الجماهيرية العربية الليبية الشعبية الاشتراكية العظمى al-jamāhīriyyatu l-`arabiyyatu l-lībiyyatu š-ša`biyyatu l-ištirākiyyatu l-`uZmà Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Allahu Akbar God is the Greatest
Capital (and largest city)		Tripoli 32°54′N, 13°11′E
Official languages		Arabic
Demonym		Libyan
Government		Military dictatorship Khakistocracy Jamahiriya
-	Leader and Guide of the Revolution	Muammar al-Gaddafi
-	Secretary General of the General People's Congress	Miftah Muhammed K'eba
-	Prime Minister	Baghdadi Mahmudi
Independence
-	Relinquished by Italy	10 February 1947
-	From France/United Kingdom under United Nations Trusteeship	24 December 1951
Area
-	Total	1,759,540 km² (17th) 679,359 sq mi
-	Water (%)	Negligible
Population
-	estimate	6,173,579 (July 2008)[1] (105th)
-	2006 census	5,670,6881
-	Density	3. The flag of Libya ( علم ليبيا) (adopted on November 11, 1977) consists of a simple Green field with no other characteristics The Libyan coat of arms ( شعار ليببا) although not exactly the same remains similar to the one used whilst the country was part of the Federation of Arab A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Allahu Akbar ( God is Great) (الله أكبر is the title of the National anthem of Libya. Libya has a small population residing in a large land area Population density is about 50 persons per km² (80/sq Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A military dictatorship is a Form of government wherein the political power resides with the Military; it is similar but not identical to a Stratocracy, Khakistocracy is a Portmanteau word used to refer to the Military rule of a country often in collusion with the elite and business classes Jamahiriya (Arabic جماهيرية strict transliteration) is an Arabic term generally translated as "state of the masses This page lists Heads of State of Libya since 1951. See also Lists of incumbents King of Libya (1951-1969 Idris I ( Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi 1 (معمر القذافي) (born 7 June 1942) also known as Colonel Gaddafi This page lists Heads of State of Libya since 1951. See also Lists of incumbents King of Libya (1951-1969 Idris I ( Miftah Muhammed K'eba (Arabicمفتاح محمد كعيبة) is the current Secretary-General of General People's Congress of Libya. Since independence, the heads of government of Libya have been Prime ministers (1951-1977 then General Secretaries of the General al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmudi ( البغدادي علي المحمودي)(born 1945? was appointed General Secretary of the General People's Committee ( Prime minister Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United Nations Trusteeship Council, one of the principal organs of the United Nations, was established to help ensure that non-self-governing territories were administered Events 563 - The Byzantine church Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is dedicated for the second time after being destroyed by Earthquakes Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different surface Areas here is a list of areas between 1 million km² and 10 million km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 2/km² (218th) 8. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² 4/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$78. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 79 billion (67th)
-	Per capita	$13,100 (58th)
HDI (2005)		▲0. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 818 (High) (56th)
Currency		Dinar (LYD)
Time zone		EET (UTC+2)
-	Summer (DST)	Not observed (UTC+2)
Internet TLD		.ly
Calling code		+218
1	Includes 350,000 foreigners; Libyan 2006 census, accessed September 15, 2006; [2]

Libya (Arabic: ليبيا ‎ Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh: ), officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya ( الجماهيرية العربية الليبية الشعبية الإشتراكية العظمى ‎ Al-Jamāhīriyyah al-`Arabiyyah al-Lībiyyah aš-Ša`biyyah al-Ištirākiyyah al-`Udhmā), is a country in North Africa. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The dinar (دينار is the Currency of Libya. Its ISO 4217 code is "LYD" ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Eastern European Time ( EET) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Libyan Arabic (Lībi ليبي also known as Sulaimitian Arabic) is a collective term for the closely related Varieties of Arabic spoken in Libya. Nomenclature The term Berber has been used in Europe since at least the 17th century and is still used today Jamahiriya (Arabic جماهيرية strict transliteration) is an Arabic term generally translated as "state of the masses North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya lies between Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Chad (Tchad تشاد Tshād) officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a Landlocked country in Central Africa. Niger ( or /ˈnaɪdʒɚ/) officially the Republic of Niger, is a Landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. With an area of almost 1. 8 million square kilometres (700,000 sq mi), 90% of which is desert, Libya is the fourth largest country in Africa by area, and the 17th largest in the world. This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. ^[2] The capital, Tripoli, is home to 1. Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: 7 million of Libya's 5. 7 million people. The three traditional parts of the country are Tripolitania, the Fezzan and Cyrenaica. Tripolitaniajpg|thumb|250px|Tripolitania]] Tripolitania or Tripolitana ( Arabic: طرابلس, Transliterated: Tarābulus) is a historic Libya 5210 Wan Caza Luca Galuzzi 2007jpg|thumb|Wan Caza dunes in Fezzan

The name "Libya" is an indigenous (i. e. Berber) one, which is attested in ancient Egyptian texts as , R'bw (= Libu), which refers to one of the tribes of Berber peoples living west of the Nile. Nomenclature The term Berber has been used in Europe since at least the 17th century and is still used today Egyptian is an Afro-Asiatic language most closely related to the Berber, Semitic, Somali and Beja languages The Libu ( R'bw, Ribou or Labu) were a tribe of Ancient Libyans first attested in ancient Egyptian texts from the Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. The Nile (النيل, Ancient Egyptian iteru or Ḥ'pī, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing River In Greek the tribesmen were called Libyes and their country became "Libya", although in ancient Greece the term had a broader meaning, encompassing all of North Africa west of Egypt. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Later on, at the time of Ibn Khaldun, the same big tribe was known as Lawata. Ibn Khaldūn or Ibn Khaldoun (full name أبو زيد عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون,, ( May 27, 1332 AD/732 AH &ndash March 19 ^[3]

Libya has the ninth highest GDP (PPP) per capita of Africa, behind Seychelles and South Africa. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. Seychelles (seɪˈʃɛl or /seɪˈʃɛlz/ in English and seʃɛl in French) officially the Republic of Seychelles (République des Seychelles Creole The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa This is largely due to its large petroleum reserves and low population. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit ^[4][5]

The Flag of Libya is the only national flag in the world with just one color and with no design, insignia, or other details. The flag of Libya ( علم ليبيا) (adopted on November 11, 1977) consists of a simple Green field with no other characteristics

History

Main article: History of Libya

Archaeological evidence indicates that from as early as the 8th millennium BC, Libya's coastal plain was inhabited by a Neolithic people who were skilled in the domestication of cattle and the cultivation of crops. The history of Libya includes the history of its rich mix of people added to the indigenous Berber tribes The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos ^[6] The area known in modern times as Libya was later occupied by a series of peoples, with the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals and Byzantines ruling all or part of the area. Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers The Ptolemaic dynasty (sometimes also known as the Lagids, from the name of Ptolemy I's father Lagus) was a Hellenistic Macedonian royal family The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Although the Greeks and Romans left ruins at Cyrene, Leptis Magna and Sabratha, little other evidence remains of these ancient cultures. Cyrene (in Greek, Κυρήνη &ndash Kurene) was an ancient Greek Colony in present-day Libya, the oldest and most Leptis Magna,(لبدة also known as Lectis Magna (or Lepcis Magna as it is sometimes spelled also called Lpqy or Neapolis, was a prominent city Sabratha in the Zawia district in the northwestern corner of modern Libya, was the westernmost of the "three cities" of Tripolis.

