- 1881: Gabès comes under a French protectorate.
- 1940: Following the Fall of France, Gabès comes under German control.
- 1941: Gabès pogrom
- 1943: Gabès returns to French control with the help of the British (in the Mareth Line). The operation results in serious damage to the city infrastructure.
- 1945: The rebuilding of Gabès starts.
- 1956: Gabès reverts to Tunisian control with the independence of Tunisia from the French.
Al-Idrisi described Gabès in the 12th century:
Gabès is a distinguished and thriving city, surrounded by orchards of dense, intertwined gardens and orderly plantations, with a variety of inexpensive fruits. It has an abundance of dates, crops, and estates, far surpassing other lands in this regard. The city also produces olives, oil, and various other agricultural products. Gabès is protected by a strong wall, and there is a moat around it. The city contains markets, buildings, trade, and merchandise. In the past, there was a silk weaving industry here, producing fine silk. Today, there are tanneries for leather, and the city produces and supplies leather goods. A large stream flows into the city from a nearby spring, and on this stream stands the Saja Palace, which is three miles from Gabès. Gabès itself is a small, well-developed city, and it also has a market near the sea, with many merchants, silk traders, and vendors. The city's water supply comes from the Oued Gabès.
Victor Guérin described Gabès in 1862:
Gabès is not, strictly speaking, a compact city enclosed within a single perimeter, but rather a collection of two towns and several villages that together form a single oasis, watered by the Oued Gabès. The two main towns are named Djara and Menzel, and among the villages, the most notable is Ghenneni.
Education
- University of Gabès (science university, engineering school...)
Economy
Gabès is one of the biggest industrial cities in Tunisia. Most industries are chemical oriented, this is why the city offers one of the best chemistry degrees in Africa from the University of Gabès. The main industries are:
- Cement
- Chemical products
- Brick Factories
- Oil refinery
The fast-growing numbers of factories has resulted in fairly serious pollution in the area and the Gulf of Gabès. In recent years the government has worked on new programs and laws to curb pollution.
Transport
Gabès – Matmata International Airport is in the city.
Gabès will soon be upgraded with one light rail system under the number 7 that will run from the railway station to the port of Gabès. Featuring rolling stock made by Alstom, Gabès will receive 15 new train sets.
Railways
Gabès is terminus of a narrow gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) branch railway from the capital, and is the nearest railway station to the Libyan border at Ras Ajdir. Gabès has also one of the biggest ports in Tunisia; it is used usually to ship the mineral products from the city of Gafsa.
Roads
Gabès will be linked soon with the national motorway A1 (Tunis – Ras Ajdir).
Climate
Gabès has a hot arid climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), bordering upon a hot semi-arid climate (BSh), characterised by hot summers and pleasant winters. Rainfall is low throughout the year and negligible during the hot summer.
| Climate data for Gabès (1991–2020, extremes 1950–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 29.3 (84.7) |
33.9 (93.0) |
41.0 (105.8) |
38.2 (100.8) |
43.6 (110.5) |
46.5 (115.7) |
49.1 (120.4) |
46.6 (115.9) |
44.2 (111.6) |
40.9 (105.6) |
35.0 (95.0) |
31.2 (88.2) |
46.7 (116.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 17.1 (62.8) |
18.2 (64.8) |
20.2 (68.4) |
22.6 (72.7) |
25.6 (78.1) |
28.4 (83.1) |
31.4 (88.5) |
32.5 (90.5) |
30.5 (86.9) |
27.5 (81.5) |
22.8 (73.0) |
18.3 (64.9) |
24.6 (76.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.6 (54.7) |
13.4 (56.1) |
15.8 (60.4) |
18.5 (65.3) |
21.9 (71.4) |
25.1 (77.2) |
27.8 (82.0) |
28.8 (83.8) |
26.8 (80.2) |
23.3 (73.9) |
18.2 (64.8) |
13.9 (57.0) |
20.5 (68.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.1 (46.6) |
8.6 (47.5) |
11.5 (52.7) |
14.5 (58.1) |
18.3 (64.9) |
21.8 (71.2) |
24.2 (75.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
23.2 (73.8) |
19.1 (66.4) |
13.6 (56.5) |
9.4 (48.9) |
16.5 (61.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −2.7 (27.1) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
0.9 (33.6) |
4.6 (40.3) |
8.2 (46.8) |
12.0 (53.6) |
15.6 (60.1) |
16.8 (62.2) |
14.4 (57.9) |
6.8 (44.2) |
2.6 (36.7) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 24.4 (0.96) |
12.0 (0.47) |
17.1 (0.67) |
16.8 (0.66) |
10.4 (0.41) |
1.9 (0.07) |
0.5 (0.02) |
3.1 (0.12) |
30.1 (1.19) |
30.7 (1.21) |
18.7 (0.74) |
23.9 (0.94) |
