Al Fashir, Al-Fashir or El Fasher (Arabic: الفاشر‎‎) is the capital city of North Darfur, Sudan. It is a large town in the Darfur region of northwestern Sudan, 195 kilometers (121 mi) northeast of Nyala, Sudan. [1] A historical caravan post, Al-Fashir is located at an elevation of about 700 meters (2,300 ft). The town serves as an agricultural marketing point for the cereals and fruits grown in the surrounding region. Al-Fashir is linked by road with both Al-Junaynah and Umm Kaddadah. Al-Fashir had 264,734 residents as of 2006, an increase from 2001 when the population was estimated to be 178,500. Due to the nearby Abu Shouk and Al Salam IDP camps with the influx of humanitarian aid from the United Nations as a result of the Darfur crisis, the city has experienced a significant economic and population boom. Rents and retail sales increased, including the selling of bottled water and the opening of a pizza parlor to cater to the demand from western aid workers. The number of gas stations has tripled in three years as a result of the increase in a number of automobiles in the city. Employment opportunities also increased as the United Nations offered jobs to citizens. Economics analyst Adam Ahmed stated that the “people [of Al-Fashir] are beginning to think in a more business-minded way” to make the most of their situation. Al Fashir University was created in 1990 by decree of President Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir and was officially opened in February 1991 in premises west of El Fasher Airport and south of the El Fashir School.