Ruins of the theatre in the Roman city of Sabratha, west of Tripoli

Arch of Roman emperor Lucius Septimius Severus (AD 146-211) in Leptis Magna

Phoenicians

The Phoenicians were the first to establish trading posts in Libya, when the merchants of Tyre (in present-day Lebanon) developed commercial relations with the Berber tribes and made treaties with them to ensure their cooperation in the exploitation of raw materials. Theatre (or theater, see spelling differences) is the branch of the Performing arts defined by Bernard Beckerman as what "occurs when one Sabratha in the Zawia district in the northwestern corner of modern Libya, was the westernmost of the "three cities" of Tripolis. The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC Lucius Septimius Severus (or rarely Severus I) ( April 11 145 - February 4 211) was a Roman general and Roman Emperor Leptis Magna,(لبدة also known as Lectis Magna (or Lepcis Magna as it is sometimes spelled also called Lpqy or Neapolis, was a prominent city Phoenicia ( Phoenician: Phoenician nunsvg|12px|נ]]Phoenician nun Tyre ( Arabic صور Ṣūr, Phoenician Phoenician wawsvg|12px|ו]] Ṣur, Hebrew Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. ^[7][8] By the 5th century BC, Carthage, the greatest of the Phoenician colonies, had extended its hegemony across much of N. Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers Hegemony (hɨˈdʒɛməni (Amer /hɨˈɡɛməni/ (Brit (ἡγεμονία hēgemonía) is a concept that has been used to describe and explain the dominance of one social Africa, where a distinctive civilization, known as Punic, came into being. The Punics, (from Latin pūnicus meaning Phoenician were a group of Western Semitic speaking peoples originating from Carthage Punic settlements on the Libyan coast included Oea (Tripoli), Libdah (Leptis Magna) and Sabratha. Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: Leptis Magna,(لبدة also known as Lectis Magna (or Lepcis Magna as it is sometimes spelled also called Lpqy or Neapolis, was a prominent city Sabratha in the Zawia district in the northwestern corner of modern Libya, was the westernmost of the "three cities" of Tripolis. All these were in an area that was later called Tripolis, or "Three Cities". Tripolis (Τρίπολις meaning "three cities" was a district in ancient Tripolitania (an expanded area based on the Tripolis now in Libya, along Libya's current-day capital Tripoli takes its name from this.

Greeks

The Greeks conquered Eastern Libya when, according to tradition, emigrants from the crowded island of Thera were commanded by the oracle at Delphi to seek a new home in North Africa. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Delphi ( Greek,) ( pronounce and dialectal forms) is an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western In 630 BC, they founded the city of Cyrene. Cyrene (in Greek, Κυρήνη &ndash Kurene) was an ancient Greek Colony in present-day Libya, the oldest and most ^[9] Within 200 years, four more important Greek cities were established in the area: Barce (Al Marj); Euhesperides (later Berenice, present-day Benghazi); Teuchira (later Arsinoe, present-day Tukrah); and Apollonia (Susah), the port of Cyrene. This article is about a city or area in eastern present-day Libya during its Greek and Roman antiquities Al-Marj ( Arabic: the meadows) Administrative Division of al-Fâtîh (Arabic الفاتح) Latitude 32 Benghazi or Bengasi ( Arabic بنغازي, transliterated Banġāzī,) is the second largest city in Libya and the Taucheira or Teucheira or Tauchira or Teuchira ( Greek:, Herod Together with Cyrene, they were known as the Pentapolis (Five Cities).

Romans

The Romans unified all three regions of Libya, and for more than 600 years Tripolitania and Cyrenaica became prosperous Roman provinces. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Tripolitaniajpg|thumb|250px|Tripolitania]] Tripolitania or Tripolitana ( Arabic: طرابلس, Transliterated: Tarābulus) is a historic ^[10] Roman ruins, such as those of Leptis Magna, attest to the vitality of the region, where populous cities and even small towns enjoyed the amenities of urban life. Merchants and artisans from many parts of the Roman world established themselves in North Africa, but the character of the cities of Tripolitania remained decidedly Punic and, in Cyrenaica, Greek.

Arabs

Arabs under General Abdullah ibn Saad conquered Libya in the 7th century AD during the reign of Caliph Usman. ‘Abdullāh ibn Sa‘ad ibn Abī as-Sarḥ ( was the foster brother of Uthman. Early life Uthman was born in Ta’if, which is situated on a hill and the presumption is that Uthman was born during the summer months since wealthy Meccans In the following centuries, many of the indigenous peoples adopted Islam, and also the Arabic language and culture. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language

Ottoman Turks

The Ottoman Turks conquered the country in the mid-16th century, and the three States or "Wilayat" of Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan (which make up Libya) remained part of their empire with the exception of the virtual autonomy of the Karamanlis. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish A wilāyah (ولاية or vilâyet (in Persian and Ottoman Turkish) is an administrative division usually Tripolitaniajpg|thumb|250px|Tripolitania]] Tripolitania or Tripolitana ( Arabic: طرابلس, Transliterated: Tarābulus) is a historic Libya 5210 Wan Caza Luca Galuzzi 2007jpg|thumb|Wan Caza dunes in Fezzan The Karamanli or Qaramanli or al-Qaramanli dynasty was a series of Pashas who ruled from 1711 to 1835 in Tripolitania ( Tripoli and The Karamanlis ruled from 1711 until 1835 mainly in Tripolitania, but had influence in Cyrenaica and Fezzan as well by the mid 18th century. This constituted a first glimpse in recent history of the united and independent Libya that was to re-emerge two centuries later. Ironically, reunification came about through the unlikely route of an invasion (Italo-Turkish War, 1911-1912) and occupation starting from 1911 when Italy simultaneously turned the three regions into colonies. The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War (also known in Italy as guerra di Libia, "the Libyan war" and in Turkey as Trablusgarp Savaşı) was fought Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest ^[11]

Italian Colony

From 1912 to 1927, the territory of Libya was known as Italian North Africa. From 1927 to 1934, the territory was split into two colonies, Italian Cyrenaica and Italian Tripolitania run by Italian governors. Italian Cyrenaica was formed in 1927 after it and Italian Tripolitania became independent colonial entities within Italian North Africa. Italian Tripolitania was formed in 1927 after it and Italian Cyrenaica became independent colonial entities within Italian North Africa.

