Libya

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Libya

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Al-Jamahiriyya al-'Arabiyya al-Libiyya ash-Sha'biyya al-Ishtirakiyya al-'Uzma/Great Libyan Arab Socialist People's State of the Masses Area 1,759,540 sq km/679,358 sq mi Capital Tripoli Language Arabic (official), Italian, English Religion Sunni Muslim 97% Time difference GMT +2 Major holidays 2, 8, 28 March, 11 June, 23 July, 1 September, 7 October; variable: Eid-ul-Adha (4 days), end of Ramadan (3 days), Prophet's Birthday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Benghazi, Misurata, Az Zawiyah, Tobruk, Ajdabiya, Darnah Major ports Benghazi, Misratah, Az Zawiyah, Tobruk, Ajdabiya, Darnah Physical features flat to undulating plains with plateaux and depressions stretch southwards from the Mediterranean coast to an extremely dry desert interior Airports four international airports and ten regional airports; total passengers carried: 627,000 (2003 est) Railways none Roads total road network: 83,200 km/51,700 mi, of which 57.2% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 154.1 per 1,000 people (1997 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Moamer al-Khaddhafi from 1969 Head of government Al-Baghdadi from 2006 Political system nationalistic socialist Political executive unlimited presidency Administrative divisions three provinces and ten governorates Political party Arab Socialist Union (ASU), radical, left wing Death penalty retained and used for ordinary crimes Armed forces 76,000; plus 40,000 reservists (2006 est) Conscription conscription is selective for two years Defence spend (% GDP) 2 (2004 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.6 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Libyan dinar GDP (US$) 38.8 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 5 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 32.4 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (US$) 11,400 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 3% (2006 est) Unemployment 30% (2004 est) Labour force 18% agriculture, 31% industry, 51% services (2004 est) Foreign debt (US$) 4.3 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners Italy, Germany, Spain, South Korea, UK, France, Turkey, Tunisia Resources petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, potassium, magnesium, sulphur, gypsum Industries petroleum refining, processing of agricultural products, cement and other building materials, fish processing and canning, textiles, clothing and footwear Exports crude petroleum and natural gas, chemicals and related products. Principal market: Italy 38% (2005) Imports machinery and transport equipment, basic manufactures, food and live animals, miscellaneous manufactured articles. Principal source: Italy 20.8% (2005) Arable land 1% (2006 est) Agricultural products barley, wheat, grapes, olives, dates; livestock rearing (sheep, goats, and camels); fishing


POPULATION

Population 5,968,400 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.9% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 3 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 87 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 30%, 15–59 63%, 60+ 7% (2005 est) Ethnic groups majority are of Berber and Arab origin (97%), with a small number of Tebou and Touareg nomads and semi-nomads, mainly in south Life expectancy 73 (men); 77 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 20 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 9 Literacy rate 92% (men); 71% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 12.9 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 3.9 (2003 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.2 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 72 (urban); 68 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 13.6 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 4.2 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 259 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 149 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 2.6 (2004 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 3.6 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

7th century BC Tripolitania, in western Libya, was settled by Phoenicians, who founded Tripoli; it became an eastern province of Carthaginian kingdom, which was centred on Tunis to the west. 4th century BC Cyrenaica, in eastern Libya, colonized by Greeks, who called it Libya. 74 BC Became Roman province, with Tripolitania part of Africa Nova province and Cyrenaica combined with Crete as a province. 19 BC Desert region of Fezzan (Phazzania), inhabited by Garmante people, conquered by Rome. 6th century AD Came under control of Byzantine Empire. 7th century Conquered by Arabs, who spread Islam: Egypt ruled Cyrenaica and Morrocan Berber Almohads controlled Tripolitania. mid-16th century Became part of Turkish Ottoman Empire, who combined the three ancient regions into one regency in Tripoli. 1711 Karamanli (Qaramanli) dynasty established virtual independence from Ottomans. 1835 Ottoman control reasserted. 1911–12 Conquered by Italy. 1920s Resistance to Italian rule by Sanusi order and Umar al-Mukhtar. 1934 Colony named Libya. 1942 Italians ousted, and area divided into three provinces: Fezzan (under French control), Cyrenaica, and Tripolitania (under British control). 1951 Achieved independence as United Kingdom of Libya, under King Idris, former Amir of Cyrenaica and leader of Sanusi order. 1959 Discovery of oil transformed economy, but also led to unsettling social changes. 1969 King deposed in military coup led by Col Moamer al Khaddhafi; Revolution Command Council set up and Arab Socialist Union (ASU) proclaimed sole legal party in new Islamic-socialist republic seeking Pan-Arab unity. 1970s Economic activity collectivized, oil industry nationalized, opposition suppressed. 1972 Proposed federation of Libya, Syria, and Egypt abandoned. 1980 Proposed merger with Syria abandoned. Libyan troops began fighting in northern Chad. 1986 US bombing of Khaddhafi's headquarters, following allegations of complicity in terrorism. 1988 Diplomatic relations with Chad restored, political prisoners freed, and economy liberalized. 1989 US navy shot down two Libyan planes; reconciliation with Egypt. 1992 Khaddhafi came under international pressure to extradite suspects in terrorist bombing of plane over Lockerbie in Scotland in 1988 for trial outside Libya; sanctions imposed by United Nations (UN). 1995 Antigovernment campaign of violence by Islamists; thousands of foreign workers expelled. 1999 Lockerbie suspects handed over for trial in the Netherlands, to be tried by Scottish judges; diplomatic relations with UK restored and UN sanctions suspended. 2001 Libyan national Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi found guilty of Lockerbie bombing. 2002 Libya withdrew from Arab League. 2003 Khaddhafi confirmed Libyan attempt to develop weapons of mass destruction would be abandoned and all covert programmes opened to international inspection. 2006 USA restored diplomatic links with Libya. 2007 Libya repatriated Bulgarian medical workers detained since 1999 for allegedly infecting children with HIV/AIDS virus, in EU deal.


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