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.

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 (Tarabulus), UTC+2
Position25 00 N, 17 00 E
Area1,759,540 sq km
LocationNorthern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
Populationas each edition published it
6.46 million July 2010 est. · 4.22m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.117% 2010 est. · 3.73% in 1993
Median ageyears
24.2 years 2010 est. · 22.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
77.47 years 2010 est. · 63.47 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.01 children per woman 2010 est. · 5.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
20.87 deaths per 1,000 live births 2010 est. · 64 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$13,800 2010 est. · $5,800 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3.3% 2010 est. · 0.2% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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 fields

Land useshare of 1,759,540 sq km

arable land 1.03%permanent crops 0.19%other 98.78% (2005)irrigated 4,700 sq km (2003)
Area
1,759,540sq km
country comparison to the world: 17land: 1,759,540 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmslightly larger than Alaska
Coastline
1,770km
territorial sea: 12 nmnote: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes northexclusive fishing zone: 62 nm
Highest point
2,267m
Bikku Bittilowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
Land boundaries
4,348km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

25 00 N, 17 00 E

Climate

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

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

Geography - note

more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

People

22 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2010 est.)

136,224
65 and over4.4%
142,079
2,036,780
15-6462.6%
1,923,566
1,065,606
0-1433%
1,020,102
MaleFemale
Population
6,461,454
country comparison to the world: 101note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2010 est.)growth rate: 2.117% (2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 45

Per 1,000 population

Birth
24.58 (2010 est.)Death
3.4 (July 2010 est.)Net migration
0

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2010 est.)77.47
75.18 · 79.88Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)20.87
22.87 · 18.78Literacy (2003 est.)82.6%
92.4% · 72%
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years (2010 est.)24.2
24.3 · 24.2School life expectancy years (2003)17
16 · 17
MaleFemaleLife expectancy country comparison to the world: 57 · Infant mortality country comparison to the world: 99 · Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Urban population
78%of total population
(2008)rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.3%
(2001 est.)country comparison to the world: 91

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.)

Total fertility rate

3.01 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

10,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Nationality

noun:
Libyan(s)
adjective:
Libyan

Ethnic groups

Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)

Religions

Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%

Languages

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

Education expenditures

2.7% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 159

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 fields

Country 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

Independence

24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)

National holiday

Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and technically 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 (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)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement; Islamic elements

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

Flag description

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

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 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$89.03billion
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 74$86.19 billion (2009 est.) · $86.77 billion (2008 est.)note: data are in 2010 US dollarsofficial exchange rate: $77.91 billion (2010 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$13,800
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 83$13,600 (2009 est.) · $14,000 (2008 est.)note: data are in 2010 US dollars
Real growth rate
3.3%
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 110-0.7% (2009 est.) · 2.7% (2008 est.)industrial production growth: 2.7% (2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 118
Inflation, consumer prices
3%
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 922.4% (2009 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2010 est.)

agriculture 2.6%industry 63.8%services 33.6% (2010 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

37.65%
Italy
18.9%
China
10.54%
10.11%
Germany
9.78%
Turkey
9.92%
8.44%
France
5.63%
7.94%
Spain
5.93%
Switzerland
5.27%
US
Tunisia
5.25%
South Korea
4.02%
Exports $44.89 billion (2010 est.)Imports $24.47 billion (2010 est.)(2009)

Electricity

Electricity production
23.98 billion (2007 est.)Electricity consumption
22.17 billion (2007 est.)Electricity exports
104 million (2007 est.)Electricity imports
77 million (2007 est.)

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.

Labor force

1.729 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
17%
industry:
23%
services:
59% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate

30% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Population below poverty line

NA note: About one-third of Libyans live at or below the national poverty line

Investment (gross fixed)

13.2% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Public debt

3.3% of GDP (2010 est.) · 3.9% of GDP (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

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

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle

Industries

petroleum, petrochemicals, aluminum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Oil - production

1.79 million bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Oil - consumption

280,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Oil - exports

1.542 million bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Oil - imports

575 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Oil - proved reserves

47 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

Natural gas - production

15.9 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Natural gas - consumption

5.5 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Natural gas - exports

10.4 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

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

Exports

$44.89 billion (2010 est.) · $37.16 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Exports - commodities

crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals

Imports

$24.47 billion (2010 est.) · $22.01 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Imports - commodities

machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products

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 fields
Mobile cellular
5.004 million
(2009)
Internet users
12,432
(2010)
Fixed lines
1.101 million
(2009) · country code .ly

Telephone 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)

Internet users

353,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 124

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

24
over 3,047 m
3
1
under 914 m
17
Paved 59Unpaved 78

Airports

137 (2010) country comparison to the world: 42

Heliports

2 (2010)

Pipelines

condensate 776 km; gas 2,860 km; oil 6,987 km (2009)

Roadways

total:
100,024 km

country comparison to the world: 43

paved:
57,214 km
unpaved:
42,810 km (2003)

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)

Ports and terminals

Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf, Tripoli

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 fields
Military expenditures
3.9%of GDP
(2005 est.)country comparison to the world: 25

Military 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.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49:
1,490,011
females age 16-49:
1,436,613 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male:
59,842
female:
57,357 (2010 est.)

Transnational Issues

3 fields

Disputes - 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.