Qalat Sukkar

Qalat Sukkar (Arabic: قلعة سكر, romanized: Qal`at es Sikar, lit. 'Sugar Castle') is a town in the Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq, located on the Gharraf Canal.

Sikkar Castle قلعة سكر Qal‘at es Sikkar
Sikkar Castle Location in Iraq
Coordinates: 31°51′32″N 46°04′38″E
Country	Iraq
Governorate	Dhi Qar Governorate
Elevation	39 ft (12 m)
Population  (2014)
• Total	110,000
Time zone	5

Bridge over the Gharraf Canal at Qalat Sukkar

Demographics

Qalat Sukkar has a population of 110,000.^[1]

Location

Qalat Sukar is located on a ridge west of the Gharraf Canal (the old canal that the Sumerians dug up some 4000 years ago). Qalat Sukar is 6 km northeast of the remains of the ancient Sumerian city of Larsa.^[2] A modern drainage canal separates Qalat Sukar from Larsa Tell.^[2]

James Abbott Sauer and Khair Yassine, believe that because of the name, and the former marshlands in the area,^[3] it is likely that Qalat Sukar was originally the site of a sugar mill,^[4] constructed after sugarcane was introduced into the area in the ninth century.^[5]

The nearest large city is An Nasiriyah, Iraq with a population of 587,000.

Airfield

During the Iraq War, the Qalat Sukkar Airfield was occupied by the US Marines and called Camp Fenway.^[6]