Editing Awjila (section)

==Recent years==

Today the main activities of the people in Awjila are agriculture and working for the oil sector companies, as this area is the cradle of Libyan wealth.
The main crops are dates from the many varieties of palm trees, tomatoes, and cereals.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}
The Awjila oasis is known for the high quality of its dates.{{sfn|Awjila: Libyan Tourism}}
Starting in the 1960s, the oil industry drove growth in the once-sleepy village.{{sfn|Mason|1982|p=323}}
In 1968 the population of the village was about 2,000 people, but by 1982 it had risen to over 4,000, supported by twelve mosques.{{sfn|Mason|1982|p=322}}
A 2007 travel guide gives the population as 6,790.{{sfn|Ham|2007|p=131}}

The [[Atiq Mosque (Awjila)|Great Mosque of Atiq]] is the oldest ''masjed'' ([[mosque]]) in the [[Sahara]] with its unique style of architecture with rooms that are naturally air conditioned. In the scorching heat of the summer days the rooms are cool and at night they are warm.{{sfn|Awjila: MVM Travel}}
The oasis was a destination for viewing the [[Solar eclipse of March 29, 2006]].{{sfn|Atiq Mosque: Atlas Obscura}}