Libya

Radio broadcast stations

AM 17, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998 est.)

Radios

1 million (1998 est.)

Telephone system

telecommunications system is being modernized; 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: 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

Telephones

411,000 (1999 est.)

Television broadcast stations

12 (in addition, there is one low-power repeater) (1997)

Televisions

550,000 (1998 est.)

Agriculture--products

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

Budget

revenues: $3.6 billion expenditures: $5.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Currency

1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams

Debt--external

$4 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient

$8.4 million (1995)

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. 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. Low oil prices in 1998 cut back revenue sharply, and GDP growth fell by 1%. In this statist society, import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. 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 do not have a major impact on the economy although they have increased transaction and transportation costs.

Electricity--consumption

17 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--production

17 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates

Libyan dinars (LD) per US$1--0.3799 (November 1998), 0.3891 (1997), 0.3651 (1996), 0.3532 (1995), 0.3596 (1994); official rate: 0.45 (December 1998)

Exports

$6.8 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities

crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas

Exports--partners

Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Turkey, Greece, Egypt

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity--$38 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector

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

GDP--per capita

purchasing power parity?$6,700 (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate

-1% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$6.9 billion (c.i.f., 1998 est.)

Imports--commodities

machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods

Imports--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 prices)

24.2% (1998 est.)

Labor force

1 million

Labor force--by occupation

industry 31%, services 27%, government 24%, agriculture 18%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

30% (1998 est.)

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 (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

Capital

Tripoli

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 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 (Premier) Muhammad Ahmad al-MANQUSH (since NA January 1998) 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: Muhammad Ahmad al-MANQUSH 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, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

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 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

$NA

Military expenditures--percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower--availability

males age 15-49: 1,372,261 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service

males age 15-49: 816,186 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--military age

17 years of age

Military manpower--reaching military age annually

males: 62,098 (1999 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 36% (male 930,661; female 891,046) 15-64 years: 60% (male 1,545,958; female 1,437,120) 65 years and over: 4% (male 93,726; female 94,327) (1999 est.)

Birth rate

27.33 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate

3.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

28.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.73 years male: 73.81 years female: 77.74 years (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Population

4,992,838 (July 1999 est.) note: includes 161,251 non-nationals (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate

2.4% (1999 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: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.79 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes--international

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

Airports

143 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways

total: 60 over 3,047 m: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways

total: 83 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 19 (1998 est.)

Highways

total: 83,200 km paved: 47,590 km unpaved: 35,610 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 588,928 GRT/989,662 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 3, oil tanker 9, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea passenger 4 (1998 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