MISRATAH

also spelled Misurata, town, northwestern Libya. It is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by a band of sand dunes and occupies a coastal oasis above an underground water table. The town originated about the 7th century as a caravan supply centre. By the 12th century, as Thubactis, it was engaged in interregional commerce. International trade developed through the port of Qasr Ahmad, or Misurata Marina (now closed), lying 7 miles (11 km) east on Cape Misratah, but the town reverted to a local market under Ottoman Turkish rule. By the 20th century, irrigation had greatly increased agricultural production, and the town, on the federal coastal road, became a main market and administrative centre. Old Misratah is characterized by Arab architecture and narrow arched or covered streets. The modern town, however, is a mixture of Turkish and European buildings with a public garden and tree-lined avenues. The town's market economy is supplemented by light manufactures (textiles and hardware) and handicrafts (carpets, basketry, and pottery). It is linked by the coastal highway that connects Tripoli with Banghazi and Cairo. Misratah is an educational centre with several seminaries, a technical college, and a primary-teacher-training institute and hospital facilities. Pop. (1988 est.) 121,669.