Libya
Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab JamahiriyaAl Jamahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uthma
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councilsIndependence 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)
Libya as the 2010 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 135 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy."
QADHAFI has always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987.
UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. During the 1990s, QADHAFI began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya accepted responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing. In December 2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction and to renounce terrorism.
QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to Brussels in April 2004. The US rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June 2006. In January 2008, Libya assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.
In August 2008, the US and Libya signed a bilateral comprehensive claims settlement agreement to compensate claimants in both countries who allege injury or death at the hands of the other country, including the Lockerbie bombing, the LaBelle disco bombing, and the UTA 772 bombing. In October 2008, the US Government received $1.5 billion pursuant to the agreement to distribute to US national claimants, and as a result effectively normalized its bilateral relationship with Libya.
The two countries then exchanged ambassadors for the first time since 1973 in January 2009. Libya in May 2010 was elected to its first three-year seat on the UN Human Rights Council, prompting protests from international non-governmental organizations and human rights campaigners.
Geography
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
20 fieldsLand useshare of 1,759,540 sq km
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 4.27 cu km/yr (14%/3%/83%)
- per capita:
- 730 cu m/yr (2000)
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;
- 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:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- Law of the Sea
People
22 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2010 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.96 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.05 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Ethnic groups
Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)
Government
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); Secretary of the General People's Committee (Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006)
19 fieldsCountry name
- conventional long form:
- Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
- conventional short form:
- Libya
- local long form:
- Al Jamahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uthma
- local short form:
- none
Government type
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state
Capital
- name:
- Tripoli (Tarabulus)
- geographic coordinates:
- 32 53 N, 13 10 E
- time difference:
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
- 22 states (shabiyat, singular - shabiyat);
- Al Butnan, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jabal Al Gharbi, Al Jafarah, Al Jafrah, Al Kafrah, Al Maraj, Al Marqab, Al Murzuq, Al Wahat, An Nuqat al Khams, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghat, Misratah, Nalut, Sibha, Surt, Tarabulus, Wadi al Hayat, Wadi ash Shati
Constitution
- none;
- note - following the September 1969 military overthrow of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in December 1969;
- in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the Establishment of the People's Authority
Legal system
- based on Italian and French civil law systems and Islamic law;
- separate religious courts;
- no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts;
- has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 (Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006)
- cabinet:
- General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- 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 in March 2010 (next elections expected in early 2011)
- election results:
- NA
Legislative branch
unicameral General People's Congress (760 seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)
International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Ali Suleiman AUJALI
- chancery:
- 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 944-9601
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 944-9060
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Gene A. CRETZ
- embassy:
- off Jaraba Street, behind the Libyan-Swiss clinic, Ben Ashour
- mailing address:
- US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850
- telephone:
- [218] 91-220-3239
National anthem
- name:
- "Allahu Akbar" (God Is Greatest)
- lyrics/music:
- Mahmoud el-SHERIF/Abdalla Shams el-DIN
note: adopted 1969; the anthem was originally a battle song for the Egyptian Army in the 1956 Suez War
Economy
The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, 25% of GDP, and 80% of government revenue.
49 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2010 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, 25% of GDP, and 80% of government revenue. The weakness in world hydrocarbon prices in 2009 reduced Libyan government tax income and constrained economic growth.
Substantial revenues from the energy sector coupled with a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan officials in the past five years have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold.
This effort picked up steam after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction. The process of lifting US unilateral sanctions began in the spring of 2004; all sanctions were removed by June 2006, helping Libya attract greater foreign direct investment, especially in the energy sector.
Libyan oil and gas licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest; the National Oil Corporation (NOC) set a goal of nearly doubling oil production to 3 million bbl/day by 2012. In November 2009, the NOC announced that that target may slip to as late as 2017. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based economy.
The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for more than 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food.
Libya's primary agricultural water source remains the Great Manmade River Project, but significant resources are being invested in desalinization research to meet growing water demands.
Population below poverty line
NA note: About one-third of Libyans live at or below the national poverty line
Central bank discount rate
4% (31 December 2009) · 5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 87
Commercial bank prime lending rate
8.41% (31 December 2008) · 6% (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 137
Stock of narrow money
$29.85 billion (31 December 2010 est) · $29.82 billion (31 December 2009 est) country comparison to the world: 56
Stock of broad money
$35.98 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $36.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
Stock of domestic credit
$55.03 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $41.13 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Industries
petroleum, petrochemicals, aluminum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Natural gas - proved reserves
1.539 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Current account balance
$15.53 billion (2010 est.) · $10.06 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$107.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $104.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 13
Debt - external
$6.378 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $5.891 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 98
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$18.64 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $15.56 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$15.32 billion (31 December 2010 est.) · $13.92 billion (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49
Exchange rates
Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar - 1.2648 (2010), 1.2535 (2009), 1.2112 (2008), 1.2604 (2007), 1.3108 (2006)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- telecommunications system is state-owned and service is poor, but investment is being made to upgrade;
- state retains monopoly in fixed-line services;
- mobile-cellular telephone system became operational in 1996
- domestic:
- multiple providers for a mobile telephone system that is growing rapidly;
- combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is approaching 100 telephones per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 218;
- satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik;
- submarine cable to France and Italy;
- microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;
- tropospheric scatter to Greece;
- participant in Medarabtel (2009)
Broadcast media
- state controls broadcast media;
- state-owned terrestrial TV station and about a half-dozen state-owned satellite stations broadcast;
- some provinces operate local TV stations;
- a single, non-state-owned TV station launched in 2007;
- pan-Arab satellite TV stations are available;
- state-owned radio broadcasts on a number of frequencies, some of which carry regional programming;
- Voice of Africa, Libya's external radio service, can also be heard;
- a single, non-state-owned radio station broadcasting (2007)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Merchant marine
- total:
- 27
country comparison to the world: 89
- by type:
- cargo 5, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 2
- foreign-owned:
- 5 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Syria 2, UK 1)
- registered in other countries:
- 5 (Hong Kong 1, Malta 4) (2010)
Military
Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan Arab Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriya al-Arabia al-Libyya, LAAF), Libyan Coast Guard (2008)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan Arab Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriya al-Arabia al-Libyya, LAAF), Libyan Coast Guard (2008)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 1,746,512
- females age 16-49:
- 1,683,390 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsDisputes - international
- Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in the Tommo region of Niger in a currently dormant dispute;
- various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 8,000 (Palestinian Territories) (2007)
Trafficking in persons
- current situation:
- Libya is a transit and destination country for men and women from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation
- tier rating:
- Tier 2 Watch List - Libya is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking in persons in 2007 when compared to 2006, particularly in the area of investigating and prosecuting trafficking offenses;
- Libya did not publicly release any data on investigations or punishment of any trafficking offenses (2008)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Libya.” The World Factbook 2010. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/libya/2010.