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Beersheba

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Beer-Sheva

  • בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע
  • بئر السبع
Hebrew transcription(s)
 • Forby speltBeer-Sheva / Be'er Sheva (offeecial)
Beersheba (unoffeecial)
Frae Upper left: Beersheba Ceety Haw, Ben-Gurion Varsity o the Negev, Negev Museum o Airt, view o doun toun, Volunteers square, Be'er Sheva at nicht.
Beer-Sheva is located in Israel
Beer-Sheva
Beer-Sheva
Coordinates: 31°15′32″N 34°47′58.95″E / 31.25889°N 34.7997083°E / 31.25889; 34.7997083Coordinates: 31°15′32″N 34°47′58.95″E / 31.25889°N 34.7997083°E / 31.25889; 34.7997083
Kintra Israel
DestrictSoothren
Govrenment
 • TeepCeety
 • MayorRuvik Danilovich
Area
 • Total117.5 km2 (45.4 sq mi)
Elevation
260 m (850 ft)
Population
 (2015)[1]
 • Total203,604
 • Density1,700/km2 (4,500/sq mi)
Name meaninWell o the Oath or Seiven Wells(see also)
Websitewww.beer-sheva.muni.il

Beersheba (Offeecially Be'er Sheva; Hebrew: בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע‬, Greek: Βηρσαβεε; Laitin: Bersabee; Arabic: بئر السبع‎, Bi'r as-Sab` ; Turkis: Birüssebi) is the lairgest ceety in the Negev desert o soothren Israel. Aften referred tae as the "Caipital o the Negev", it is the seivent-lairgest ceety in Israel wi a population o 203,604.

Beersheba grew in importance in the 19t century, when the Ottoman Turks biggit a regional polis station thare. The Battle o Beersheba wis pairt o a wider Breetish offensive in Warld War I aimed at breakin the Turkish defensive line frae Gaza tae Beersheba. In 1947, Bir Seb'a (Arabic: بيئر شيبع‎), as it wis kent, wis envisioned as pairt o the Arab state in the Unitit Naitions Partition Plan for Palestine. When the Arabs rejectit the Unitit Naitions resolution declarin Israel an independent state, the Egyptian airmy amassed its forces in Beersheba as a strategic an logistical base. In October 1948, the ceety wis conquered bi the Israel Defense Forces.[2]

Beersheba haes grown considerably syne then. A lairge portion o the population is made up o Jews who immigratit frae Arab kintras efter 1948, an haes been significantly boostit syne 1990 bi immigrants frae Ethiopie an the umwhile Soviet Union. Wi the influx o Roushie immigrants, chess became a major sport in Beersheba. The ceety is nou Israel's naitional chess center, hame tae mair chess grandmaisters than ony ceety in the warld.

Etymology

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Thare are several etymologies for the oreegin o the name "Beersheba":

  • The oath o Abraham an Abimelech (well o the oath)
  • The seiven wells dug bi Isaac (seiven wells), tho anerlie three or fower hae been identified
  • The oath o Isaac an Abimelech (well o the oath)
  • The seiven ewes that sealed Abraham an Abimelech's oath (well o the seiven).

Be'er is the Hebrew wird for well; sheva coud mean "seiven" or "oath" (frae the Hebrew wird shvu'a).

Twin touns — Sister ceeties

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The follaein are ceeties an towns wi which Beersheba haes a toun twinnin agreement:[3]

 

References

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  1. "List of localities, in Alphabetical order" (PDF). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  2. Guide to Israel, Zev Vilnay, Hamakor Press, Jerusalem, 1972, pp.309-14
  3. "International Relations of the City of Beersheba". Beersheba Municipality. Archived frae the original on 9 December 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2008. (in Ebreu)
  4. "Partner Cities of Lyon and Greater Lyon". © 2008 Mairie de Lyon. Archived frae the original on 19 Julie 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
  5. "Sister Relationships: Sister Cities, States, Counties & Ports". Office of Lieutenant Governor of the state of Washington. Archived frae the original on 27 Julie 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2008.