Statistical information Libya 1989

Libya in the World
Libya - Introduction 1989
top of pageBackground: Since he took power in a 1969 military coup Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system - a combination of socialism and Islam - which he calls the Third International Theory. Viewing himself as a revolutionary leader he used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya even supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. Libyan military adventures failed e.g. the prolonged foray of Libyan troops into the Aozou Strip in northern Chad was finally repulsed in 1987.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries:
4,383 km total
Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline: 1,770 km
Maritime claimsTerritorial sea: 12 nm
Gulf of Sidra closing line: 32o 30' N
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
ElevationNatural resources: crude oil, natural gas, gypsum
Land use: 1% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 8% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 91% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: 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
top of pagePopulation: 4,080,000 (July 1989), growth rate 3.1% (1989)
Nationality: noun - Libyan(s; adjective - Libyan
Ethnic groups: 97% Berber and Arab; some Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians
Languages: Arabic; Italian and English widely understood in major cities
Religions: 97% Sunni Muslim
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 38 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; desertification; sparse natural water resources
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 70 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 69 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 5.3 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 50-60%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
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: 46 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah; Ajdabiya, Al Abyar, Al Aziziyah, Al Bayda, Al Jufrah, Al Jumayl, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, Al Marj, Al Qarabulli, Al Qubbah, Al Ujaylat, Ash Shati, Awbari, Az Zahra, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Bani Walid, Bin Jawwad, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Ghat, Jadu, Jalu, Janzur, Masallatah, Misratah, Mizdah, Murzuq, Nalut, Qaminis, Qasr Bin Ghashir, Sabha, Sabratah, Shahhat, Surman, Surt, Tajura, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Tukrah, Yafran, Zlitan, Zuwarah; note - the number of municipalities may have been reduced to 13 named Al Jabal al-Akhdar, Al Jabal al-Gharbi, Al Jabal al-Khums, Al Batnam, Al Kufrah, Al Marqab, Al Marzuq, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Khalij Surt, Sabha, Tripoli, Wadi al-Hayat
Dependent areasIndependence: 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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: mandatory universal adult
Executive branch: Chief of State - Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969; Head of Government - Premier Umar Mustafa al-MUNTASIR (since 1 March 1987)
Legislative branch: officially, paramount political power and authority rests with the General People's Congress, which theoretically functions as a parliament with a cabinet called the General People's Committee
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AfDB, Arab League, CCC, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB - Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOOC, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG
Diplomatic representationIn the us: none
Flag description
: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes virtually all export earnings and over 50% to GNP. Since 1980, however, the sharp drop in oil prices and resulting decline in export revenues has adversely affected economic development. In 1986 per capita GNP was the highest in Africa at $5,410, but it had been $2,000 higher in 1982. Severe cutbacks in imports over the past five years have led to shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs, though the reopening of the Libyan-Tunisian border in April 1988 has somewhat eased shortages. Austerity budgets and a lack of trained technicians have undermined the government's ability to implement a number of planned infrastructure development projects. The nonoil industrial and construction sectors, which account for about 15% of GNP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Although agriculture accounts for less than 5% of GDP, it employs 20% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, requiring Libya to import about 75% of its food requirements.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus fruits, peanuts; 75% of food is imported
Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force:
1,000,000 of which about 280,000 are resident foreigners; 31%
industry, 27%
services, 24% government, 18% agriculture
Unemployment rate: 2% (1988 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $6.4 billion; expenditures $11.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.6 billion (1986 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.)
Commodities: petroleum, peanuts, hides
Partners: Italy, USSR, FRG, Spain, France, Belgium/Luxembourg, Turkey
Imports: $5.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988 est.)
Commodities: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods
Partners: Italy, USSR, FRG, UK, Japan
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $2.1 billion, excluding military debt (December 1988)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1 - 0.2929 (January 1989), 0.2853 (1988), 0.2706 (1987), 0.3139 (1986), 0.2961 (1985)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 4,580,000 kW capacity; 13,356 million kWh produced, 3,380 kWh per capita (1988)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaLibya - Communication 1989
top of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: NA
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsLibya - Transportation 1989
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 129 total, 120 usable; 53 with permanent-surface runways; 6 with runways over 3,659 m; 29 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 43 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 4,383 km; natural gas 1,947 km; refined products 443 km (includes 256 km liquid petroleum gas)
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 816,546 GRT/1,454,874 DWT; includes 3 short-sea passenger, 11 cargo, 4 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 11 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker
Ports and terminalsLibya - Transnational issues 1989
top of pageDisputes international: claims and occupies Aozou Strip in northern Chad; maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; Libya claims about 19,400 km² in northern Niger; Libya claims about 19,400 km² in southeastern Algeria
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs