Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

1 (2002)

Internet country code [time series]

.ly

Internet users [time series]

20,000 (2001)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios [time series]

1.35 million (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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: 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)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

500,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

20,000 (1998)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Televisions [time series]

730,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle

Budget [time series]

revenues: $9.3 billion expenditures: $9.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Libyan dinar (LYD)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

LYD

Debt - external [time series]

$4.7 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$7 million

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all export earnings and about one-quarter 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. 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. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. Higher oil prices in 1999 and 2000 led to an increase in export revenues, which improved macroeconomic balances and helped to stimulate the economy. The suspension of UN sanctions in 1999 also boosted growth. Libya's January 2002 51% devaluation of the official exchange rate of the dinar is another fiscal plus, although it will also bring higher inflation.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

18.042 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

19.4 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

Libyan dinars per US dollar - 0.6501 (December 2001), 0.6501 (2001), 0.5403 (2000), 0.5403 (1999), 0.3785 (1998), 0.3891 (1997); market rate for Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.55 (January 2002) note: Libya devalued its official rate for foreign trade on 1 January 2002 to 21.30 dinars per US dollar; the previous official rate was 0.63 dinar per US dollar (Dec 2001 )

Exports [time series]

$13.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

crude oil, refined petroleum products

Exports - partners [time series]

Italy 42%, Germany 19%, Spain 13%, Turkey 6%, France 4%, Switzerland 3%, Tunisia 2% (2000)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $40 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 7% industry: 47% services: 46% (1997 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2001 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

3% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$8.7 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners [time series]

Italy 25%, Germany 10%, UK 8%, France 7%, Tunisia 7%, South Korea 4% (2000)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

13.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.5 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

services 54%, industry 29%, agriculture 17% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

30% (2000 est.)

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly larger than Alaska

Climate [time series]

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Coastline [time series]

1,770 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Geographic coordinates [time series]

25 00 N, 17 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

Irrigated land [time series]

4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 98.8% (1998 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Terrain [time series]

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Tripoli

Constitution [time series]

11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

Libya does not have an embassy in the US

Executive branch [time series]

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 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: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected premier; percent of General People's Congress vote - NA% cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000)

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

24 December 1951 (from Italy)

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

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 [time series]

unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

National holiday [time series]

Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

none

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background [time series]

Since he took power in a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system - a combination of socialism and Islam - which he calls the Third International Theory. Viewing himself as a revolutionary leader, he used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, even supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. Libyan military adventures failed, e.g., the prolonged foray of Libyan troops into the Aozou Strip in northern Chad was finally repulsed in 1987. Libyan support for terrorism decreased after UN sanctions were imposed in 1992. Those sanctions were suspended in April 1999.

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air and Air Defense Command (includes Air Force)

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$1.3 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

3.9% (FY99/00)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,503,647 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 890,783 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 61,694 (2002 est.)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 35% (male 958,243; female 917,940) 15-64 years: 61% (male 1,694,986; female 1,581,400) 65 years and over: 4% (male 105,500; female 110,516) (2002 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

27.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate [time series]

3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

27.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.86 years female: 78.11 years (2002 est.) male: 73.71 years

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population [time series]

5,368,585 note: includes 662,669 non-nationals, of which an estimated 500,000 or more are Africans living in Libya (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.41% (2002 est.)

Religions [time series]

Sunni Muslim 97%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.57 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

Chadian rebels from Aozou region reside in Libya; Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in Niger as well as part of southeastern Algeria in currently dormant disputes

Airports [time series]

136 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 58 over 3,047 m: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 78 under 914 m: 18 (2002) over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 39 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14

Heliports [time series]

1 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 24,484 km paved: 6,798 km unpaved: 17,686 km note: data for the length of unpaved roads include the assumption that because they were listed as secondary roads, they are unpaved; some may be paved and some part of the primary roads may not be paved (1996)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 209,000 GRT/278,277 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea passenger 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1, United Arab Emirates 1 (2002 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

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 little progress; other plans made jointly with Egypt would establish a rail line from As Sallum, Egypt, to Tobruk with completion originally set for mid-1994; Libya signed contracts with two private companies - Bahne of Egypt and Jez Sistemas Ferroviarios of Spain - in 1998 for the supply of crossings and pointwork (2001)

Waterways [time series]

none