Statistical information Libya 1992
Libya in the World
Libya - Introduction 1992
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. Libyan support for terrorism decreased after UN sanctions were imposed in 1992.
Libya - Geography 1992
top of pageLocation
Geographic coordinates
Map reference
Area
Total: 1,759,540 km²
Land: 1,759,540 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries: 4,383 km; 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 claims: Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, gypsum
Land use
Land use: arable land: 1%; permanent crops: 0%; meadows and pastures 8%; forest and woodland 0%; other 91%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Irrigated land
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards
Geography
Libya - People 1992
top of pagePopulation: 4,484,795 (July 1992), growth rate 3.0% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Libyan(s; adjective - Libyan
Ethnic groups:
Berber and Arab 97%; some Greeks, Maltese, Italians,
Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians
Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians
Languages: Arabic; Italian and English widely understood in major cities
Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate: 36 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; desertification; sparse natural surface-water resources
Current issues note: 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
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate: 60 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 71 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 4.9 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
Sanitation facility access
Hiv/Aids
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Education expenditures
Literacy: 64% (male 75%, female 50%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Libya - Government 1992
top 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 Administration divisions
Administrative divisions
Dependent areas
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
International law organization participation
Citizenship
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Executive branch:
revolutionary leader, chairman of the General People's
Committee (premier), General People's Committee (cabinet)
Committee (premier), General People's Committee (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: none
Diplomatic representation
Flag description
: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)National symbols
National anthem
National heritage
Libya - Economy 1992
top of pageEconomy overview:
The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-third of GDP. Since 1980, however, the sharp drop in oil prices and the resulting decline in export revenues have adversely affected economic development. In 1988 per capita GDP was the highest in Africa at 5,410, but GDP growth rates have slowed and fluctuate sharply in response to changes in the world oil market. Import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs, although the reopening of the Libyan-Tunisian border in April 1988 and the
Libyan-Egyptian border in December 1989 have 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. Windfall revenues from the hike in world oil prices in late 1990 improved the foreign payments position and resulted in a current account surplus for the first time in five years. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 22% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Although agriculture accounts for about 5% of
GDP, it employs about 20% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food requirements.
Libyan-Egyptian border in December 1989 have 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. Windfall revenues from the hike in world oil prices in late 1990 improved the foreign payments position and resulted in a current account surplus for the first time in five years. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 22% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Although agriculture accounts for about 5% of
GDP, it employs about 20% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food requirements.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $28.9 billion, per capita $6,800; real growth rate 9% (1990 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products: 5% of GNP; cash crops - wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus fruits, peanuts; 75% of food is imported
Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate - 4%; accounts for 22% of GDP (not including oil) (1989)
Labor force: 1,000,000, includes about 280,000 resident foreigners; industry 31%, services 27%, government 24%, agriculture 18%
Organized labor:
National Trade Unions' Federation, 275,000 members;
General Union for Oil and Petrochemicals; Pan-Africa Federation of Petroleum
Energy and Allied Workers
General Union for Oil and Petrochemicals; Pan-Africa Federation of Petroleum
Energy and Allied Workers
Labor force
Unemployment rate: 2% (1988 est.)
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget: revenues $8.1 billion; expenditures $9.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (1989 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
Public debt
Revenue
Fiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer prices
Central bank discount rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
Stock of narrow money
Stock of broad money
Stock of domestic credit
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance
Exports: $11 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: petroleum, peanuts, hides
Partners: Italy, USSR, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium/Luxembourg, Turkey
Imports: $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods
Partners: Italy, USSR, Germany, UK, Japan
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates: Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1 - 0.2743 (March 1992), 0.2669 (1991), 0.2699 (1990), 0.2922 (1989), 0.2853 (1988), 0.2706 (1987)
Libya - Energy 1992
top of pageElectricity
Production: 4,700,000 kW capacity; 13,700 million kWh produced, 3,100 kWh per capita (1991)
Coal
Petroleum
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
Libya - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephones
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Libya - Military 1992
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, 11.1% of GNP (1987)
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
Libya - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports:
133 total, 120 usable; 53 with permanent-surface runways; 9
with runways over 3,659 m; 28
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 46
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
with runways over 3,659 m; 28
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 46
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Heliports
Pipelines: crude oil 4,383 km; natural gas 1,947 km; petroleum products 443 km (includes liquid petroleum gas 256 km)
Railways
Roadways
Waterways
Merchant marine:
30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 684,969
GRT/1,209,084 DWT; includes 3 short-sea passenger, 11 cargo, 4 roll-on/roll-off, 10 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas
GRT/1,209,084 DWT; includes 3 short-sea passenger, 11 cargo, 4 roll-on/roll-off, 10 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas
Civil air: 59 major transport aircraft
Ports and terminals
Libya - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs