Start your acquaintance with Libya with a visit to Benghazi. This is a city on the Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean, to the southeast of Berenice. This is the largest city and the most populous area in Cyrenaica. Naturally, this is a vibrant city with an active life. Besides high population density, Benghazi is a port city, and this fact makes the local lifestyle even busier. This region has become home to many people from Egypt and Crete. In recent years, the number of immigrants from African countries has risen significantly. Greeks founded this city. This important event took place in 347 AD. Initially, Benghazi was a port city for Romans and Byzantines, but Arabians conquered the area in the 7th century. Wars didn’t stop with the Arabian reign, and the Ottoman Empire claimed the Benghazi region in the 16th century. The city remained a part of the empire until the beginning of the 20th century. Despite the power of the reigning force, Italians managed to conquer the city. At that time, Benghazi wasn’t a big settlement – its population was only twenty thousand people. Italians started developing the city, and so new buildings appeared in Benghazi soon after that. The city was growing in size, and the same happened to its port. Soon, the port became an important object, turning the city into a magnet for different forces during World War II. Thanks to the efforts of Libya’s people, who were eager to dethrone Mussolini and end his reign, it
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