Background: 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. Those sanctions were suspended in April 1999.

Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N 17 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Comparative: slightly larger than Alaska

Coastline: 1770 km

Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry extreme desert interior

Terrain: mostly barren flat to undulating plains plateaus depressions

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas gypsum

Irrigated land: 4,700 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hot dry dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms sandstorms

Population: 5,115,450
Growth rate: 2.42% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97% Greeks Maltese Italians Egyptians Pakistanis Turks Indians Tunisians

Languages: Arabic Italian English all are widely understood in the major cities

Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%

Population growth rate: 2.42% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 27.68 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 3.51 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

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

Infant mortality rate: 30.08 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.71 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

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

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

International organization participation: ABEDA AfDB AFESD AL AMF AMU CAEU CCC ECA FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Inmarsat Intelsat Interpol IOC ISO ITU MONUC NAM OAPEC OAU OIC OPEC PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Libya does not have an embassy in the US
From the us: the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980

Flag description: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)

Economy overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector which contributes 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. In this statist society import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The nonoil 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 farm output and Libya imports about 75% of its food requirements. Higher oil prices in 1999 led to an increase in export revenues and helped to stimulate the economy. Following the suspension of UN sanctions in 1999 Libya has been trying to increase its attractiveness to foreign investors and several foreign companies have visited in search of contracts.

Real gdp growth rate: 2% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,900 (1999 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat barley olives dates citrus vegetables peanuts; beef eggs

Industries: petroleum food processing textiles handicrafts cement

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 1.2 million (1997 est.)
By occupation services and government: 54%
By occupation industry: 29%
By occupation agriculture: 17% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 18% (1999 est.)

Exports: $6.6 billion (f.o.b. 1998 est.)
Commodities: crude oil refined petroleum products natural gas
Partners: Italy 40% Germany 17% Spain 12% France 4% Sudan 4% UK 3% (1997)

Imports: $7 billion (f.o.b. 1998 est.)
Commodities: machinery transport equipment food manufactured goods
Partners: Italy 23% Germany 12% UK 9% France 7% Tunisia 5% Belgium 4% (1997)

Debt external: $4 billion (1998 est.)

Exchange rates: Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1 - 0.4687 (January 2000) 0.4616 (1999) 0.3785 (1998) 0.3891 (1997) 0.3651 (1996) 0.3532 (1995); official rate: 0.45 (December 1998)

Electricity
Production: 16.92 billion kWh (1998)
Consumption: 15.736 billion kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 318,000 (1995)
Mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996

Internet
Service providers isps: NA

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $N/A
Percent of gdp: NA%

Airports: 142 (1999 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 4,383 km; petroleum products 443 km (includes liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 256 km); natural gas 1947 km

Waterways: none

Disputes international: maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; Libya claims about 19,400 km² in northern Niger and part of southeastern Algeria