NA

Nationality:

noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups:

Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians,
Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)

Religions:

Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%

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.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 17 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2003)

Education expenditures:

2.7% of GDP (1999)

Government
Libya

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 practice, an authoritarian state

Capital:

name: Tripoli geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 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Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions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:

none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the Establishment of the People's Authority

Legal system:

based on Italian and French civil law systems 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 March 2006 (next to be held NA) election results: NA

Legislative branch:

unicameral General People's Congress (approximately 2,700 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:

other: Arab nationalist movements; anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile Movement; Islamic elements

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, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ali Suleiman AUJALI chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: (202) 944-9601 FAX: (202) 944-9060

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J. Christopher STEVENS embassy: Serraj Area, Tripoli mailing address: US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850 telephone: 91-220-0125

Flag description:

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

Economy
Libya

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 five 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 in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction. Almost all US unilateral sanctions against Libya were removed in April 2004, helping Libya attract more foreign direct investment, mostly in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest; the National Oil Company set a goal of nearly doubling oil production to 3 million bbl/day by 2015. 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 more than 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. Libya's primary agricultural water source remains the Great Manmade River Project, but significant resources are being invested in desalinization research to meet growing water demands.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$74.72 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$57.06 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.8% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$12,400 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 2% industry: 83.1% services: 14.8% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

1.83 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 17% industry: 23% services: 59% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:

30% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:

7.4% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

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

Investment (gross fixed):

8.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $39.88 billion expenditures: $19.48 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

4.7% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

6.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

6% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$18.04 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$3.192 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

NA (31 December 2007)

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:

5.6% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

23.98 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

20.71 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

1.845 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

278,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.455 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

575.3 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

41.46 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

14.8 billion cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

6.39 billion cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

9.9 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

1.419 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

$26.38 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$42.97 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals

Exports - partners:

Italy 40.5%, Germany 12.2%, US 7.4%, Spain 7.4%, France 6.3% (2007)

Imports:

$14.43 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products

Imports - partners:

Italy 18.9%, Germany 7.7%, China 7.3%, Tunisia 6.8%, France 5.7%,
Turkey 5.4%, US 4.3% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

ODA, $24.44 million (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$79.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.837 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$6.286 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$3.333 billion (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares: