In historical times, Ghat was an important terminal point on a trans-Saharan trade route and a major administrative center in the Fezzan.

It was a stronghold for the Kel Ajjer Tuareg federation whose territory covered most of south-western Libya—including Ubari, Sabha and Ghadames, plus south-eastern Algeria (Djanet and Illizi).

Ghat and its inhabitants were described in great detail by the English traveller James Richardson in his journeys across the Libyan Sahara of 1845–1846.

On 21 November 1949, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution stating that Libya should become independent before 1 January 1952.

[5] The Fezzan campaign and border proximity were the regional components that included Ghat in the Libyan Civil War.

Ghat is an important tourist destination due to the existence of prehistoric rock paintings and engravings in the neighboring Tadrart Acacus and Tassili N'Ajjer mountains, in addition to the beauty of the surrounding desert landscapes.