189.5 (7.46) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 2.9 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 21.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 62 | 59 | 62 | 63 | 65 | 66 | 63 | 65 | 66 | 64 | 62 | 64 | 63 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 214.1 | 226.8 | 251.9 | 274.1 | 308.4 | 322.2 | 354.0 | 335.1 | 259.4 | 247.8 | 218.1 | 211.1 | 3,223 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 7.1 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 8.9 | 10.1 | 10.7 | 12.0 | 11.4 | 9.3 | 8.4 | 7.6 | 6.8 | 9.0 |
| Source 1: Institut National de la Météorologie (humidity 1961–1990, sun 1981-2010) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (humidity and daily sun 1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (61) |
15 (59) |
16 (61) |
17 (63) |
19 (66) |
22 (72) |
26 (79) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
25 (77) |
22 (72) |
18 (64) |
Tourism
Overview
Gabès is famous for its traditional Souqs in Jarah; it is known also for its attractive beach and the unusual seaside oasis (Gabès is located on the coast of the Mediterranean). The best parts of the beach are in the south of the city (Road to Djerba). The best one is the Lemawa or Lemaya beach. The government is planning to build a tourist zone there in the coming years. Gabès has a unique feature in the world, in this city you find the mountain, the sea, the oasis and the desert. The streets of Gabès come alive at night during Ramadan, where sooks (shops) are open on the streets and parties happen almost every day in the night during Ramadan. The most visited place in Gabès is the town Matmata.
Place to visit:
- The traditional souks
- The Kornich
- Mosque of Sidi Boulbaba
- The Mouradi school
- Zaouia Sidi Ahmed Toujani
Gallery
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on May 28, 2008, in the Cultural category.
Notable people
- Gladys Adda, activist, was born here in 1921
- Juliette Bessis, Tunisian historian, was born here (1925–2017)
- Silvan Shalom, Israeli politician, former minister and Knesset member
- Tahar Haddad, writer, feminist advocator, activist, reformer (1899–1935)
- Mohamed Ali El Hammi, one of the founding fathers of Tunisian syndicalism, an activist (1890–1928)
See also
- Gabès Governorate, one of the twenty-four governorates (provinces) of Tunisia
- Gulf of Gabès
- University of Gabès, a public university
- List of cities in Tunisia
References
- ^ "Recensement Général de la Population et de l'Habitat 2014 – Population, logements et ménages par commune et arrondissement". National Institute of Statistics. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - "Gabès". Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- "Gabès". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- "Gabès". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 2022-08-27.
- "Gabès | Oasis City, Mediterranean Coast". Britannica. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- D. L. Bomgardner, Story of the Roman Amphitheatre (Routledge 2013 ISBN 978-1-13470739-3), p. 123
- Paul Lachlan MacKendrick, The North African Stones Speak (UNC Press 2000 ISBN 978-0-80784942-2), p. 15
- Trismegistos, "Tacapae"
- Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013, ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 980
- Stefano Antonio Morcelli, Africa christiana, Volume I, Brescia 1816, p. 295
- نزهة المشتاق في اختراق الآفاق - الإقليم الثالث، الجزء الثاني Muhammad al-Idrisi
- Victor Guérin, Voyage archéologique dans la régence de Tunis, éd. Plon, Paris, 1862, p. 190.
- "Les normales climatiques en Tunisie entre 1981 2010" (in French). Ministère du Transport. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- "Données normales climatiques 1961-1990" (in French). Ministère du Transport. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- "Les extrêmes climatiques en Tunisie" (in French). Ministère du Transport. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- "Période ensoleillée 1981-2010 climatiques en Tunisie" (in French). Ministère du Transport. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- "Réseau des stations météorologiques synoptiques de la Tunisie" (in French). Ministère du Transport. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- "Gabès Climate Normals 1961–1990". NOAA. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- "Climate Normals 1991-2020". NOAA. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
- "60765: Gabes (Tunisia)". OGIMET. 31 July 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- "Gabès Climate and Weather Averages, Tunisia". Weather2Travel. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
- Oasis de Gabès - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.; Professor Emmanuel Akyeampong; Mr. Steven J. Niven (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. pp. 89–90. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5.
Notes
- The Station ID for Gabès is 46565111.
External links
- Gabès official website
- "Gabès: Oasis on the Sea" from Lexicorient Archived 2012-10-30 at the Wayback Machine