Libya

Jamahiriya (a state of the masses)Independence 24 December 1951 (from Italy)

Libya as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 72 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalTripoli Administration divisions

Area1,759,540 km2

Populationas each edition published it

4.48 million July 1992 · 4.22m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.73% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 22.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 63.47 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.9 children per woman 1992 · 5.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

60 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 64 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $5,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.2% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

1,759,540km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska

Coastline

1,770km

Territorial sea: 12 nmGulf of Sidra closing line: 32 degrees 30 minutes N

Land boundaries

4,383km

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

Disputes

claims and occupies the 100,000 km2 Aozou Strip in northern Chad;
maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia;
Libya claims about 19,400 km2 in northern Niger;
Libya claims about 19,400 km2 in southeastern Algeria

Climate

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Land use

arable land 1%;
permanent crops 0%;
meadows and pastures 8%;
forest and woodland 0%;
other 91%;
includes irrigated NEGL%

Environment

hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall;
desertification;
sparse natural surface-water resources

Note

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

People

14 fields

Population

4,484,795

(July 1992), growth rate 3.0% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

36Death

6Net migration

Literacy

64%

(male 75%, female 50%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Languages

Arabic; Italian and English widely understood in major cities

Labor force

1,000,000, includes about 280,000 resident foreigners; industry 31%, services 27%, government 24%, agriculture 18%

Organized labor

National Trade Unions' Federation, 275,000 members;
General Union for Oil and Petrochemicals;
Pan-Africa Federation of Petroleum Energy and Allied Workers

Government

Jamahiriya (a state of the masses)

20 fields

Long-form name

Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Tripoli Administration divisions *** 25 municipalities (baladiyah, singular - baladiyat; 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

Type

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

Capital

Tripoli Administration divisions

Administrative divisions

25 municipalities (baladiyah, singular - baladiyat; 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

Independence

24 December 1951 (from Italy)

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

National holiday

Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Executive branch

revolutionary leader, chairman of the General People's Committee (premier), General People's Committee (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral General People's Congress

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State:: Revolutionary Leader Col. Mu`ammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969)
Head of Government:: Chairman of the General People's Committee (Premier) Abu Zayd `umar DURDA (since 7 October 1990)

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

universal and compulsory at age 18

Elections

national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of peoples' committees

Other political or pressure groups

various Arab nationalist movements and the Arab Socialist Resurrection (Ba'th) party with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements

Member of

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

none

Flag

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

Economy

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

(1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

(1988 est.)

External debt

$3.5billion

excluding military debt (1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$8.1 billionExpenditures

$9.8 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (1989 est.)

Overview

The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-third of GDP. Since 1980, however, the sharp drop in oil prices and the resulting decline in export revenues have adversely affected economic development.

In 1988 per capita GDP was the highest in Africa at $5,410, but GDP growth rates have slowed and fluctuate sharply in response to changes in the world oil market. Import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs, although the reopening of the Libyan-Tunisian border in April 1988 and the Libyan-Egyptian border in December 1989 have somewhat eased shortages.

Austerity budgets and a lack of trained technicians have undermined the government's ability to implement a number of planned infrastructure development projects. Windfall revenues from the hike in world oil prices in late 1990 improved the foreign payments position and resulted in a current account surplus for the first time in five years.

The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 22% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Although agriculture accounts for about 5% of GDP, it employs about 20% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food requirements.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $28.9 billion, per capita $6,800; real growth rate 9% (1990 est.)

Exports

$11 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:: petroleum, peanuts, hides
partners:: Italy, USSR, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium/Luxembourg, Turkey

Imports

$7.6 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods
partners:: Italy, USSR, Germany, UK, Japan

Industrial production

growth rate - 4%; accounts for 22% of GDP (not including oil) (1989)

Electricity

4,700,000 kW capacity; 13,700 million kWh produced, 3,100 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Agriculture

5% of GNP;
cash crops - wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus fruits, peanuts;
75% of food is imported

Economic aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $242 million; no longer a recipient

Currency

Libyan dinar (plural - dinars); 1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams

Exchange rates

Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1 - 0.2743 (March 1992), 0.2669 (1991), 0.2699 (1990), 0.2922 (1989), 0.2853 (1988), 0.2706 (1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Merchant marine, 30 ships by typeone square, one ship

short-sea passenger 3cargo 11roll-on/roll-off 4petroleum tanker 10chemical tanker 1liquefied gas 130 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 684,969 GRT/1,209,084 DWT

Airports, 133 total, 120 usable

permanent-surface runways

53runways | over 3,659 m

9runways 2,440-3,659 m

28runways 1,220-2,439 m

Pipelines

crude oil 4,383 km;
natural gas 1,947 km;
petroleum products 443 km (includes liquid petroleum gas 256 km)

Ports

Tobruk, Tripoli, Banghazi, Misratah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf

Civil air

59 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

modern telecommunications system using radio relay, coaxial cable, tropospheric scatter, and domestic satellite stations;
370,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 17 AM, 3 FM, 12 TV;
satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and 14 domestic;
submarine cables to France and Italy;
radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;
tropospheric scatter to Greece;
planned ARABSAT and Intersputnik satellite stations