World Country Guide

General Information

Area
1,775,500 sq km (685,520 sq miles).

Population
5,678,484 (2003).

Population Density
3.2 per sq km.

Capital
Tripoli (Tarabulus). Population: 1,149,957 (2003).

Geography
Libya consists mostly of huge areas of desert. It shares borders with Tunisia and Algeria in the west and Egypt in the east, while the Sahara extends across the southern frontiers with Niger, Chad and the Sudan. There are almost 2000km (1250 miles) of Mediterranean coast, with a low plain extending from the Tunisian border to the Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain) area in the east. Inland the terrain becomes more hilly. Agriculture has developed mainly on the coast between Zuwarah and Misratah in the west and from Marsa Susa to Benghazi in the east. In the uplands of the old province of Cyrenaica and on Jebel Akhdar the vegetation is more lush. With the exception of the ‘Sand Sea’ of the Sarir Calanscio, and the Saharan mountains of the Sarir Tibesti, there are oases scattered throughout the country.

Government
Jamahiriya (state of the masses). Gained independence from Italy in 1951. Head of State: Muammar al-Qadhafi (Leader of the Revolution) since 1969. Head of Government: Mubarak Abdullah al-Shamikh (Secretary of the General People’s Committee) since 2000.

Language
Arabic (which must be used for all official purposes), with some English or Italian. All road, shop and other signs are in Arabic. English is normally understood by people working in hotels, restaurants and shops.

Religion
Sunni Muslim.

Time
GMT + 2.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 40Hz. All services may be intermittently disrupted by power cuts.

Communications

Telephone
IDD service is available. Country code: 218. Outgoing international code: 00.

Mobile telephone
GSM 900 and 1800 networks in use. Network providers include General Post and Telecommunications Company, El Madar and Orbit.

Internet
ISPs include Libya Telecom and Technology (website: www.lttnet.com). There are Internet cafes in Tripoli and some other towns.

Post
Postal services are available in all main towns, but services are generally poor and erratic, and mail may be subject to censorship. Airmail to Europe takes approximately two weeks.

Press
There are several newspapers and periodicals, but none are published in English. The main dailies are Al-Fajir al-Jadid and Az-zahf al-Akhdar.

Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.