In 1934, Italy adopted the name "Libya" (used by the Greeks for all of North Africa, except Egypt) as the official name of the colony (made up of the three Provinces of Cyrenaica, Tripolitania and Fezzan). North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Tripolitaniajpg|thumb|250px|Tripolitania]] Tripolitania or Tripolitana ( Arabic: طرابلس, Transliterated: Tarābulus) is a historic Libya 5210 Wan Caza Luca Galuzzi 2007jpg|thumb|Wan Caza dunes in Fezzan King Idris I, Emir of Cyrenaica, led Libyan resistance to Italian occupation between the two World Wars. Idris I, GBE (إدريس الأول born Sayyid Muhammad Idris bin Sayyid Muhammad al-Mahdi al-Senussi, ( March 12, 1889 - May 25, Between 1928 and 1932 the Italian military "killed half the Bedouin population (directly or through starvation in camps). "^[12] From 1943 to 1951, Tripolitania and Cyrenaica were under British administration, while the French controlled Fezzan. In 1944, Idris returned from exile in Cairo but declined to resume permanent residence in Cyrenaica until the removal of some aspects of foreign control in 1947. Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt. Under the terms of the 1947 peace treaty with the Allies, Italy relinquished all claims to Libya. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest ^[13]

Omar Mukhtar (1858–1931) was the leader of the Libyan uprising against Italian occupation. Omar Mukhtar ( Arabic عمر المختار ‘Umar Al-Mokhtār) ( 1862 - September 16, 1931) was from the tribe

United Kingdom of Libya

On November 21, 1949, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution stating that Libya should become independent before January 1, 1952. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Membership For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly see General Assembly members New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Idris represented Libya in the subsequent UN negotiations. On December 24, 1951, Libya declared its independence as the United Kingdom of Libya, a constitutional and hereditary monarchy under King Idris. Events 563 - The Byzantine church Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is dedicated for the second time after being destroyed by Earthquakes Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The Kingdom of Libya, ( المملكة الليبية) originally called the United Kingdom of Libya came into existence on December 24, 1951 A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or

History of Libya
Periods
Ancient Libya Islamic Tripolitania and Cyrenaica Ottoman Libya Italian Colony Kingdom of Libya Modern Libya
See also Italian invasion History of the Jews in Libya

The discovery of significant oil reserves in 1959 and the subsequent income from petroleum sales enabled one of the world's poorest nations to establish an extremely wealthy state. The history of Libya includes the history of its rich mix of people added to the indigenous Berber tribes Prehistory Since Neolithic times the climate of North Africa has been drying With tenuous Byzantine control over Libya restricted to a few poorly defended coastal strongholds the Arab horsemen who first crossed into Pentapolis Cyrenaica in September 642 encountered little By the beginning of the 15th century the Libyan coast had minimal central authority and its harbours were havens for unchecked bands of pirates For a full treatment of the Italian invasion of 1911 see Italian invasion of Libya. The Kingdom of Libya, ( المملكة الليبية) originally called the United Kingdom of Libya came into existence on December 24, 1951 On November 21, 1949, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution stating that Libya should become independent before January 1, 1952. The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War (also known in Italy as guerra di Libia, "the Libyan war" and in Turkey as Trablusgarp Savaşı) was fought Jews have lived in Libya since the 3rd century BC, when North Africa was under Roman rule Oil reserves are the estimated quantities of Crude oil that are claimed to be recoverable under existing Economic and operating conditions Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Although oil drastically improved the Libyan government's finances, popular resentment began to build over the increased concentration of the nation's wealth in the hands of King Idris and the national elite. This discontent continued to mount with the rise of Nasserism and Arab nationalism throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Nasserism is an Arab nationalist Political ideology based on the thinking of the former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Arab nationalism ( Arabic: القومية العربية is a Nationalist ideology which rose to prominence amongst Arabs from the early 20th century onwards The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East.

Coup of Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi

On September 1, 1969, a small group of military officers led by then 27-year-old army officer Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi staged a coup d’état against King Idris. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi 1 (معمر القذافي) (born 7 June 1942) also known as Colonel Gaddafi At the time, Idris was in Turkey for medical treatment. His nephew, Crown Prince Sayyid Hasan ar-Rida al-Mahdi as-Sanussi, became King. Sayyid Hasan al-Rida al-Mahdi as-Senussi Crown Prince of Libya ( 1928 - April 28, 1992) was the heir apparent to the Kingdom of Libya from It was clear that the revolutionary officers who had announced the deposition of King Idris did not want to appoint him over the instruments of state as King. Sayyid quickly found that he had substantially less power as the new King than he had earlier had as a mere Prince. Before the end of September 1, Sayyid Hasan ar-Rida had been formally deposed by the revolutionary army officers and put under house arrest. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Meanwhile, revolutionary officers abolished the monarchy, and proclaimed the new Libyan Arab Republic. Gaddafi was, and is to this day, referred to as the "Brother Leader and Guide of the Revolution" in government statements and the official press. ^[14]

Politics

Main article: Politics of Libya

A wall carpet depicting Col. Politics of Libya takes place in a framework of a dual government structure in Libya. Gaddafi, in a hotel in Misratah

There are two branches of government in Libya. The "revolutionary sector" comprises Revolutionary Leader Gaddafi, the Revolutionary Committees and the remaining members of the 12-person Revolutionary Command Council, which was established in 1969. ^[15] The historical revolutionary leadership is not elected and cannot be voted out of office; they are in power by virtue of their involvement in the revolution.

Constituting the legislative branch of government, this sector comprises Local People's Congresses in each of the 1,500 urban wards, 32 Sha'biyat People's Congresses for the regions, and the National General People's Congress. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation The General People's Congress ( Mu'tammar al-sha'ab al 'âmm) (مؤتمر الشعب العام الليبي consists out of circa 2700 representatives of the Basis These legislative bodies are represented by corresponding executive bodies (Local People's Committees, Sha'biyat People's Committees and the National General People's Committee/Cabinet). In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State.

Every four years, the membership of the Local People's Congresses elects their own leaders and the secretaries for the People's Committees, sometimes after many debates and a critical vote. The term General Secretary (alternatively First Secretary) denotes a leader of various unions parties churches or associations The leadership of the Local People's Congress represents the local congress at the People's Congress of the next level. The members of the National General People's Congress elect the members of the National General People's Committee (the Cabinet) at their annual meeting. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch.

