Assab
| Assab ዓሰብ, ʿAsäb (Tigrinya) عصب (Arabic) | |
|---|---|
| City | |
  Assab Location in Eritrea | |
| Coordinates: 13°00′28″N 42°44′28″E / 13.00778°N 42.74111°E | |
| Country |
 Eritrea |
| Region | Southern Red Sea |
| District | Southern Denkalya |
| Elevation | 16 m (52 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 101,284 |
Assab or Aseb (Tigrinya: ዓሰብ?, ʿAsäb; Arabic: عصب) is a port city in the Southern Red Sea Region of Eritrea. It is situated on the west coast of the Red Sea.
Overview
Assab is known for its large market, beaches and nightlife. It is served by the Assab International Airport.
In 1989, Assab had a population of 39,600 inhabitants. It possesses an oil refinery, which was shut down in 1997 for economic reasons. Nearby is the site of the ancient city of Arsinoe.
Climate
Assab has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) typical of the Danakil Region. The climate is hyper-arid, extremely dry and extremely hot. The city receives an extremely low average annual rainfall amount with a bit more than 40 mm (1.57 in) and consistently experiences soaringly high temperatures both during the day and during the night. The annual mean average temperature approaches 31 °C (87.8 °F) and it's one of the highest found in the world. The combination of strong rain shortage and extreme heat makes the city a desert one. The sky is always clear and bright throughout the year.
| Climate data for Assab | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 31.3 (88.3) |
31.7 (89.1) |
33.8 (92.8) |
36.0 (96.8) |
37.0 (98.6) |
38.0 (100.4) |
39.6 (103.3) |
39.1 (102.4) |
37.4 (99.3) |
36.5 (97.7) |
33.9 (93) |
31.6 (88.9) |
35.5 (95.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.3 (79.3) |
26.7 (80.1) |
28.5 (83.3) |
30.5 (86.9) |
32.0 (89.6) |
33.1 (91.6) |
35.0 (95) |
34.6 (94.3) |
32.9 (91.2) |
31.2 (88.2) |
28.8 (83.8) |
26.9 (80.4) |
30.5 (86.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 21.3 (70.3) |
21.7 (71.1) |
23.2 (73.8) |
25.1 (77.2) |
27.0 (80.6) |
28.5 (83.3) |
30.3 (86.5) |
29.9 (85.8) |
28.5 (83.3) |
26.0 (78.8) |
23.7 (74.7) |
22.2 (72) |
25.6 (78.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 4.0 (0.157) |
6.7 (0.264) |
1.8 (0.071) |
3.6 (0.142) |
1.7 (0.067) |
0.2 (0.008) |
6.9 (0.272) |
2.8 (0.11) |
1.1 (0.043) |
1.0 (0.039) |
4.5 (0.177) |
4.8 (0.189) |
39.1 (1.539) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Source: NOAA[1] | |||||||||||||
History
In 1869 it was bought by the Rubattino Shipping Company from the local Sultan, and was acquired by Italy (1882) who found the port inadequate for exploitation of its hinterlands, and came to use Assab as a coaling station.[2] It was granted to Ethiopia in addition to Massawa and the rest of Eritrea in 1952 when Eritrea was federated with Ethiopia.
Economy
The port facilities were greatly expanded in the early 1990s, with the construction of the new terminal, but the port has declined since trade with Ethiopia was terminated in 1998 as a consequence of the Eritrean-Ethiopian War.
References
- ↑ "Assab Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- ↑ Edward Ullendorff, The Ethiopians: An Introduction to Country and People, second edition (London: Oxford University Press, 1965), p. 90. ISBN 0-19-285061-X.
External links
-
"Assab". New International Encyclopedia. 1905.
Coordinates: 13°01′N 42°44′E / 13.017°N 42.733°E