SPAMfighter information about
Libya
| The data on this page is obtained from The World Factbook. |
 Communications information
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| SPAMfighters: | 248 |
| Internet users: | 205,000 (2005) |
| Internet hosts: | 31 (2006) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2002) |
| Internet country code: | .ly |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 750,000 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 234,800 (2004) |
| Telephone system: |
general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996 domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 218; 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) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002) |
| Radios: | 1.35 million (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999) |
| Televisions: | 730,000 (1997) |
 Geographical information
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| Location: | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia |
| Geographic coordinates: | 25 00 N, 17 00 E |
| Map references: | Africa |
| Area: |
total: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly larger than Alaska |
| Land boundaries: |
total: 4,348 km border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km |
| Coastline: | 1,770 km |
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north |
| Climate: | Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior |
| Terrain: | mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, natural gas, gypsum |
| Land use: |
arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 4,700 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms |
| 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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
| Geography - note: | more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert |
 People information
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| Population: |
5,900,754 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2006 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 33.6% (male 1,012,748/female 969,978) 15-64 years: 62.2% (male 1,891,643/female 1,778,621) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 121,566/female 126,198) (2006 est.) |
| Median age: |
total: 23 years male: 23.1 years female: 22.9 years (2006 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.3% (2006 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 26.49 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Death rate: | 3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: |
total: 23.71 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 76.69 years male: 74.46 years female: 79.02 years (2006 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.28 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.3% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 10,000 (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: |
noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan |
| Ethnic groups: | Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians |
| Religions: | Sunni Muslim 97% |
| Languages: | Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.6% male: 92.4% female: 72% (2003 est.) |
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Governmental information
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| 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 |
| Government type: | Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship |
| Capital: |
name: Tripoli geographic coordinates: 32 54 N, 13 11 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| 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 |
| Independence: | 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship) |
| 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 |
| Executive branch: |
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 head of government: Secretary of the General People´s Committee (Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006) cabinet: General People´s Committee established by the General People´s Congress 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) election results: NA |
| 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 |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists, primarily based in London, but has little influence |
| International organization participation: | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d´Affaires Ali AUJALI chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601 FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d´Affaires ad Interim Gregory L. BERRY embassy: Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel, Souq At-Tlat Al-Qadim, Tripoli mailing address: United States Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850 telephone: [218] 21-335-1848 |
| Flag description: | plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion) |
 Economical information
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| Economy - overview: | The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, about one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. Substantial revenues from the energy sector coupled with 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. Libyan officials in the past four years have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction in December 2003. Almost all United States unilateral sanctions against Libya were removed in April 2004, helping Libya attract more foreign direct investment, mostly in the energy sector. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based economy. 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 aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $68 billion (2005 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $31.49 billion (2005 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 8.4% (2005 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $11,800 (2005 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 7.6% industry: 49.9% services: 42.5% (2005 est.) |
| Labor force: | 1.64 million (2005 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 17% industry: 23% services: 59% (2004 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 30% (2004 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3.4% (2005 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $25.34 billion expenditures: $15.47 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.6 billion (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle |
| Industries: | petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 14.4 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 13.39 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Oil - production: | 1.643 million bbl/day (2005 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 237,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 1.34 million bbl/day NA bbl/day |
| Oil - imports: | 0 bbl/day NA bbl/day |
| Natural gas - production: | 7 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 6.25 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $10.73 billion (2005 est.) |
| Exports: | $30.79 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas |
| Exports - partners: | Italy 37.9%, Germany 15.2%, Spain 8.7%, Turkey 6.3%, France 6.2%, United States 5.2% (2005) |
| Imports: | $10.82 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery, transport equipment, semi-finished goods, food, consumer products |
| Imports - partners: | Italy 21.5%, Germany 10.4%, Tunisia 5.6%, Turkey 4.9%, UK 4.9%, France 4.8%, South Korea 4.7%, China 4.6% (2005) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $39.7 billion (2005 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $4.267 billion (2005 est.) |
| Currency (code): | Libyan dinar (LYD) |
| Currency code: | LYD |
| Exchange rates: | Libyan dinars per United States dollar - 1.3084 (2005), 1.305 (2004), 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002), 0.6051 (2001) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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Transportations information
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| Airports: | 141 (2006) |
| Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 60 over 3,047 m: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2006) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 81 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 18 (2006) |
| Heliports: | 2 (2006) |
| Pipelines: | condensate 882 km; gas 3,481 km; oil 6,916 km (2006) |
| Railways: |
0 km note: Libya is working on seven lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge track; it hopes to have trains running by 2008 (2005) |
| Roadways: |
total: 83,200 km paved: 47,590 km unpaved: 35,610 km (1999) |
| Merchant marine: |
total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 86,034 GRT/89,820 DWT by type: cargo 10, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Turkey 2) (2006) |
| Ports and terminals: | As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra´s Lanuf, Tripoli, Zawiyah |
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Military information
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| Military branches: | Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan Arab Air Force (LAAF) (2006) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 17 years of age (2004) |
| Manpower available for military service: |
males age 17-49: 1,505,675 females age 17-49: 1,429,152 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 17-49: 1,291,624 females age 17-49: 1,230,824 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 62,034 females age 17-49: 59,533 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $1.3 billion (FY99) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 3.9% (FY99) |
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Information about transnational issues
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| 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 |
