::: MaxMaraLibya :::

Libya Tourism

Libya

Background:

Libya, the fourth largest state in Africa, is located in North Africa and lies between latitudes 33°N and approximately 20°N and longitudes 8°E and 25°E. It possesses a Mediterranean coastline of approximately 1820 Km in length. It is bordered by Egypt to the east, Sudan to the south-east, Chad and Niger to the south with Algeria and Tunisia to the west and north-west respectively. Libya has an area of approximately 1,775,500 sq. km, 3 times the surface area of France, and a population of about 4,500,000 (1995), the capital city being Tarabulus (Tripoli).

Libya

Geography

Top of Page

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:

25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,759,540 sq km

land: 1,759,540 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:

total: 4,383 km

border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline:

1,770 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 NM

note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Climate:

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain:

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m

highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use:

arable land: 1%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 8%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 91% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

4,700 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:

desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Libya

People

Top of Page

Population:

5,240,599

note: includes 662,669 non-nationals, of which an estimated 500,000 or more are Africans living in Libya (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 35.41% (male 947,645; female 907,854)

15-64 years: 60.64% (male 1,645,085; female 1,533,066)

65 years and over: 3.95% (male 101,701; female 105,248) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.42% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:

27.67 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:

3.51 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

28.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 75.65 years

male: 73.53 years

female: 77.88 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.64 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Nationality:

noun: Libyan(s)

adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups:

Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 97%

Languages:

Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 76.2%

male: 87.9%

female: 63% (1995 est.)

Libya

Government

Top of Page

Country name:

conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

conventional short form: Libya

local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma

local short form: none

Government type:

Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Capital:

Tripoli

Administrative divisions:

25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Independence:

24 December 1951 (from Italy)

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution:

11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Legal system:

based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state

head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000)

cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress

elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held NA)

election results: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected premier; percent of General People's Congress vote - NA%

Legislative branch:

unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Libya does not have an embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980

Flag description:

plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)