from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Libya
Introduction
Background: The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks from the area
around Tripoli in 1911 and did not reliquish 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. Libyan support for terrorism
appeared to have decreased after the imposition of
sanctions. During the 1990s, QADHAFI also began to
rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN sanctions
were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in
September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case.
In December 2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to
reveal and end its programs to develop weapons of mass
destruction, and 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.
QADHAFI also finally resolved in 2004 several
outstanding cases against his government for terrorist
activities in the 1980s by compensating the families of
victims of the UTA and La Belle disco bombings.
Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
between Egypt and Tunisia
Geographic 25 00 N, 17 00 E
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 1,759,540 sq km
land: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - slightly larger than Alaska
comparative:
Land total: 4,348 km
boundaries: border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt
1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline: 1,770 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30
minutes north
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus,
depressions
Elevation lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
extremes: highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
resources:
Land use: arable land: 1.03%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 98.78% (2005)
Irrigated 4,700 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting
hazards: one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms,
sandstorms
Environment - desertification; very limited natural fresh water
current resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest
issues: water development scheme in the world, is being built
to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to
coastal cities
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
international Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
agreements: Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert
note:
People
Population: 5,900,754
note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.6% (male 1,012,748/female 969,978)
15-64 years: 62.2% (male 1,891,643/female 1,778,621)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 121,566/female 126,198)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 23 years
male: 23.1 years
female: 22.9 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.3% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 26.49 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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 (2006 est.)
Infant total: 23.71 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 25.99 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 21.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 76.69 years
expectancy at male: 74.46 years
birth: female: 79.02 years (2006 est.)
Total 3.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.3% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 10,000 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
Major degree of risk: intermediate
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
diseases: hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some
locations during the transmission season (typically
April through October) (2005)
Nationality: noun: Libyan(s)
adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians,
Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians
Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%
Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in
the major cities
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6%
male: 92.4%
female: 72% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan
Arab Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya
local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah
ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma
local short form: none
Government Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed
type: by the populace through local councils; in fact, a
military dictatorship
Capital: name: Tripoli
geographic coordinates: 32 54 N, 13 11 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah);
divisions: 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; note - the
25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions
Independence: 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)
National Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
holiday:
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu
branch: 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
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 2 March 2000 (next to be held NA)
election results: NA
Legislative unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members
branch: elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's
committees)
Judicial Supreme Court
branch:
Political none
parties and
leaders:
Political various Arab nationalist movements with almost
pressure negligible memberships may be functioning
groups and clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements; an
leaders: anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists, primarily
based in London, but has little influence
International ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO,
organization G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
participation: IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Ali AUJALI
representation chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705,
in the US: Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601
FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
representation d'Affaires ad Interim Gregory L. BERRY
from the US: embassy: Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel, Souq At-Tlat
Al-Qadim, Tripoli
mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place,
Washington, DC 20521-8850
telephone: [218] 21-335-1848
Flag plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam
description: (the state religion)
Economy
Economy - The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from
overview: the oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export
earnings, about one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public
sector wages. 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 four 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 that it would abandon programs to build
weapons of mass destruction in December 2003. Almost
all US unilateral sanctions against Libya were removed
in April 2004, helping Libya attract more foreign
direct investment, mostly in the energy sector. 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 about 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.
GDP $68 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $31.49 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 8.4% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $11,800 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 7.6%
composition by industry: 49.9%
sector: services: 42.5% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 1.64 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 17%
by occupation: industry: 23%
services: 59% (2004 est.)
Unemployment 30% (2004 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 3.4% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 11.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $25.34 billion
expenditures: $15.47 billion; including capital
expenditures of $5.6 billion (2005 est.)
Public debt: 8.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables,
products: peanuts, soybeans; cattle
Industries: petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles,
handicrafts, cement
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 14.4 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 13.39 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 1.643 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 237,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 1.34 million bbl/day NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: 0 bbl/day NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 40 billion bbl (2005 est.)
reserves:
Natural gas - 7 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 6.25 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 770 million cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 1.321 trillion cu m (2005)
proved
reserves:
Current $10.73 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $30.79 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas
commodities:
Exports - Italy 37.9%, Germany 15.2%, Spain 8.7%, Turkey 6.3%,
partners: France 6.2%, US 5.2% (2005)
Imports: $10.82 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery, transport equipment, semi-finished goods,
commodities: food, consumer products
Imports - Italy 21.5%, Germany 10.4%, Tunisia 5.6%, Turkey 4.9%,
partners: UK 4.9%, France 4.8%, South Korea 4.7%, China 4.6%
(2005)
Reserves of $39.7 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $4.267 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - ODA, $4.4 million (2002)
recipient:
Currency Libyan dinar (LYD)
(code):
Currency code: LYD
Exchange Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.3084 (2005), 1.305
rates: (2004), 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002), 0.6051 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 750,000 (2003)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 234,800 (2004)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: telecommunications system is being
system: modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became
operational in 1996
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable,
cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic
satellite system with 14 earth stations
international: country code - 218; satellite earth
stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik;
submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio
relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to
Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)
Radio AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 1.35 million (1997)
Television 12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 730,000 (1997)
Internet .ly
country code:
Internet 31 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2002)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 205,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 141 (2006)
Airports - total: 60
with paved over 3,047 m: 23
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 81
with unpaved over 3,047 m: 5
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 41
under 914 m: 18 (2006)
Heliports: 2 (2006)
Pipelines: condensate 882 km; gas 3,481 km; oil 6,916 km (2006)
Railways: 0 km
note: Libya is working on seven lines totaling 2,757 km
of 1.435-m gauge track; it hopes to have trains running
by 2008 (2005)
Roadways: total: 83,200 km
paved: 47,590 km
unpaved: 35,610 km (1999)
Merchant total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 86,034 GRT/89,820
marine: DWT
by type: cargo 10, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 1,
petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Turkey 2) (2006)
Ports and As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's
terminals: Lanuf, Tripoli, Zawiyah
Military
Military Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy,
branches: Libyan Arab Air Force (LAAF) (2006)
Military 17 years of age (2004)
service age
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 17-49: 1,505,675
available for females age 17-49: 1,429,152 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 17-49: 1,291,624
for military females age 17-49: 1,230,824 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 62,034
reaching females age 17-49: 59,533 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $1.3 billion (FY99)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 3.9% (FY99)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in
international: southeastern Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in Niger in
currently dormant disputes; various Chadian rebels from
the Aozou region reside in southern Libya
Trafficking in current situation: Libya is a transit and destination
persons: country for men, women, and children from sub-Saharan
Africa and Asia trafficked for forced labor and sexual
exploitation; many victims willingly migrate to Libya
en route to Europe with the help of smugglers, but may
be forced into prostitution or work as laborers and
beggars to pay off their $800-$1,200 smuggling debt;
laborers from Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia are reportedly
trafficked to Libya for the purpose of labor
exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Libya is placed on the
Tier 2 Watch List for its lack of evidence of
increasing efforts to address trafficking since 2004