The government controls both state-run and semi-autonomous media. In cases involving a violation of "certain taboos", the private press, like The Tripoli Post, has been censored,^[16] although articles that are critical of policies have been requested and intentionally published by the revolutionary leadership itself as a means of initiating reforms.

Political parties were banned by the 1972 Prohibition of Party Politics Act Number 71. Politics of Libya takes place in a framework of a dual government structure in Libya. ^[17] According to the Association Act of 1971, the establishment of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is allowed. However, because they are required to conform to the goals of the revolution, their numbers are small in comparison with those in neighbouring countries. Trade unions do not exist,^[18] but numerous professional associations are integrated into the state structure as a third pillar, along with the People's Congresses and Committees. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming These associations do not have the right to strike. Professional associations send delegates to the General People's Congress, where they have a representative mandate.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Libya

Foreign Minister Abd al-Rahman Shalgam with his US counterpart U. Libya 's foreign policies have undergone much fluctuation and change since the state declared its independence from Italy on December 24, 1951 S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. Condoleezza Rice (born November 14 1954 is the 66th United States Libya is keen to shake off its pariah status and rejoin the international community.

Libya's foreign policies have undergone much fluctuation and change since the state was proclaimed on December 24, 1951. As a Kingdom, Libya maintained a definitively pro-Western stance, yet was recognized as belonging to the conservative traditionalist bloc in the League of Arab States (Arab League), of which it became a member in 1953. The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية ^[19] The government was in close alliance with Britain and the United States; both countries maintained military base rights in Libya. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Libya also forged close ties with France, Italy, Greece, and established full diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in 1955. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991

Although the government supported Arab causes, including the Moroccan and Algerian independence movements, it took little active part in the Arab-Israeli dispute or the tumultuous inter-Arab politics of the 1950s and early 1960s. The Kingdom was noted for its close association with the West, while it steered an essentially conservative course at home. ^[20]

After the 1969 coup, Gaddafi closed American and British bases and partially nationalized foreign oil and commercial interests in Libya. Nationalization, also spelled nationalisation, is the act of taking an industry or assets into the Public ownership of a national government He also played a key role in promoting oil embargoes as a political weapon for challenging the West, hoping that an oil price rise and embargo in 1973 would persuade the West, especially the United States, to end support for Israel. In international Commerce and politics, an embargo is the prohibition of commerce Gaddafi rejected both Eastern (Soviet) communism and Western (United States) capitalism and claimed he was charting a middle course for his government. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Capitalism is the Economic system in which the Means of production are owned by private Persons and operated for Profit and where ^[21]

In the 1980s, Libya increasingly distanced itself from the West, and was accused of committing mass acts of state sponsored terrorism. When evidence of Libyan complicity was discovered in the Berlin discotheque terrorist bombing that killed two American servicemen, the United States responded by launching an aerial bombing attack against targets near Tripoli and Benghazi in April 1986. The Berlin discotheque bombing of April 5, 1986 was a terrorist attack on the La Belle discotheque West Berlin, Germany, that was The United States bombing of Libya (code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon) comprised the joint United States Air Force, Navy and Benghazi or Bengasi ( Arabic بنغازي, transliterated Banġāzī,) is the second largest city in Libya and the ^[22]

In 1991, two Libyan intelligence agents were indicted by federal prosecutors in the U. S. and Scotland for their involvement in the December 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103. Six other Libyans were put on trial in absentia for the 1989 bombing of UTA Flight 772. UTA Flight 772 of the French airline Union des Transports Aériens, was a scheduled flight operating from Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo The UN Security Council demanded that Libya surrender the suspects, cooperate with the Pan Am 103 and UTA 772 investigations, pay compensation to the victims' families, and cease all support for terrorism. Libya's refusal to comply led to the approval of UNSC Resolution 748 on March 31, 1992, imposing sanctions on the state designed to bring about Libyan compliance. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Continued Libyan defiance led to further sanctions by the UN against Libya in November 1993. ^[23]

In 2003, more than a decade after the sanctions were put in place, Libya began to make dramatic policy changes in regard to the Western world with the open intention of pursuing a Western-Libyan détente. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings Détente is a French term meaning a relaxing or easing the term has been used in international politics since the early 1970s The Libyan government announced its decision to abandon its weapons of mass destruction programs and pay almost 3 billion US dollars in compensation to the families of Pan Am flight 103 as well as UTA Flight 772. A weapon of mass destruction ( WMD) is a weapon which can kill large numbers of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures (e ^[24] The decision was welcomed by many western nations and was seen as an important step for Libya toward rejoining the international community. ^[25] Since 2003 the country has made efforts to normalize its ties with the European Union and the United States and has even coined the catchphrase, 'The Libya Model', an example intended to show the world what can be achieved through negotiation rather than force when there is goodwill on both sides. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

An event considered pivotal by many in the Libyan-Western relations is the HIV trials (1999–2007) of Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor. The HIV trial in Libya (or Bulgarian nurses affair) concerns the trials appeals and eventual release of six foreign medical workers charged with conspiring to deliberately infect their release is seen as marking new stage in the Libyan-Western relations.

On May 15, 2006 the United States Department announced it would fully restore diplomatic relations with Libya if it dismantled its weapons programs. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Also the State Department removed Libya from their state sponsored terrorism list which it had been on for 27 years.

On October 16, 2007 Libya was voted to serve on the United Nations Security Council for two years starting January 2008. ^[26]

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in Libya

According to the U. According to the US Department of State's annual Human rights report for 2004 Libya 's Authoritarian regime continued to have a poor record S. Department of State’s annual human rights report for 2004, Libya’s authoritarian regime continued to have a poor record in the area of human rights. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled Authoritarianism describes a Form of government characterized by an emphasis on the Authority of the State in a republic or union Some of the numerous and serious abuses on the part of the government include poor prison conditions, arbitrary arrest and detention, prisoners held incommunicado, and political prisoners held for many years without charge or trial. A political prisoner is someone held in Prison or otherwise detained perhaps under House arrest, for his or her involvement in political activity The judiciary is controlled by the state, and there is no right to a fair public trial. Libyans do not have the right to change their government. Freedom of speech, press, assembly, association, and religion are restricted. Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without Censorship or Limitation. Freedom Constitutional or statutory protections pertaining to freedom of the press Freedom of assembly, sometimes used interchangeably with the Freedom of association, is the Individual right to come together with other individuals and collectively Freedom of association is the Individual right to come together with other individuals and collectively express promote pursue and defend common interests Freedom of religion is the freedom of an individual or community in public or private to manifest religion or belief in teaching practice worship and observance Independent human rights organizations are prohibited. Ethnic and tribal minorities suffer discrimination, and the state continues to restrict the labor rights of foreign workers. Labor rights or workers' rights are a group of Legal rights and claimed Human rights having to do with Labor relations between Workers

