Benghazi

Home > ... > Places > Africa > Libyan Political Geography > ...

Benghazi

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Benghazi or Bengasi , city (1985 est. pop. 490,500), capital of Benghazi municipality, NE Libya, the main city of Cyrenaica and a port on the Mediterranean Sea. It is primarily an administrative and commercial center. Manufactures include processed food, beverages, textiles, and cement. On the site of Benghazi the Greeks founded (7th cent. BC) the colony of Hesperides, which was later (3d cent. BC) renamed Berenice after the wife of Ptolemy III of Egypt. Under the Romans, who conquered it in the mid-1st cent. BC, the city had a large Jewish colony. In the 5th cent. AD, the Vandals severely damaged the city, and in the 7th cent. it was captured by the Arabs. The Ottoman Turks took the city in the mid-16th cent., and they held it until it was captured by Italy in 1911. The Italians modernized the city and enlarged its port. At the start of World War II, Benghazi had about 22,000 Italian inhabitants, but they were evacuated before the city fell to the British in late 1942. From 1951 to 1972, Benghazi was the cocapital (with Tripoli) of Libya. The city is the site of Garyounes Univ., founded in 1955.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-Benghazi" title="Facts and information about Benghazi">Benghazi</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Benghazi." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Benghazi." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (December 10, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Benghazi.html

"Benghazi." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved December 10, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Benghazi.html

Learn more about citation styles

Benghazi

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | © World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Benghazi (Banghazi) City on the ne shore of the Gulf of Sidra, Libya. Founded by the Greeks in the 6th century bc, Benghazi was captured by the Italians in 1911. Libya's second largest city, Benghazi is a commercial and industrial centre for Cyrenaica province. Industries: salt processing, shipping, oil refining. Pop. (1995) 544,084.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O142-Benghazi" title="Facts and information about Benghazi">Benghazi</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Benghazi." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Benghazi." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (December 10, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Benghazi.html

"Benghazi." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved December 10, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Benghazi.html

Learn more about citation styles

Benghazi

Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names | 2005 | | © Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Benghazi (Banghāzī), Libya Hesperides/Euesperides, Berenice Founded by the Greeks in the 7th century bc as Hesperides ‘Daughters of the Sunset’, the three daughters of Hesperus, the evening star in Greek mythology. To this name, after the occupation of Cyrenaica, Ptolemy III, Egyptian Pharaoh (c.246–221 bc), added Berenice in the 4th century bc in honour of his wife. By marrying Ptolemy III, Berenice II (c.269–221 bc), daughter of the King of Cyrene, reunited her country with Egypt. Her name, Berenikhe in Greek, was the name of the queens of the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt and was derived from pherenike ‘bringer of victory’. Benghazi may come from banī ğāzī ‘Sons of the Conqueror’ from banī, the plural of ibn ‘son’; ğāzī usually means ‘Defenders of Islam’ or ‘Warriors for the Faith’. Alternatively, it may be named after Sidi Ghazi, a locally buried saint.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O209-Benghazi" title="Facts and information about Benghazi">Benghazi</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Benghazi." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. Oxford University Press. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Benghazi." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. Oxford University Press. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (December 10, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Benghazi.html

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Benghazi." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. Oxford University Press. 2005. Retrieved December 10, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Benghazi.html

Learn more about citation styles

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

RJ inaugurates direct service to Benghazi.
Newspaper article from: UMCI News (Potomac Falls, VA); 6/10/2009; 646 words ; ...between Amman and the Libyan city of Benghazi. It thus puts the destination back on...around 30 years of suspended service. Benghazi was among the first Arab cities RJ began...between Amman and the Libyan city of Benghazi. It thus puts the destination back on...
Agreement on international Benghazi Families Support Fund.
M2 Presswire; 12/23/2005; 690 words ; ...Government: Agreement on international Benghazi Families Support Fund(C)1994-2005...December between the Association of the Benghazi Families, the Bulgarian Civil Association...December meeting that an International Benghazi Families Support Fund be established...
RJ resumes direct flights to Benghazi on June 1.
Newspaper article from: TradeArabia (Manama, Bahrain); 5/31/2009; 601 words ; ...between Amman and the Libyan city of Benghazi from tomorrow (June 1), after...suspending services around 30 years ago. Benghazi was among the first Arab cities...will meet with the authorities of Benghazi International Airport to discuss...
Royal Jordan to resume Benghazi flights.
Newspaper article from: TradeArabia (Manama, Bahrain); 3/15/2009; 542 words ; ...start services between Amman and the Libyan city of Benghazi, after 30 years. The airline will operate a direct, regular, twice-weekly service to Benghazi from June 1. Benghazi was among the first Arab cities RJ began serving...
Statement by EU Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner on Libyan Court Verdict on the Benghazi Case.
Business Wire; 12/19/2006; 700+ words ; ...Palestinian medical personnel involved in the Benghazi case, European Commissioner for External...other partners with the families of the Benghazi children." The Supreme Court cancelled...working with the Libyan authorities on the Benghazi AIDS tragedy, where more than 400 children...
Royal Jordanian launches flight to Benghazi.
News Wire article from: ADP News Middle East & Africa; 6/1/2009; 467 words ; ...of today direct flights between Amman and Benghazi, northern Libya, Al Rai daily reported today. Royal Jordanian resumes flying to Benghazi after a break of almost 30 years. Benghazi was one of the first Arab cities to which...
RJ launches direct flights between Amman, Benghazi
News Wire article from: Xinhua News Agency; 6/1/2009; 369 words ; ...launches direct flights between Amman, Benghazi AMMAN, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Jordan...Amman and Libya's second largest city Benghazi, said RJ spokesman Basel Kilani. The...Friday at 12:00 p.m. and arrives in Benghazi at 2:05 p.m. local time, and then...
EU rejects Libyan court verdict on Benghazi AIDS case
News Wire article from: Xinhua News Agency; 12/19/2006; 445 words ; EU rejects Libyan court verdict on Benghazi AIDS case BRUSSELS, Dec. 19 (Xinhua...for the medical workers involved in the Benghazi AIDS case. The Libyan Criminal Court...children and mothers in a hospital in Benghazi, Libya's second largest city. "We...
Benghazi buries dead in aftermath of attack on Italian consulate over prophet drawings
News Wire article from: AP Worldstream; 2/19/2006; ; 439 words ; ...in rioting at the Italian consulate in Benghazi over drawings of the Prophet Muhammad...members to claim them. Local leaders in Benghazi, meanwhile, ordered the city's security...pressure for allegedly fueling that fury in Benghazi by displaying a T-shirt he wore emblazoned...
EC releases 1 million as urgent support for Libyan fight against AIDS/ HIV epidemic in Benghazi
Newspaper article from: Al Bawaba; 7/13/2005; 595 words ; ...fight against the AIDS/HIV epidemic in Benghazi. This money will pay for urgent policy...authorities and upgrade the capacity of the Benghazi Centre for Infectious Diseases and Immunology...the longer-term "HIV Action Plan for Benghazi". The Action Plan was launched by the...

Pictures from Google Image Search

Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture

For students and teachers!

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Current Benghazi News:

Libya Admits to Torturing Medics

(8/10/2007 10:07:03 AM)