Libya Population: 6,002,347
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| 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 political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system was a combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and was supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI 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 by Libyan state-sponsored terrorists 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 subsequently made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations. The US rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June 2006. 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. Unrest that began in several Near Eastern and North African countries in late December 2010 spread to several Libyan cities in early 2011. In March 2011, a Transitional National Council (TNC) was formed in Benghazi with the stated aim of overthrowing the QADHAFI regime and guiding the country to democracy. In response to QADHAFI's harsh military crackdown on protesters, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1973, which demanded an immediate ceasefire and authorized the international community to establish a no-fly zone over Libya. After several months of see-saw fighting, anti-QADHAFI forces in August 2011 captured the capital, Tripoli. In mid-September, the UN General Assembly voted to recognize the TNC as the legitimate interim governing body of Libya. The TNC on 23 October officially declared the country liberated following the defeat of the last remaining pro-QADHAFI stronghold and QADHAFI's death. In July 2012, Libya held its first post-QADHAFI nationwide election, which resulted in the formation of a 200-member National Congress (NC). In August 2012, the NC elected a congress president and in October, a new prime minister. |
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| Geography | |
| More than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert | |
| Location: | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria |
| Geographic coordinates: | 25 00 N, 17 00 E |
| Area: | total: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km Size comparison: slightly larger than Alaska |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 4,348 km 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 claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm |
| Climate: | Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior |
| Terrain: | mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, natural gas, gypsum |
| Land use: | arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 4,700 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms |
| Current Environment Issues: | desertification; limited natural freshwater resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, brings water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 6,002,347 (July 2013 est.) note: includes 166,510 non-nationals |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 27.3% (male 837,984/female 800,423) 15-24 years: 18.6% (male 578,780/female 535,828) 25-54 years: 45.6% (male 1,432,265/female 1,302,187) 55-64 years: 4.6% (male 143,862/female 134,414) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 120,043/female 116,561) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 24.8 years male: 24.8 years female: 24.7 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.007% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 17.5 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 4.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| 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 (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 77.83 years male: 75.5 years female: 80.27 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.09 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.3% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 10,000 (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| 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 (official) 97%, other 3% |
| Languages: | Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Berber (Nafusi, Ghadamis, Suknah, Awjilah, Tamasheq) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.2% male: 95.6% female: 82.7% (2010 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Libya local long form: none local short form: Libiya |
| Government type: | operates under a transitional government |
| Capital: | name: Tripoli (Tarabulus) geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in March; ends last Friday in October note: on 10 November 2012, Libya changed its standard time from UTC+2 to UTC+1 |
| Administrative divisions: | 22 districts (shabiyat, singular - shabiyat); Al Butnan, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jabal al Gharbi, Al Jafarah, Al Jufrah, Al Kufrah, Al Marj, Al Marqab, Al Wahat, An Nuqat al Khams, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghat, Misratah, Murzuq, Nalut, Sabha, Surt, Tarabulus, Wadi al Hayat, Wadi ash Shati |
| Independence: | 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship) |
| National holiday: | Liberation Day, 23 October (2011) |
| Constitution: | none; note - Libya has yet to draft a new constitution |
| Legal system: | Libya's post-revolution legal system is in flux and driven by state and non-state entities |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age, universal |
| Executive branch: | note: the roles and structure of Libya's post-revolution government are in transition head of government: Prime Minister Ali ZAYDAN (since 14 October 2012) cabinet: new cabinet approved by the National Congress on 31 October 2012 (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: prime minister and National Congress president elected by the National Congress election results: NA |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Congress (200 seats; 120 individual seats elected from 69 constituencies and 80 party list seats elected from 20 constituencies; member term NA) elections: first National Congress election held on 7 July 2012 (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote for party list seats only - NFA 48.7%, JCP 21.3%, other parties 30%; list and constituent seats - NFA 39, JCP 17, other 24, independents 120 |
| Judicial branch: | NA |
| Political parties and leaders: | note: includes some of the larger political parties and leaders Al-Watan (Homeland) Party; Justice and Construction Party or JCP [Muhammad SAWAN]; National Front (initially the National Front for the Salvation of Libya, formed in 1981 as a diaspora opposition group); National Forces Alliance [Mahmoud JIBRIL] (includes many political organizations, NGOs, and independents); Union for the Homeland [Abd al-Rahman al-SUWAYHILI] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BDEAC, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), 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 (NGOs), 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) 944-9606 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Laurence POPE note: on 11 September 2012, US Ambassador STEVENS and three other American diplomats were killed in an attack by heavily armed militants on a US diplomatic post in the eastern city of Benghazi embassy: Sidi Slim Area/Walie Al-Ahed Road, Tripoli mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850 telephone: [218] (0) 91-220-3239 |