In 2005, the Freedom House rated political rights in Libya as "7" (1 representing the most free and 7 the least free rating), civil liberties as "7" and gave it the freedom rating of "Not Free,"^[27] although the organization itself has been criticized as politically slanted. Freedom House is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Democracy, political A right is a legal or moral Entitlement or Permission. Rights are of vital importance in theories of Justice and deontological ethics thumb| |Broken Liberty Istanbul Archaeology Museum Civil liberties are freedoms that protect the Individual from the Government. See Freedom House#Criticism and praise

Municipalities

Main article: Municipalities of Libya

Libya was divided into several governorates (muhafazat) [3] before being split into 25 municipalities (baladiyat), see map of 25 baladiyat in Municipalities of Libya. Freedom House is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Democracy, political There are thirty-four municipalities of Libya, known by the Arabic term sha'biyat (singular Sha'biyah) The Arabic word muhafazah (محافظة muḥāfaẓä plural محافظات muhafazat) is usually translated to Governorate in English occasionally to There are thirty-four municipalities of Libya, known by the Arabic term sha'biyat (singular Sha'biyah) There are thirty-four municipalities of Libya, known by the Arabic term sha'biyat (singular Sha'biyah) ^[28] Recently, Libya was divided into thirty two sha'biyah. Shabiyah ( شعبية) (plural Shabiyat شعبيات is an Administrative division of Libya. ^[29] These were then further rearranged into twenty two. The following list and map show the previous arrangement which is slightly different than the current one. ^[30]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Libya

Map of Libya

The Jabal Al Akdhar near Benghazi is Libya's wettest region. Ajdabiya (إجدابيا is one of the municipalities of Libya. Ghat' is one of the municipalities of Libya. Its capital is Ghat. The Al Butnan municipality (Arabic Sha'biya in Libya has a population of 116106 with its capital city being Tubruq (Arabic طبرق Ghadamis ( Arabic: غدامس Libyan vernacular: ġdāməs is one of the municipalities of Libya. Al Hizam al Akhdar ( الحزام الأخضر) which means ( Green Belt) in english is one of the 32 municipalities of Libya. Gharyan or Garian ( is one of the municipalities of Libya. It is in the northwest of the country Al Jabal al Akhdar ( الجبل الأخضر) is one of the municipalities of Libya. Murzuq (مرزق is one of the municipalities of Libya. It is in the south of the country Al Jfara' is one of the municipalities of Libya. Al Jfara borders the following municipalities Tripoli - northeast Mizdah is one of the municipalities of Libya. Mizdah borders the following municipalities Bani Walid - northeast Surt Al Jufrah (الجفرة is one of the municipalities of Libya. Miusrata (rarely Misrata or Misratah) ( Arabic: ( مصراته ( مسراته, مسراتا, ذات الرمال Al Kufrah ( الكفرة) also spelled Cufra is one of the municipalities of Libya. Nalut' is one of the municipalities of Libya. Its capital is Nalut. Al-Marj ( Arabic: the meadows) Administrative Division of al-Fâtîh (Arabic الفاتح) Latitude 32 Tajura Wa Al Nawahi AlArba' is one of the municipalities of Libya. Al Murgub (المرقبis one of the municipilaties of Libya. Tarhuna Wa Msalata' is one of the municipalities of Libya. Tarhuna Wa Msalata borders the following municipalities Tajura Wa Al Nawahi AlArba' An Nuqat al Khams (النقاط الخمس is one of the municipalities of Libya. Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: Al Qubah is one of the municipalities of Libya. It has a population of approximately 93000 See Sabhā for the Indian concept of "council" Sabha ( Arabic: سبها is one of the municipalities of Al Wahat is one of the municipalities of Libya. Al Wahat borders the following municipalities Al Butnan - east Al Surt (or Sirte) ( Arabic: سرت) is one of the municipalities of Libya, which lies in the north of the country and borders the Az Zawiyah Municipality ( Arabic: شعبية الزاوية transliterated: Sha'biyat az-Zawiyah is one of the municipalities in Libya. Sabratha Wa Surman' is one of the municipalities of Libya. In the north Sabratha Wa Surman has a shoreline on the Mediterranean Sea. Benghazi or Bengasi ( Arabic بنغازي, transliterated Banġāzī,) is the second largest city in Libya and the Wadi Al Hayaa' is one of the municipalities of Libya. Wadi Al Hayaa borders the following municipalities Wadi Al Shatii - north Bani Walid' is one of the municipalities of Libya. Bani Walid borders the following municipalities Tarhuna Wa Msalata - north Wadi Al Shatii' is one of the municipalities of Libya. To the west Wadi Al Shatii borders the Illizi Province of Algeria. Darnah (درنة is one of the municipalities of Libya. It is in the northeast of the country Yefren (يفرن is one of the municipalities of Libya. It is in the northwest of the country With an area of 1760000 square kilometers and a Mediterranean coastline of nearly 1800 kilometers Libya is fourth in size among the countries of Africa and Al'Jabel Al'Akhdar ( Arabic: الجبل الأخضر meaning The Green Mountain) is a heavily forested fertile upland area in eastern Libya Annual rainfall averages at between 400 and 600 millimetres (15-24 inches). ^[31]

Libya extends over 1,759,540 square kilometres (679,182 sq. mi), making it the 17th largest nation in the world by size. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. Libya is somewhat smaller than Indonesia, and roughly the size of the US state of Alaska. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent It is bound to the north by the Mediterranean Sea, the west by Tunisia and Algeria, the southwest by Niger, the south by Chad and Sudan and to the east by Egypt. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Niger ( or /ˈnaɪdʒɚ/) officially the Republic of Niger, is a Landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. Chad (Tchad تشاد Tshād) officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a Landlocked country in Central Africa. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. At 1770 kilometres (1100 miles), Libya's coastline is the longest of any African country bordering the Mediterranean. ^[32][33] The portion of the Mediterranean Sea north of Libya is often called the Libyan Sea. The Libyan Sea is a portion of the Mediterranean Sea situated north of the country of Libya and generally southerly of the island of Crete. The climate is mostly dry and desert-like in nature. However, the northern regions enjoy a milder Mediterranean climate. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide

