|
|
|
Background:
|
From the
earliest days of his rule following his 1969 military
coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused
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 paying compensation to the families of victims
of the UTA and La Belle disco bombings. |
|
Location:
|
Northern
Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt
and Tunisia |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
25 00 N,
17 00 E |
|
Map references:
|
Africa
|
|
Area:
|
total:
1,759,540 sq km
land: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
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 |
|
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% (2001) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
4,700 sq
km (1998 est.) |
|
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; very 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, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
|
Geography - note:
|
more than
90% of the country is desert or semidesert |
|
Population:
|
5,765,563
note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2005
est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 33.9% (male 997,364/female 955,272)
15-64 years: 62% (male 1,842,775/female
1,729,235)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 117,967/female
122,950) (2005 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
22.68 years
male: 22.8 years
female: 22.56 years (2005 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
2.33%
(2005 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
26.82
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
3.48
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
24.6 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 76.5 years
male: 74.29 years
female: 78.82 years (2005 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
3.34
children born/woman (2005 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 |
|
Major infectious diseases:
|
degree
of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk
in some locations during the transmission season
(typically April through October) (2004) |
|
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.) |
|
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 type:
|
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed
by the populace through local councils; in fact, a
military dictatorship |
|
Capital:
|
Tripoli
|
|
Administrative divisions:
|
25
municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah);
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 Italy) |
|
National holiday:
|
Revolution Day, 1 September (1969) |
|
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 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) Shukri Muhammad
GHANIM (since 14 June 2003)
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 branch:
|
unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members
elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's
committees) |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme
Court |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
none |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
various
Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible
memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as
some Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile
movement exists, primarily based in London, but has
little influence |
|
International organization participation:
|
ABEDA,
AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC,
OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
Libya
does not have an embassy in the US but maintains an
interest section under the protective power of the
United Arab Emirates Embassy in the US |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
the US
suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli in May 1980,
resumed embassy activities in February 2004 under the
protective power of the US interests section of the
Belgian Embassy in Tripoli, then opened a Liaison Office
in Tripoli in June 2004 |
|
Flag description:
|
plain
green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the
state religion) |
|
Economy - overview:
|
The
Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the
oil sector, which contribute practically all export
earnings and about one-quarter of GDP. These oil
revenues and 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 in
December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build
weapons of mass destruction. Almost all US unilateral
sanctions against Libya were removed in April 2004.
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 (purchasing power parity):
|
$37.48
billion (2004 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
4.9%
(2004 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2004 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 8.7%
industry: 45.7%
services: 45.6% (2004 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
1.59
million (2004 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 17%, industry 29%, services 54% (1997 est.)
|
|
Unemployment rate:
|
30%
(2004) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
2.9%
(2004 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
9.9% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $13.52 billion
expenditures: $12.23 billion, including capital
expenditures of $5.6 billion (2004 est.) |
|
Public debt:
|
8.8% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
wheat,
barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts,
soybeans; cattle |
|
Industries:
|
petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles,
handicrafts, cement |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
NA |
|
Electricity - production:
|
20.89
billion kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
19.43
billion kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh
(2002) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh
(2002) |
|
Oil - production:
|
1.518
million bbl/day (2004 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
216,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
NA |
|
Oil - imports:
|
NA |
|
Oil - proved reserves:
|
38
billion bbl (2004 est.) |
|
Natural gas - production:
|
6.18
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
|
5.41
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports:
|
770
million cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports:
|
0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves:
|
1.321
trillion cu m (2004) |
|
Current account balance:
|
$9.895
billion (2004 est.) |
|
Exports:
|
$18.65
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
crude
oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Italy
37%, Germany 16.6%, Spain 11.9%, Turkey 7.1%, France
6.2% (2004) |
|
Imports:
|
$7.224
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
machinery, transport equipment, semi-finished goods,
food, consumer products (1999) |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Italy
25.5%, Germany 11%, South Korea 6.1%, UK 5.4%, Tunisia
4.7%, Turkey 4.6% (2004) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|
$24.18
billion (2004 est.) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$4.069
billion (2004 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$4.4
million ODA (2002) |
|
Currency (code):
|
Libyan
dinar (LYD) |
|
Currency code:
|
LYD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Libyan
dinars per US dollar - 1.305 (2004), 1.2929 (2003),
1.2707 (2002), 0.6051 (2001), 0.5122 (2000) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar
year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
750,000
(2003) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
100,000
(2003) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general assessment: telecommunications system is
being 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 broadcast stations:
|
AM 16, FM
3, shortwave 3 (2002) |
|
Radios:
|
1.35
million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
12 (plus
one low-power repeater) (1999) |
|
Televisions:
|
730,000
(1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.ly |
|
Internet hosts:
|
67 (2003)
|
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
1 (2002)
|
|
Internet users:
|
160,000
(2003) |
|
Railways:
|
0 km
note: Libya is working on 7 lines totaling 2,757
km of 1.435-m gauge track; it hopes to have trains
running by 2008 (2004) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
83,200 km
paved: 47,590 km
unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.) |
|
Pipelines:
|
condensate 225 km; gas 3,611 km; oil 7,252 km (2004)
|
|
Ports and harbors:
|
As
Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf,
Tripoli, Zawiyah |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total:
17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 129,627 GRT/105,110 DWT
by type: cargo 7, liquefied gas 3,
passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off
4
foreign-owned: 1 (Algeria 1) (2005) |
|
Airports:
|
139 (2004
est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
59
over 3,047 m: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total:
80
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 41
under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.) |
|
Heliports:
|
1 (2004
est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
Armed
Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense
Command |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
17 years
of age (2004) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males
age 17-49: 1,505,675 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males
age 17-49: 1,291,624 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
|
males:
62,034 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$1.3
billion (FY99) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
3.9%
(FY99) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
Libya has
claimed more than 32,000 sq km in 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 |
|
This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
|
|
| |
|
|
