2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.5% (male 970,026; female 929,174) 15-64 years: 61.4% (male 1,744,992; female 1,630,399) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 109,262; female 115,221) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle

Airports

136 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 5

total

58

under 914 m

2 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

Airports - with unpaved runways

over 3,047 m

5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 39 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

total

78

under 914 m

18 (2002)

Area

land

1,759,540 sq km

total

1,759,540 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Alaska

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. Geography Libya

Birth rate

27.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$8.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

revenues

$13.7 billion

Capital

Tripoli

Climate

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Coastline

1,770 km

Constitution

11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Country name

conventional long form

Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

conventional short form

Libya

local long form

Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma

local short form

none

Currency

Libyan dinar (LYD)

Currency code

LYD

Death rate

3.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$4.4 billion (2001 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980

Diplomatic representation in the US

Libya does not have an embassy in the US

Disputes - international

Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in Niger in currently dormant disputes; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

$15 million (2000)

Economy - overview

The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute 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. 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 agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. Higher oil prices in the last three years led to an increase in export revenues, which has improved macroeconomic balances but has done little to stimulate broad-based economic growth. Libya is making slow progress toward economic liberalization and the upgrading of economic infrastructure, but truly market-based reforms will be slow in coming.

Electricity - consumption

18.77 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

20.18 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

lowest point

Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Ethnic groups

Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Exchange rates

Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.2 (2003), 0.6 (2002), 0.51 (2001), 0.5 (2000), 0.39 (1999)

Executive branch

cabinet

General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress

chief of state

Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state

election results

Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected premier; percent of General People's Congress vote - NA%

elections

national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held NA)

head of government

Secretary of the General People's Committee (Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000)

Exports

$11.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil, refined petroleum products (1999)

Exports - partners

Italy 42.6%, Germany 14.1%, Spain 13.6%, Turkey 6.9%, Switzerland 4.4% (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Libya

Flag description

plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion) Economy Libya

GDP

purchasing power parity - $33.36 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

9%

industry

45%

services

46% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.2% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

25 00 N, 17 00 E

Geography - note

more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert People Libya

Government type

Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Heliports

1 (2002) Military Libya

Highways

paved

47,590 km

total

83,200 km

unpaved

35,610 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

7,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$6.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods (1999)

Imports - partners

Italy 25.6%, Germany 9.8%, South Korea 6.6%, UK 6.6%, Tunisia 6.5%, Japan 6.4%, France 5.7% (2002)

Independence

24 December 1951 (from Italy)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Infant mortality rate

female

24.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

29.16 deaths/1,000 live births

total

26.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (2001 est.)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Internet country code

.ly

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2002)

Internet users

20,000 (2001) Transportation Libya

Irrigated land

4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Labor force

1.5 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

services 54%, industry 29%, agriculture 17% (1997 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

total

4,348 km

Land use

arable land

1.03%

other

98.8% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.17%

Languages

Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities

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

Legislative branch

unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.34 years (2003 est.)

male

73.91 years

total population

76.07 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

72% (2003 est.) Government Libya

male

92.4%

total population

82.6%

Location

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

note

Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

21.9 years (2002)

male

22.2 years

total

22.1 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Algeria 1, Kuwait 1, UAE 1 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

cargo 9, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 4

total

21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 130,081 GRT/115,480 DWT

Military branches

Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air and Air Defense Command (includes Air Force)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.9% (FY99) Transnational Issues Libya

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

1,546,432 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

914,649 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

17 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

61,511 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Nationality

adjective

Libyan

noun

Libyan(s)

Natural gas - consumption

5.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

770 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

6.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.321 trillion cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

216,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

1.429 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

29.75 billion bbl (37257)

Pipelines

condensate 225 km; gas 3,196 km; oil 6,872 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements

Population

5,499,074

note

includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

2.39% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah

Radio broadcast stations

AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios

1.35 million (1997)

Railways

0 km

Religions

Sunni Muslim 97%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Telephone system

domestic

microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations

general assessment

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

international

satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Telephones - main lines in use

500,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

20,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Televisions

730,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Total fertility rate

3.49 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

30% (2001)

Waterways

none