Natural hazards come in the form of hot, dry, dust-laden sirocco (known in Libya as the gibli). Sirocco, scirocco, jugo or rarely siroc is a Mediterranean Wind that comes from This is a southern wind blowing from one to four days in spring and autumn. There are also dust storms and sandstorms. Oases can also be found scattered throughout Libya, the most important of which are Ghadames and Kufra as well as others. In Geography, an oasis (plural oases) or Cienega ( Southwestern United States) is an isolated area of vegetation in a Desert, typically The oasis of GhadamesIs known to most people I guessIn Libya's vast landHalf-buried in sandIt survives and it thrives — more or less| Limerick by Charles Issawi| Kufra (also spelled Cufra or Khofra) is an Oasis in Southeastern Libya that played a minor role in the Western Desert Campaign of World

Libyan Desert

Moving sand dunes in Tadrart Acacus

Satellite image of Libya, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library

Desert landscape in Libya; 90% of the country is desert

The Libyan Desert, which covers much of eastern Libya, is one of the most arid places on earth. In physical Geography, a dune is a Hill of Sand built by Aeolian processes. Tadrart Acacus (تدرارت أكاكوس is a desert area in western Libya and is part of the Sahara In Computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap, is a Data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of Pixels The Map Library should not be confused with the Map Library of The British Museum. The Libyan Desert (24 degrees North 25 degrees East (الصحراء الليبية is an African Desert that is located in the northern and eastern part of the In places, decades may pass without rain, and even in the highlands rainfall happens erratically, once every 5–10 years. Rain is Liquid precipitation. On Earth it is the condensation of atmospheric Water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall often making it to The term highland is used to denote any Mountainous region or elevated mountainous Plateau. At Uweinat, the last recorded rainfall was in September 1998. Rain is Liquid precipitation. On Earth it is the condensation of atmospheric Water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall often making it to ^[34] There is a large depression, the Qattara Depression, just to the south of the northernmost scarp, with Siwa oasis at its western extremity. Depression in Geology is a Landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area The Qattara Depression (منخفض القطارة 'Munkhafad al-Qattarah' is a Desert basin within the Libyan Desert of north-western Egypt. The depression continues in a shallower form west, to the oases of Jaghbub and Jalo.

Likewise, the temperature in the Libyan desert can be extreme; in 1922, the town of Al 'Aziziyah, which is located west of Tripoli, recorded an air temperature of 57. El 'Azizia ( العزيزيه) is one of the municipalities of Libya, located in the Northwest of the country 55 km Southwest of Tripoli Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: 8 °C (136. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. 0 °F), generally accepted as the highest recorded naturally occurring air temperature reached on Earth. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 ^[35]

There are a few scattered uninhabited small oases, usually linked to the major depressions, where water can be found by digging to a few feet in depth. In the west there is a widely dispersed group of oases in unconnected shallow depressions, the Kufra group, consisting of Tazerbo, Rebianae and Kufra. ^[34] Aside from the scarps, the general flatness is only interrupted by a series of plateaus and massifs near the centre of the Libyan Desert, around the convergence of the Egyptian-Sudanese-Libyan Borders. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting

Slightly further to the south are the massifs of Arkenu, Uweinat and Kissu. These granite mountains are very ancient, having formed much before the sandstones surrounding them. Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. Arkenu and Western Uweinat are ring complexes very similar to those in the Aïr Mountains. The Aïr Mountains (also known as the Aïr Massif; the name is Ayăr in Tuareg and Azbin / Abzin in eastern / western Eastern Uweinat (the highest point in the Libyan Desert) is a raised sandstone plateau adjacent to the granite part further west. ^[34] The plain to the north of Uweinat is dotted with eroded volcanic features.

With the discovery of oil in the 1950s also came the discovery of a massive aquifer underneath much of the country. The water in this aquifer pre-dates the last ice ages and the Sahara desert itself. ^[36] The country is also home to the Arkenu craters, double impact craters found in the desert. The Arkenu craters are a pair of eroded Impact craters in Libya.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Libya

The infrastructure of Libya's capital Tripoli has benefited from the country's oil wealth. Libya 's socialist -oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the Petroleum sector which contributes practically all export earnings and over half

The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which constitute practically all export earnings and about one-quarter of gross domestic product (GDP). In Economics, an export is any good or Commodity, Transported from one country to another country in a Legitimate fashion These oil revenues and a small population give Libya one of the highest GDPs per person in Africa and have allowed the Libyan state to provide an extensive and impressive level of social security, particularly in the fields of housing and education. ^[37]

Tripoli's Old City - (El-Madina El-Kadima) - situated in the city centre, is one of the classical sites of the Mediterranean and an important tourist attraction.

Compared to its neighbours, Libya enjoys an extremely low level of both absolute and relative poverty. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and Libyan officials in the past three years have carried out economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the global capitalist economy. ^[38] 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. International sanctions are actions taken by Countries against others for political reasons either Unilaterally or Multilaterally. ^[39]

Libya has begun some market-oriented reforms. Initial steps have included applying for membership of the World Trade Organisation, reducing subsidies, and announcing plans for privatisation. In Economics, a subsidy (also known as a subvention is a form of financial assistance paid to a business or economic sector Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of business from the Public sector (government to the Private sector (business ^[40] 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 aluminium. Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of Petroleum or other Hydrocarbon origin Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 WikipediaNaming Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. ^[38] Water is also a problem, with some 28% of the population not having access to safe drinking water in 2000. ^[41]

Under the previous Prime Minister, Shukri Ghanem, and current prime minister Baghdadi Mahmudi, Libya is undergoing a business boom. Shukri Mohammed Ghanem ( Arabic: شكرى محمد غانم) (born 1942 is the former General Secretary of the People's Committee in Libya ( Prime al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmudi ( البغدادي علي المحمودي)(born 1945? was appointed General Secretary of the General People's Committee ( Prime minister Many government-run industries are being privatised. Many international oil companies have returned to the country, including oil giants Shell and ExxonMobil. Royal Dutch Shell plc, commonly known simply as Shell, is a multinational oil company of Dutch and British origins The Exxon Mobil Corporation, or ExxonMobil, is an American oil and gas Corporation and a direct descendant of John D ^[42] Tourism is on the rise, bringing increased demand for hotel accommodation and for capacity at airports such as Tripoli International. Tripoli International Airport ( Arabic مطار طرابلس العالمي serves Tripoli, Libya. A multi-million dollar renovation of Libyan airports has recently been approved by the government to help meet such demands. ^[43] At present 130,000 people visit the country annually; the Libyan government hopes to increase this figure to 10,000,000 tourists. ^[44] Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi, the oldest son of Muammar al-Gaddafi, is involved in a green development project called the Green Mountain Sustainable Development Area, which seeks to bring tourism to Cyrene and to preserve Greek ruins in the area. Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi ( سيف الإسلام القذافي, translation Sword of Islam) (born June 25, 1972) is a ^[45]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Libya

