Az Zubayr () is a city in and the capital of Al-Zubayr District, part of the Basra Governorate of Iraq. The city is just south of Basra.
History of Zubayr
Early history
The city was named al-Zubayr because one of the Sahaba (companions) of Muhammad, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, was buried there.
The city had a large Najdi (now central Saudi Arabia) population who migrated for over four centuries. They built the first neighborhood, Al‑Kut, which still bears that name, establishing Zubair in 1003 AH as a Najdi settlement. The Najdis worked as merchants and the town expanded significantly, becoming larger and more developed than Kuwait.
21st century By 2008, the city of Zubayr had a population of around 240,000 people and had grown to merge into the Basra metropolitan area with nearly 3 million inhabitants in total. As in Basra, the municipality of Zubayr currently has a Shia majority and is barely distinguishable from Basra itself. But, contrary to Basra, Zubair is still home to a large Sunni minority and they are still living peacefully and in coexistence with the majority Shia Muslim population.
Climate Az Zubayr has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh). In winter there is more rainfall than in summer. The average annual temperature in Az Zubayr is . About of precipitation falls annually.
References
External links Iraq Image - Az Zubayr Satellite Observation