# Gabès

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 wrote about 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.
Al-Tijani, in the 14th century, wrote about his trip to Gabès:
   "We spent the night in Oudhref, and on Monday morning, we set off. We came close to the forest of Gabès and reached it by midday. What we saw was a city overflowing with beauty, a place where every aspect of charm and grace had been fulfilled. I recall its more vivid appearance, its lush greenery, resembling the paradise of eternity, with its shimmering silk-like landscapes. Its forest encircled it from all sides. This forest contained forts and perfectly aligned palm trees that would capture anyone’s attention. The beauty and elegance of the place could truly fulfill the saying that Gabès is the paradise of the world, and that it is the ‘Little Damascus’—with its houses and streets. [..] However, among the discomforts surrounding the paradise of Gabès are the epidemics that often afflict it, and the various illnesses that plague its inhabitants. The cause of this, according to its people, is the abundance of oleander trees, which exude poison into the water as it flows, giving it bitterness and venom that harm the bodies of those who live there. For this reason, many of the faces of its people appear yellowed. In this city, there is also a decay, due to the large amount of rottenness. The only water sources that remain pure are the well known as the "Well of the Prince," and the other one called the "Well of Salam." The water from these wells remains untainted because it does not flow through the oleander trees. The first well is attributed to a well-known Azdi prince, known as Ibn Al-Saghir."
Victor Guérin, in 1862, wrote that:
   "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 Wadi of 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 serves 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) ||||||||||||||
Gabès mean sea temperature :
| 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
### Main sights

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 most visited place in Gabès is the town Matmata.
The streets of Gabès come alive at night during Ramadan, where souks are open on the streets and parties happen almost every day in the night during Ramadan.
Among the city's historical and religious landmarks, the Mosque of Sidi Boulbaba and The Mouradi school are one of the most notable. Also, The Zaouia of Sidi Ahmed Toujani, which is associated with the Tijani Sufi order and remains a center for spiritual gatherings.

### World Heritage Status

This Oasis of Gabès was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on May 28, 2008, in the Cultural category.

## Gallery

* Korniche of Gabès
* Bab Bhar

## 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)