Libya

Radio broadcast stations

AM 17, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios

1 million (1993 est.)

Telephone system

modern telecommunications system domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); planned Arabsat and Intersputnik satellite earth stations; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel

Telephones

370,000

Television broadcast stations

12 (1987 est.)

Televisions

500,000 (1993 est.)

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts; meat, eggs

Budget

revenues: $13 billion expenditures: $14.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Currency

1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams

Debt - external

$2.6 billion excluding military debt (1995 est.)

Economic aid

$NA

Economy - overview

The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-third of GDP. In 1990 per capita GDP was the highest in Africa at $5,410, but subsequently GDP growth has slowed on average and has fluctuated sharply in response to changes in the world oil market. 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. Although agriculture accounts for only 5% of GDP, it employs 18% of the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit farm output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food requirements. The UN sanctions imposed in April 1992 have not yet had a major impact on the economy because Libya's oil revenues generate sufficient foreign exchange to sustain imports of food, consumer goods, and equipment for the oil industry and ongoing development projects.

Electricity - capacity

4.6 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

3,012 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

16.73 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1 - 0.3764 (January 1997), 0.3651 (1996), 0.3532 (1995), 0.3596 (1994), 0.3250 (1993), 0.3013 (1992)

Exports

total value: $8.4 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas partners: Italy, Germany, Spain, France, UK, Turkey, Greece, Egypt

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $34.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5% industry : 55% services: 40% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,570 (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.2% (1995 est.)

Imports

total value : $7.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods partners: Italy, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Turkey, Tunisia, Eastern Europe

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Inflation rate - consumer price index

25% (1995 est.)

Labor force

total: 1 million (includes about 280,000 resident foreigners) by occupation: industry 31%, services 27%, government 24%, agriculture 18% note : 7.1% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1997 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water : 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Alaska

Climate

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Coastline

1,770 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 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: Desertification, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

25 00 N, 17 00 E

Irrigated land

4,700 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 4,383 km border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Land use

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 8% forests and woodland: 0% other: 91% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees 30 minutes north

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

Terrain

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Administrative divisions

25 municipalities (baladiyah, singular - baladiyat); 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 1,500 communes in 1992

Constitution

11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Country name

conventional long form : Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya conventional short form: Libya local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah local short form: none

Data code

LY

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

Executive branch

chief of state : Revolutionary Leader Gen. 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 (Premier) Abd al-Majid al-QA'UD (since 29 January 1994) cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress elections : national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of peoples' committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: Abd al-Majid al-QA'UD elected head of government; percent of General People's Congress vote - NA

Flag description

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

Government type

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

Independence

24 December 1951 (from Italy)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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 peoples' committees)

National capital

Tripoli

National holiday

Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Command

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$1.4 billion (1994 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

6.1% (1994 est.)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49 : 1,211,700 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 721,592 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

17 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 59,216 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years : 48% (male 1,369,984; female 1,323,254) 15-64 years: 49% (male 1,422,043; female 1,358,013) 65 years and over: 3% (male 91,953; female 83,112) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

43.94 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

7.49 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

57.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 65.05 years male : 62.84 years female: 67.37 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.2% male: 87.9% female: 63% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

5,648,359 (July 1997 est.) note: includes 305,959 non-nationals (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

3.64% (1997 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim 97%

Sex ratio

at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.19 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger and part of southeastern Algeria LIECHTENSTEIN

Airports

131 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 71 over 3,047 m : 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 14 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 60 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m : 39 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 19,189 km paved: 10,738 km unpaved : 8,451 km (1987)

Merchant marine

total : 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 689,086 GRT/1,209,083 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea passenger 4 note: Libya owns an additional 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 33,050 DWT operating under the registries of Algeria and Turkey (1996 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 4,383 km; petroleum products 443 km (includes liquefied petroleum gas or LPG 256 km); natural gas 1,947 km

Ports and harbors

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

Railways

note : Libya has had no railroad in operation since 1965, all previous systems having been dismantled; current plans are to construct a 1.435-m standard gauge line from the Tunisian frontier to Tripoli and Misratah, then inland to Sabha, center of a mineral-rich area, but there has been no progress; other plans made jointly with Egypt would establish a rail line from As Sallum, Egypt, to Tobruk with completion set for mid-1994; no progress has been reported

Waterways

none