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| Economy | |
| Libya's economy is structured primarily around the nation's energy sector, which generates about 95% of export earnings, 80% of GDP, and 99% of government income. Substantial revenue from the energy sector coupled with a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but Tripoli largely has not used its significant financial resources to develop national infrastructure or the economy, leaving many citizens poor. In the final five years of QADHAFI's rule, Libya made some progress on economic reform 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 after 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 and banking sectors. Libyan oil and gas licensing rounds drew high international interest, but new rounds are unlikely to be successful until Libya establishes a more permanent government and is able to offer more attractive financial terms on contracts and increase security. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing its primarily socialist economy, but the revolution has unleashed previously restrained entrepreneurial activity and increased the potential for the evolution of a more market-based economy. The service and construction sectors, which account for roughly 20% of GDP, expanded over the past five years and could become a larger share of GDP if Tripoli prioritizes capital spending on development projects once political and security uncertainty subside. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 80% of its food. Libya's primary agricultural water source is the Great Manmade River Project | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $87.91 billion (2012 est.) $39.62 billion (2011 est.) $98.28 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $85.11 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 121.9% (2012 est.) -59.7% (2011 est.) 3.7% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $13,300 (2012 est.) $6,100 (2011 est.) note: $15,000 (2010 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 2% industry: 40.1% services: 57.9% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 1.875 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 17% industry: 23% services: 59% (2004 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 30% (2004 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA note: about one-third of Libyans live at or below the national poverty line |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (2012 est.) 15.9% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 3.7% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $56.88 billion expenditures: $51.41 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 1.9% of GDP (2012 est.) 4.3% of GDP (2011 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle |
| Industries: | petroleum, petrochemicals, aluminum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 2.7% (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 28.6 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 24.29 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 124 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 73 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 16.81 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 6.844 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 9.97 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 1.495 trillion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $33.32 billion (2012 est.) $4.002 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $51.48 billion (2012 est.) $15.16 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals |
| Exports - partners: | Italy 22.8%, Germany 14.3%, France 14.2%, China 10.7%, Spain 5.2%, Tunisia 4.8% (2011) |
| Imports: | $16.31 billion (2012 est.) $10.07 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products |
| Imports - partners: | Tunisia 13.3%, Turkey 9.1%, China 8.8%, Italy 8.4%, Egypt 6.7%, Syria 5.2%, France 4.9%, Germany 4.8% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $130.3 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $105 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $5.054 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $4.744 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $17.15 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $16.43 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $17.47 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $16.89 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Exchange rates: | Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar - 1.257 (2012 est.) 1.224 (2011 est.) 1.2668 (2010 est.) 1.2535 (2009) 1.2112 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 1 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 78 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 10 million (2011) |
| 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 has soared 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 (2010) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .ly |
| Internet hosts: | 17,926 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 353,900 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 144 (2012) country comparison to the world: 39 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 64 over 3,047 m: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 80 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 20 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 2 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | condensate 776 km; gas 3,216 km; oil 6,960 km (2010) |
| Roadways: | total: 100,024 km paved: 57,214 km unpaved: 42,810 km (2003) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 23 by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 2 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1) registered in other countries: 6 (Hong Kong 1, Malta 5) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Az Zawiyah, Marsa al Burayqah (Marsa el Brega), Ra's Lanuf, Tripoli |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | note - in transition; government attempting to staff a new national army with anti-QADAFI militia fighters and former members of QADAFI's military (2008) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,775,078 females age 16-49: 1,714,194 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,511,144 females age 16-49: 1,458,934 (2010 est.) |
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