BackgroundThe Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the ar around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defted 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 lder. 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 retrt 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 revl and end its programs to develop wpons 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 Europn lders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 yrs 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 The US rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June 2006.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 st 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 dth 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. QADHAFI in February 2009 took over as chairman of the African Union for the 2009-10 term; in September 2009, a Libyan took over the yr-long presidency of UN eral Assembly.
GeographyMore than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert Loion:Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterrann S, between Egypt and TunisiaGeographic coordinates:25 00 N, 17 00 r:total: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km
Size comparison: slightly larger than AlaskaLand Boundaries:total: 4,348 km border countries: Aeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 kmCoastline:1,770 kmMaritime claims:territorial s: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north exclusive fishing zone: 62 nmClimate:Mediterrann along coast; dry, extreme desert interiorTerrain:mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, platus, depressionsElevation extremes:lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 mNatural resources:petroleum, natural gas, gypsumLand 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, sandstormsCurrent Environment Issues:desertifiion; limited natural fresh water resources; the Grt 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 citiesInternational Environment Agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertifiion, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the S
PeoplePopulation:6,324,357 country comparison to the world: 103 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)Age structure:0-14 yrs: 33% (male 1,064,866/female 1,019,790) 15-64 yrs: 62.7% (male 2,033,478/female 1,920,755) 65 yrs and over: 4.3% (male 133,092/female 138,453) (2009 est.)Median age:total: 23.9 yrs male: 24 yrs female: 23.8 yrs (2009 est.)Population growth rate:2.172% (2009 est.)Birth rate:25.13 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)Dth rate:3.41 dths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)Net migration rate:NA (2009 est.)Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 yrs: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 yrs: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 yrs and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)Infant mortality rate:total: 21.7 dths/1,000 live births male: 23.72 dths/1,000 live births female: 19.57 dths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population: 77.29 yrs male: 75.01 yrs female: 79.68 yrs (2009 est.)Total fertility rate:3.08 children born/woman (2009 est.)HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:0.3% (2001 est.)HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:10,000 (2001 est.)HIV/AIDS - dths:NANationality:noun: Libyan(s) adjective: LibyanEthnic 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 citiesLiteracy:definition: age 15 and over can rd and write total population: 82.6% male: 92.4% female: 72% (2003 est.)
GovernmentCountry name:conventional long form: Grt 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: noneGovernment type:Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian stateCapital:name: Tripoli (Tarabulus) geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahd of Washington, DC during Standard Time)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 regionsIndependence: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 AuthorityLegal system:based on Italian and French civil law systems and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdictionSuffrage:18 yrs of age; universal and technically compulsoryExecutive branch:chief of state: Revolutionary Lder Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state hd of government: Secretary of the eral People's Committee (Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006) cabinet: eral People's Committee established by the eral People's Congress elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; hd of government elected by the eral People's Congress; election last held March 2009 (next to be held NA) election results: NALegislative branch:unicameral eral People's Congress (760 sts; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)Judicial branch:Supreme CourtPolitical parties and lders:nonePolitical pressure groups and lders:other: Arab nationalist movements; anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile Movement; Islamic elementsInternational organization participation:ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IA, 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, WCL, 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) 944-9060Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador e 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
EconomyThe Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export rnings, 25% of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. The wkness 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 yrs have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold. This effort picked up stm after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build wpons 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 grter foreign direct investment, especially in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest; the National Oil Company set a goal of nrly doubling oil production to 3 million bbl/day by 2012. Libya faces a long road ahd 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 Grt Manmade River Project, but significant resources are being invested in desalinization resrch to meet growing water demands. GDP (purchasing power parity):GDP (purchasing power parity): $92.32 billion (2009 est.) $88.77 billion (2008 est.) $83.82 billion (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollarsGDP (official exchange rate):GDP (official exchange rate): $60.61 billion (2009 est.)GDP - rl growth rate:4% (2009 est.) 5.9% (2008 est.) 5.6% (2007 est.)GDP - per capita (PPP):GDP - per capita (PPP): $14,600 (2009 est.) $14,300 (2008 est.) $13,900 (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollarsGDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 4.2% industry: 77.9% services: 17.9% (2009 est.)Labor force:1.686 million (2009 est.)Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 17% industry: 23% services: 59% (2004 est.)Unemployment rate:30% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line:7.4% (2005 est.)Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%Inflation rate (consumer prices):Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2009 est.) 10.4% (2008 est.)Investment (gross fixed):Investment (gross fixed): 16% of GDP (2009 est.)Budget:revenues: $35.08 billion expenditures: $35.9 billion (2009 est.)Public debt:6.5% of GDP (2009 est.) 4% of GDP (2008 est.)Agriculture - products:wht, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, pnuts, soybns; tleIndustries:petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cementIndustrial production growth rate:4.8% (2009 est.)Electricity - production:23.98 billion kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - consumption:22.17 billion kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - exports:104 million kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - imports:77 million kWh (2007 est.)Oil - production:1.875 million bbl/day (2008 est.)Oil - consumption:273,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)Oil - exports:1.542 million bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - imports:575 bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - proved reserves:43.66 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)Natural gas - production:15.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - consumption:5.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - exports:10.4 billion cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - proved reserves:1.54 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)Current account balance:$6.502 billion (2009 est.) $37.39 billion (2008 est.)Exports:$33.97 billion (2009 est.) $64.5 billion (2008 est.)Exports - commodities:crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicalsExports - partners:Italy 38%, Germany 12%, France 7.4%, Spain 6.9%, US 6.4%, Switzerland 4.6% (2008)Imports:$26.82 billion (2009 est.) $26.55 billion (2008 est.)Imports - commodities:machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer productsImports - partners:Italy 22.2%, China 9.3%, Germany 8.6%, Tur 6.1%, Tunisia 5.8%, South Kor 4.7%, US 4.1%, France 4.1% (2008)Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$89.74 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $92.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.)Debt - external:$6.491 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $6.223 billion (31 December 2008 est.)Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:$13.65 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $11.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.)Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:$6.963 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $5.15 billion (31 December 2008 est.)Market value of publicly traded shares:$NAExchange rates:Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar - 1.2641 (2009), 1.2112 (2008), 1.2604 (2007), 1.3108 (2006), 1.3084 (2005)
CommuniionsTele in use:1.033 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 79Cellular in use:4.828 million (2008)Telephone system:eral assessment: telecommuniions 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; multiple providers for a mobile telephone system that is growing rapidly; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approaching 100 tele per 100 persons domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric ster, and a domestic satellite system with 14 rth stations international: country - 218; satellite rth stations - 4 sat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric ster to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (2008)Radio broadcast stations:AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2001)Television broadcast stations:12 (plus 1 repter) (1999)Internet country :.lyInternet hosts:11,751 (2009)Internet users:323,000 (2008)
TransportationAirports:137 (2009) country comparison to the world: 41Airports (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: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2009)Airports (unpaved runways):total: 78 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 17 (2009)Heliports:2 (2009)Pipelines:condensate 776 km; gas 2,860 km; oil 6,987 km (2008)Roadways:total: 100,024 km paved: 57,214 km unpaved: 42,810 km (2003)Merchant marine:total: 17 by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Syria 2) registered in other countries: 3 (Malta 3) (2008)Ports and terminals:As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf, Tripoli, Zawiyah
Military
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)Military service age and obligation:17 yrs of age (2004)Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 1,682,183 females age 16-49: 1,611,001 (2008 est.)Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 1,466,578 females age 16-49: 1,409,684 (2009 est.)
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