Libya

Socialist People's Libyan Arab JamahiriyaAl Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishirakiyah

Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populaceIndependence 24 December 1951 (from Italy)

Libya as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 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

Area1,759,540 km2

LocationNorthern Africa, on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, between

Populationas each edition published it

4.87 million July 1993 est. · 4.22m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.73% 1993 est. · 1.35% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 22.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

63.47 years 1993 est. · 77.7 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.44 children per woman 1993 est. · 5.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

65.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 64 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$5,800 1992 est. · $12,300 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

0.2% 1992 est. · -0.6% in 2025

Geography

Northern Africa, on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, between | Egypt and Tunisia

14 fields

Land useshare of 1,759,540 km2

arable land 2%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 8%forest and woodland 0%other 90%irrigated 2,420 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

1,759,540km2

land area: 1,759,540 km2comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska

Coastline

1,770km

territorial sea: 12 nmGulf of Sidra closing line: 32 degrees 30 minutes north

Land boundaries

4,383km

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

Location

Northern Africa, on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

claims and occupies the Aozou Strip in northern Chad;
maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia;
Libya claims part of northern Niger and part of southeastern Algeria

Climate

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

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

4,872,598

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.73% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

45.66Death

8.37Net migration

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years63.47

61.35 · 65.7

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy64%

75% · 50%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Labor force

1million

includes about 280,000 resident foreignersby occupation: industry 31%, services 27%, government 24%, agriculture 18%

Infant mortality rate

65.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Libyan(s)
adjective:: Libyan

Ethnic divisions

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

Languages

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

Government

Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace

21 fields

Names

conventional long form:: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
conventional short form:: Libya
local long form:: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishirakiyah
local short form:: none

Type

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

Administrative divisions

25 municipalities (baladiyah, singular - baladiyat);
Ajdabiya, Al 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

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Elections

national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of peoples' committees

Executive branch

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

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)

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 in US

none

US diplomatic representation

none

Flag

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

Economy

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$5,800

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

0.2%

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 10.5%; accounts for 7.6% of GDP (not including oil) (1990)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1991 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. In 1990 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 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 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum.

Although agriculture accounts for only 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.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $26.1 billion (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$9.71 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:: crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas
partners:: Italy, former USSR, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium/Luxembourg, Turkey

Imports

$8.66 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

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

Electricity

4,935,000 kW capacity; 14,385 million kWh produced, 2,952 kWh per capita (1992)

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

1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams

Exchange rates

Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1 - 0.2998 (January 1993), 0.3013 (1992), 0.2684 (1991), 0.2699 (1990), 0.2922 (1989), 0.2853 (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 32 ships by typeone square, one ship

short-sea passenger 4cargo 11roll-on/roll-off 4oil tanker 10chemical tanker 1liquefied gas 232 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 694,883 GRT/1,215,494 DWT

Railroads

Libya has had no railroad in operation since 1965, all previous systems having been dismantled;
current plans are to construct a standard gauge (1.435 m) line from the Tunisian frontier to Tripoli and Misratah, then inland to Sabha, center of a mineral rich area, but there has been no progress;
other plans made jointly with Egypt would establish a rail line from As Sallum, Egypt to Tobruk with completion set for mid-1994, progress unknown

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

Ports

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

Airports

total:: 138
usable:: 124
with permanent-surface runways:: 56
with runways over 3,659 m:: 9
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 27
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 47

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