A map indicating the ethnic composition of Libya. Libya has a small population residing in a large land area Population density is about 50 persons per km² (80/sq

Libya has a small population within its large territory, with a population density of about 3 people per square kilometre (8. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 5/mi²) in the two northern regions of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, and less than one person per square kilometre (1. Tripolitaniajpg|thumb|250px|Tripolitania]] Tripolitania or Tripolitana ( Arabic: طرابلس, Transliterated: Tarābulus) is a historic 6/mi²) elsewhere. Libya is thus one of the least densely populated nations by area in the world. ^[46] 90% of the people live in less than 10% of the area, mostly along the coast. More than half the population is urban, concentrated to a greater extent, in the two largest cities, Tripoli and Benghazi. Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: Benghazi or Bengasi ( Arabic بنغازي, transliterated Banġāzī,) is the second largest city in Libya and the ^[47] Native Libyans are a mixture of indigenous Berber peoples and the later arriving Arabs.

There are small Tuareg (a Berber population) and Tebu tribal groups concentrated in the south, living nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles. The Tuareg (also Twareg or Touareg, Amazigh: Imuhagh / Itargiyen, besides regional ethnyms are a Nomadic The Toubou (also called Tebu or Tubu or Tebou) are an Ethnic group that live mainly in northern Chad, but also in Libya Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that Among foreign residents, the largest groups are citizens of other African nations, including North Africans (primarily Egyptians and Tunisians), and Sub-Saharan Africans. This article is about the contemporary North African ethnic group Sub-Saharan Africa is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara, or those African countries ^[48] According to the CIA Factbook, Libyan Berbers and Arabs constitute 97% of the population; the other 3% are Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Afghanis, Turks, Indians, and Sub-Saharan Africans. The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging This article is about the contemporary North African ethnic group The Demographics of Afghanistan are ethnically and linguistically mixed The Turkish people (Türk Halkı also known as " Turks " ( Türkler) are defined mainly as being speakers of Turkish as a First language India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Sub-Saharan Africa is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara, or those African countries ^[49] However, this only counts legal residents, as Libya is also home to a large illegal Sub-Saharan African population which according to some estimates numbers as much as a million. ^[50]

The main language spoken in Libya is Arabic, which is also the official language. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Tamazight (i. Nomenclature The term Berber has been used in Europe since at least the 17th century and is still used today e. Berber languages), which do not have official status, are spoken by Libyan Berbers. ^[51] Berber speakers live above all in the Jebel Nafusa region (Tripolitania), the town of Zuwarah on the coast, and the city-oases of Ghadames, Ghat and Awjila. Tripolitaniajpg|thumb|250px|Tripolitania]] Tripolitania or Tripolitana ( Arabic: طرابلس, Transliterated: Tarābulus) is a historic Zuwarah (زوارة is a port city in northwestern Libya, with a population of 45000 The oasis of GhadamesIs known to most people I guessIn Libya's vast landHalf-buried in sandIt survives and it thrives — more or less| Limerick by Charles Issawi| For the Indian mountains see Ghats. Ghat (غات is a city in the municipality of Ghat in remote south-western Libya Awjila (أوجلة is an oasis after which the Awjila language, an Eastern Berber language spoken there is named In addition, Tuaregs speak Tamahaq, the only known Northern Tamasheq language. Tamahaq is the only known Northern Tuareg language, spoken in Algeria, western Libya, and northern Niger. Tuareg (or Tamasheq/Tamajaq/Tamahaq) is a Berber language or family of closely related languages spoken by the Tuareg, in many parts of Mali Italian and English are sometimes spoken in the big cities, although Italian speakers are mainly among the older generation. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States

Family life is important for Libyan families, the majority of which live in apartment blocks and other independent housing units, with precise modes of housing depending on their income and wealth. A tower block, block of flats, or apartment block, is a multi-unit High-rise Apartment building. Although the Libyan Arabs traditionally lived nomadic lifestyles in tents, they have now settled in various towns and cities. ^[52] Because of this, their old ways of life are gradually fading out. An unknown small number of Libyans still live in the desert as their families have done for centuries. Most of the population has occupations in industry and services, and a small percentage is in agriculture. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture

Education

The Benghazi campus of the former University of Libya (Al-Jami'a al-Libiya), Libya's first university.

Libya's population includes 1. 7 million students, over 270,000 of whom study at the tertiary level. Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage third level and' post-secondary education', is the educational level following the completion of a school providing ^[53] Education in Libya is free for all citizens,^[54] and compulsory up until secondary level. Australia See also Education The literacy rate is the highest in North Africa; over 82% of the population can read and write. ^[55] After Libya's independence in 1951, its first university, the University of Libya, was established in Benghazi. ^[56] In academic year 1975/76 the number of university students was estimated to be 13,418. As of 2004, this number has increased to more than 200,000, with an extra 70,000 enrolled in the higher technical and vocational sector. ^[53] The rapid increase in the number of students in the higher education sector has been mirrored by an increase in the number of institutions of higher education. Since 1975 the number of universities has grown from two to nine and after their introduction in 1980, the number of higher technical and vocational institutes currently stands at 84 (with 12 public universities). ^[53] Libya's higher education is financed by the public budget. In 1998 the budget allocated for education represented 38. 2% of the national budget. ^[56]

The main universities in Libya are:

• Al Fateh University (Tripoli)
• Garyounis University (Benghazi)

Religion

Main article: Religion in Libya

By far the predominant religion in Libya is Islam with 97% of the population associating with the faith. Al Fateh University (Arabic جامعة الفاتح is the largest and most important institute of higher education in Libya. Garyounis University (جامعة قاريونس is a public university in Benghazi. By far the predominant Religion in Libya is Islam with 97% of the population associating with the faith For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. ^[57] The vast majority of Libyan Muslims adhere to Sunni Islam, which provides both a spiritual guide for individuals and a keystone for government policy, but a minority (between 5 and 10%) adhere to Ibadism (a branch of Kharijism), above all in the Jebel Nefusa and the town of Zuwarah. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic The Ibadi movement or Ibadiyya (Arabic الاباضية al-Ibāḍiyyah is a form of Islam distinct from the Shi'a and Sunni denominations Kharijites (Arabic Khawārij خوارج literally "Those who Went Out" is a general term embracing various Muslims who while initially supporting the

Mosque in Ghadames, close to the Tunisian and Algerian border. The oasis of GhadamesIs known to most people I guessIn Libya's vast landHalf-buried in sandIt survives and it thrives — more or less| Limerick by Charles Issawi| About 97% of Libyans are followers of Islam.

