The rest of the country have been living in poverty despite the oil wealth.
Thousands of people arrived in the town looking for oil wealth.
As the oil wealth grew so too did the civil service.
The most challenging issue of all may be how to share the country's oil wealth.
Will oil wealth in Africa spread beyond a powerful few?
Given the substantial oil wealth, water is provided almost for free.
And having oil wealth is unlikely to save the day.
Iran has plenty of oil wealth and can buy anything from Europe or the black market.
But the demand for more local control over oil wealth cannot be dismissed just because of its source.
Particularly when popular control of Libya's oil wealth becomes possible.