The Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the 17th largest country in the world in terms of area, is located in North Africa. Libya borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west. It is the 4th largest nation in Africa. Tripoli is the capital of Libya.
HISTORY:- The Berber tribes were the first to reside in Libya. Around the 7th century, the western part of Libya-Tripolitania came under Greek rule and the eastern part of Libya-Cyrenaica came under Phoenician rule. Carthaginia conquered Tripolitania for a brief span of time before the Roman Empire took control over the region from 46 BC. to 436 AD. The Roman Empire was overpowered by the Vandals. On the other hand, Cyrenaica came under the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC until its fall. The Arabs invaded both Tripolitania and Cyrenaica in 642 and around the beginning of the 16th century, both the provinces fell into the Ottoman rule. After the Italo-Turkish War in 1911, Italy conquered Tripoli. From 1912 to 1927 Libya was known as the Italian North Africa. The Italian governors separated Libya into Italian Cyrenaica and Italian Tripolitania until 1934 when Italian authority united Tripolitania and Cyrenaica to form the colony of Libya. From 1943 to 1951, Tripolitania and Cyrenaica came under British rule while Fezzan came under French rule. In 1951 United Kingdom of Libya was declared and Libya gained independence.
GEOGRAPHY:- Libya is located at 25 00 N, 17 00 E in Northern Africa. The 17th largest country of the world, Libya captures total 1,759,540 sq km area with no internal water sources. The coastline is 1,770 km long bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The lowest point is Sabkhat Ghuzayyil (-47 m) and the highest point is Bikku Bitti (2,267 m). Libya is mostly formed of unfertile, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, and depressions. The Libyan Desert covers most of the eastern part of the nation.
CLIMATE:- The climate of Libya varies from Mediterranean along the coasts to dry and extreme desert in the interior.
GOVERNMENT:- Libya is a Jamahiriya. There is no formal constitution in the country. The legal system is modeled after the Italian and French civil law systems with some traces of Islamic law influences. The three major branches of the government are:
Executive branch comprises the chief of state, the Secretary of the General People's Committee, popularly known as the Prime minister and cabinet or the General People's Committee. Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi is the chief of state which is a de facto title. The General People's Committee is formed by the General People's Congress.
Legislative branch comprises the unicameral General People's Congress (approximately 2,700 seats).
Judicial branch comprises the Supreme Court.
Political parties are strictly prohibited in Libya. Suffrage is universal and compulsory at the age of 18.
Leader and Guide of the Revolution Muammar al-Gaddafi
Secretary General of the General People's Congress Miftah Muhammed K'eba
Prime Minister Nezar Alhosain Geloshy
Secretary General of the General People's Congress Miftah Muhammed K'eba
Prime Minister Nezar Alhosain Geloshy
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:- Libya is divided into 25 municipalities.
CULTURE:- The influences of the Bedouin culture in prominent in the cultural activities in Libya. Libyan folk culture is very rich. Tuareg music is a very popular music genre in the nation.
ECONOMY:- Libyan oil sector is the backbone of its economy which provides almost 95% of the total foreign exchange, 60% of total public sector wages, and 25% of the total GDP. The country has the 3rd highest GDP (PPP) per capita among the African countries.
GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $48.29 billion; per capita $ $8,400.
Real growth rate: 8.5%.
Inflation: –1%.
Unemployment: 30% (2004 est.).
Arable land: 1%.
Agriculture: Wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle.
Labor force: 1.64 million; agriculture 17%, industry 23%, services 60% (2004 est.).
Industries: Petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement.
Budget:
Revenues: $39.85 billion
Expenditures: $19.47 billion (2007 est.)
Revenues: $39.85 billion
Expenditures: $19.47 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt: 4.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Debt - external: $4.837 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, gypsum.
Exports: $30.79 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas.
Imports: $10.82 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery, transport equipment, semi-finished goods, food, consumer products.
Major trading partners: Italy, Germany, Spain, Turkey, France, South Korea, UK, Tunisia (2004).
Monetary unit: Libyan dinar
LANGUAGE:- Arabic is the official language of Libya. Italian are English are also widely spoken and understood in the major cities of the country.
CITIES:- The capital Tripoli is the largest city of Libya. Benghazi is another large city of Libya.
POPULATION:- The estimated population of Libya is 6,036,914 with a growth rate of 2.3%.
Density per sq mi: 9
Literacy rate: 83% (2003 est.)
Density per sq mi: 9
Literacy rate: 83% (2003 est.)
RACE:-
Berber and Arab 97%
Other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)
Berber and Arab 97%
Other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)
RELIGION:-
Sunni Muslim 97%
Other 3%
Sunni Muslim 97%
Other 3%
HEALTH:-
Birth rate: 25.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: 3.46 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 21.94 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.07 years
Total fertility rate: 3.15 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2005): 275
Birth rate: 25.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: 3.46 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 21.94 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.07 years
Total fertility rate: 3.15 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2005): 275
UNICEF:- HIV is a major issue in Libya. UNICEF partners with the police, judiciary, NGOs and several youth organizations to fight against the transmission of HIV. UNICEF provides trainings to the members of the NGOs. Drug abuse is the main reason of HIV transmission in Libya. The government also launched a National AIDS Program in 2002 to combat HIV. Mosques, sports clubs and community gatherings supported the programmes. UNICEF collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Libyan Government to reduce polio rates. UNICEF works with WHO and the National Expanded Programme in immunizing against various diseases and also promotes general awareness.
TRANSPORTATION:-
Railways: 0 km.
Highways: Total: 83,200 km; paved: 47,590 km; unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.). Waterways: None.
Ports and harbors: Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah.
Airports: 141 (2007); paved runways: total: 60; unpaved runways: total: 81.
Railways: 0 km.
Highways: Total: 83,200 km; paved: 47,590 km; unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.). Waterways: None.
Ports and harbors: Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah.
Airports: 141 (2007); paved runways: total: 60; unpaved runways: total: 81.
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