Before the 1930s, the Sanusi Movement was the primary Islamic movement in Libya. The Senussi or Sanussi refers to a Muslim political-religious order in Libya and Sudan founded in Mecca in 1837 by the Grand Senussi Sayyid This was a religious revival adapted to desert life. Its zawaayaa (lodges) were found in Tripolitania and Fezzan, but Sanusi influence was strongest in Cyrenaica. Tripolitaniajpg|thumb|250px|Tripolitania]] Tripolitania or Tripolitana ( Arabic: طرابلس, Transliterated: Tarābulus) is a historic Libya 5210 Wan Caza Luca Galuzzi 2007jpg|thumb|Wan Caza dunes in Fezzan Rescuing the region from unrest and anarchy, the Sanusi movement gave the Cyrenaican tribal people a religious attachment and feelings of unity and purpose. ^[58] This Islamic movement, which was eventually destroyed by both Italian invasion and later the Gaddafi government,^[58] was very conservative and somewhat different from the Islam that exists in Libya today. The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War (also known in Italy as guerra di Libia, "the Libyan war" and in Turkey as Trablusgarp Savaşı) was fought Gaddafi asserts that he is a devout Muslim, and his government is taking a role in supporting Islamic institutions and in worldwide proselytizing on behalf of Islam. ^[59] A Libyan form of Sufism is also common in parts of the country. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف ^[60]

Other than the overwhelming majority of Sunni Muslims, there are also small foreign communities of Christians. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Coptic Orthodox Christianity, which is the Christian Church of Egypt, is the largest and most historical Christian denomination in Libya. History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the This article is about the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria in African countries other than Egypt. There are over 60,000 Egyptian Copts in Libya, as they comprise of over 1% of the population alone. A Copt ( Coptic: ouRemenkīmi enEkhristianos, literally Egyptian Christian) is a native Egyptian Christian. ^[61] There is also a small Anglican community, made up mostly of African immigrant workers in Tripoli; it is part of the Anglican Diocese of Egypt. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs ^[62] There is also an estimated 40,000 Roman Catholics in Libya who are served by two Bishops, one in Tripoli (serving the Italian community) and one in Benghazi (serving the Maltese community). The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging Benghazi or Bengasi ( Arabic بنغازي, transliterated Banġāzī,) is the second largest city in Libya and the The Maltese people or Maltese are a Southern European Nation and Ethnic group native to Malta, an island nation consisting of an archipelago

Libya was until recent times the home of one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world, dating back to at least 300 BC. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ ^[63] A series of pogroms beginning in November 1945 lasted for almost three years, drastically reducing Libya's Jewish population. A pogrom is a form of Riot directed against a particular group whether ethnic religious or other and characterized by destruction of their Homes Businesses ^[64] In 1948, about 38,000 Jews remained in the country. Upon Libya's independence in 1951, most of the Jewish community emigrated. After the Suez Crisis in 1956, all but about 100 Jews were forced to flee. The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, (أزمة السويس - العدوان الثلاثي Crise du canal de Suez מבצע קדש Kadesh

Culture

Main article: Culture of Libya

Coastline of Benghazi, Libya's second largest city. Food Libyan cuisine is a mixture of Arabic and Mediterranean, with a strong Italian influence With the longest Mediterranean coastline among African nations, Libyia's mostly unspoilt beaches are a social gathering place.

Libya is culturally similar to its neighboring Maghrebian states. The Maghreb (المغرب العربي al-Maġrib al-ʿArabī) also rendered Maghrib (or rarely Moghreb) meaning "place of Sunset Libyans consider themselves very much a part of a wider Arab community. The Libyan state tends to strengthen this feeling by considering Arabic as the only official language, and forbidding the teaching and even the use of the Berber language. Libyan Arabs have a heritage in the traditions of the nomadic Bedouin and associate themselves with a particular Bedouin tribe. The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (ar بدوي pl badū) are a desert-dwelling Arab Nomadic pastoralist, or previously

As with some other countries in the Arab world, Libya boasts few theatres or art galleries. ^[65][66] Conversely, for many years there have been no public theatres, and only a few cinemas showing foreign films. The tradition of folk culture is still alive and well, with troupes performing music and dance at frequent festivals, both in Libya and abroad. Folk culture refers to the localized Lifestyle of a Culture. It is usually handed down through Oral tradition, relates to a sense of Community The main output of Libyan television is devoted to showing various styles of traditional Libyan music. Tuareg music and dance are popular in Ghadames and the south. The Berbers are an Ethnic group in North and West Africa. Their music is widely varying across the area they inhabit but is best known for its place in The oasis of GhadamesIs known to most people I guessIn Libya's vast landHalf-buried in sandIt survives and it thrives — more or less| Limerick by Charles Issawi| Libyan television programmes are mostly in Arabic with a 30-minute news broadcast each evening in English and French. The government maintains strict control over all media outlets. A new analysis by the Committee to Protect Journalists has found Libya’s media the most tightly controlled in the Arab world. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ is an independent nonprofit organization based in New York New York, United States ^[16] To combat this, the government plans to introduce private media, an initiative intended to bring the country's media in from the cold. ^[67]

Many Libyans frequent the country's beaches. They also visit Libya's beautifully-preserved archaeological sites—especially Leptis Magna, which is widely considered to be one of the best preserved Roman archaeological sites in the world. Leptis Magna,(لبدة also known as Lectis Magna (or Lepcis Magna as it is sometimes spelled also called Lpqy or Neapolis, was a prominent city ^[68]

The nation's capital, Tripoli, boasts many good museums and archives; these include the Government Library, the Ethnographic Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the National Archives, the Epigraphy Museum and the Islamic Museum. Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: The Jamahiriya Museum, built in consultation with UNESCO, may be the country's most famous. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 It houses one of the finest collections of classical art in the Mediterranean. ^[69]

Further information: Music of Libya

Further information: Literature of Libya

International rankings

See also

• Colonel Kadaffi
• Transport in Libya
• Col. Kadaffi's personal Guard: The Amazonian Guard

References

External links

• Libyan Embassy Washington D.C.
• General People's Committee (The Cabinet)
• The People's Committee of Foreign Affairs
• A Window to Libya by Tarek Alwan
• Worldstatesmen.org's History and list of rulers of Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Fezzan and Libya (before and after unification).
• Libyan People's Bureau (Libyan Embassy), London - UK
• Libyan People's Bureau (Libyan Embassy), Ottawa
• Libyan Cultural Affairs, London.
• Libyan American Chamber of Commerce
• Libya travel guide from Wikitravel
• Limes Tripolitanus
• "libye") 20 digital objects in The European Library
• Libya Directory