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Musaid

Coordinates: 31°34′33″N 25°2′23″E / 31.57583°N 25.03972°E / 31.57583; 25.03972
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Musaid
امساعد
Imsasd, Msaad
Town
Musaid is located in Libya
Musaid
Musaid
Location in Libya
Coordinates: 31°34′33″N 25°2′23″E / 31.57583°N 25.03972°E / 31.57583; 25.03972
Country Libya
RegionCyrenaica
DistrictButnan
Population
 (2006)[1]
 • Total7,139
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)

Musaid or Imsaad (Arabic: امساعد) is a town in Butnan District in eastern Libya. Alternates names include: Oistant, Msa'ed, Imsa'ed, and Musa'ed. Musaid lies approximately 150 kilometres (93 miles) east of Tobruk and is the major border crossing between Libya and Egypt.

History

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Musaid was the site of heavy fighting during the brief Libyan–Egyptian War of 1977. This war, the break-off of Libyan-Egyptian diplomatic relations, and the resultant trade embargo with Egypt, had a very negative impact on Musaid. For example, Musaid's population shrank from 4,330 in 1973 to 3,200 in 1984 (-26.1%),[2] while overall Libya's population rose in the same period by 60.30%.[3]

Culture

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Nearby is the Sidi Shahir Ruhih shrine.[4]

Economy

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Musaid's economy depended heavily on trade between Egypt and Libya. After the 1977 war and the follow-on trade embargo with Egypt, this was replaced in part by smuggling, aided by the close tribal ties across the border.[5] In 2008, the Libyan government acted to suppress the smugglers.[5]

Border crossing

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As of autumn 2010, a large suite of new border facilities is under construction.[citation needed]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Amraja M. el Khajkhaj, "Noumou al Mudon as Sagheera fi Libia", Dar as Saqia, Benghazi-2008, p.120
  2. ^ El Hadi Mustapha Bulegma, & Saad Khalil Kezeiri (ed.), "Al Jamahiriya: Dirasa fil Jughrafia", Ad Dar al Jamahiriya lil nashr wa tawzee wa e'lan, Surt, Libya, 1995, pp. 414, 418
  3. ^ Subhi Gannus (ed.), "Libia ath Thawra fi Thalatheena Aaman", Ad Dar al Jamahiriya lil nashr wa tawzee wa e'lan, Misrata, Libya, p.67
  4. ^ "Sīdī Shāhir Rūḩih, in Ţubruq, Libya" Travelingluck.com, accessed 9 May 2009
  5. ^ a b "عاجل : وجود تمركز مكثف لقوات الأمن العام ( الدعم المركزي ) بمنطقة ..." ("public security forces concentrated in distant border region") Archived 2009-10-28 at the Wayback Machine 14 November 2008, Panorama Libya, in Arabic
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