Gafsa is the capital of Gafsa Governorate of Tunisia. It lends its Latin name to the Mesolithic Capsian culture. With a population of 84,676, it is the 9th-largest Tunisian city. Gafsa is the capital of the south west of Tunisia and is both a historical oasis and home to the mining industry of Tunisia. The city had 84,676 inhabitants at the 2004 census.The city lies 369 km (229 mi) by road southwest of Tunis. Its geographical coordinates are 34°25′N 8°47′E.. Historical sites findings in Gafsa suggest a thriving Mesolithic civilization dating back more than 15,000 years. The Roman pools in Gafsa, still used today, are a testament to its old history. Oqba Ibn Nafi conquered Gafsa in 688, however he faced resistance from the Berbers. In the second world war, Gafsa suffered heavy bombardment from the German/Italian & Allies armies and part of its Kasbah was destroyed. Phosphate mines were discovered as early as 1886, and Gafsa today is home to one of the largest mines of phosphate in the world. Gafsa has been a region with an active political voice all along its history, and various events have shaped its political contributions to the country across the various phases of modern Tunisia. On January 27, 1980 a group of dissidents armed and trained by Libya occupied the city to contest the regime of Habib Bourguiba at the time. 48 people were killed in the battles. In January 2008 Gafsa was the epicenter of a popular spontaneous uprising against the regime of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. While the government was swift and brutal in attempting to suppress the uprising, this movement is today credited for being the first seeds of the revolution that enabled the Tunisians to remove Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power and ignited the Arab spring in the rest of North Africa and the Middle East and beyond. Gafsa – Ksar International Airport is located in the city. El Kawafel Sportives de Gafsa (Arabic: القوافل الرياضية بقفصة, often referred to as EGSG) is the main football club of Gafsa. Radio Stations : Radio Gafsa (Governmental) | Frequencies : 87.8 FM, 93.5 FM and 91.8 FM, Mines FM or Sawt Elmanajem (Private) | Frequencies : 90.9 FM and other Government and Private Tunisian Radios Broadcast in Gafsa as Shems FM, RTCI, Youth Radio, Culture Radio, Zitouna, and the National Radio. Gafsa is twinned with: Italy Naples, Italy[2] Spain Palma de Mallorca, Spain.