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libya |
4 definitions found From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: Libya n : a republic in North Africa on the Mediterranean; consists almost entirely of desert; a major exporter of petroleum [syn: {Libya}] From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]: Libya the country of the Ludim (Gen. 10:13), Northern Africa, a large tract lying along the Mediterranean, to the west of Egypt (Acts 2:10). Cyrene was one of its five cities. From Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's) [hitchcock]: Libya, the heart of the sea; fat From The CIA World Factbook (1995) [world95]: Libya Libya:Geography Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia Map references: Africa Area: total area: 1,759,540 sq km land area: 1,759,540 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Alaska Land boundaries: total 4,383 km Algeria 982 km Chad 1,055 km Egypt 1,150 km Niger 354 km Sudan 383 km Tunisia 459 km Coastline: 1,770 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm Gulf of Sidra closing line: 32 degrees 30 minutes north International disputes: the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in February 1994 that the 100,000 sq km Aozou Strip between Chad and Libya belongs to Chad, and that Libya must withdraw from it by 31 May 1994; Libya has withdrawn some its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but still maintains an airfield in the disputed area; maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; claims part of northern Niger and part of southeastern Algeria Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 8% forest and woodland: 0% other: 90% Irrigated land: 2,420 sq km (1989 est.) 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 natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; duststorms sandstorms international agreements: party to - Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification Law of the Sea Libya:People Population: 5,248,401 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (female 1,226,851; male 1,269,813) 15-64 years: 49% (female 1,261,424; male 1,331,093) 65 years and over: 3% (female 76,017; male 83,203) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 3.7% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 44.89 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 7.91 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 61.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.29 years male: 62.12 years female: 66.57 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.32 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan Ethnic divisions: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians Religions: Sunni Muslim 97% Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1984) total population: 60% male: 77% female: 42% Labor force: 1 million (includes about 280,000 resident foreigners) by occupation: industry 31%, services 27%, government 24%, agriculture 18% Libya:Government Names: 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 Ishirakiyah local short form: none Digraph: LY Type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact a military dictatorship Capital: Tripoli 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 Independence: 24 December 1951 (from Italy) National holiday: Revolution Day 1 September (1969) Constitution: 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977 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 Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Mu'ammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969) head of government: Chairman 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 note: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of peoples' committees Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of peoples' committees Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: none Other political or pressure groups: various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements Member of: 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, UN UNCTAD UNESCO, UNIDO UNITAR, UPU, WFTU WHO WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: none US diplomatic representation: none Flag: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion) 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 GDP growth rates have slowed and 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. Windfall revenues from the hike in world oil prices in late 1990 improved the foreign payments position and resulted in a current account surplus through 1992. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include 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 which sustains imports of food, consumer goods, and equipment for the oil industry and ongoing development projects. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $32.9 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: -0.9% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $6,510 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25% (1993 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $8.1 billion expenditures: $9.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.1 billion (1989 est.) Exports: $7.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas partners: Italy, Germany, Spain, France, UK Turkey, Greece, Egypt Imports: $6.9 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods partners: Italy, Germany, UK France, Spain, Turkey, Tunisia, Eastern Europe External debt: $3.5 billion excluding military debt (1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 10.5% (1990) Electricity: capacity: 4,600,000 kW production: 16.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,078 kWh (1993) Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement Agriculture: 5% of GDP; cash crops - wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus fruits, peanuts; 75% of food is imported Economic aid: recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $242 million note: no longer a recipient Currency: 1 Libyan dinar LD = 1,000 dirhams Exchange rates: Libyan dinars LD per US$1 - 0.3555 (January 1995), 0.3596 (1994), 0.3250 (1993), 0.3013 (1992), 0.2684 (1991), 0.2699 (1990) Fiscal year: calendar year Libya:Transportation Railroads: 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 Highways: total: 19,300 km paved: bituminous 10,800 km unpaved: gravel, earth 8,500 km Inland waterways: none Pipelines: crude oil 4,383 km petroleum products 443 km (includes liquified petroleum gas 256 km); natural gas 1,947 km Ports: Al Khums Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah Misratah Ra's Lanuf Tobruk Tripoli, Zuwarah Merchant marine: total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 686,136 GRT/1,208,194 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 10, roll-on/roll-off cargo 3, short-sea passenger 4 Airports: total: 146 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 24 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 6 with paved runways under 914 m: 21 with unpaved runways over 3,047 m: 4 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 17 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 44 Libya:Communications Telephone system: 370,000 telephones; modern telecommunications system local: NA intercity: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, tropospheric scatter, and 14 domestic satellites international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) satellite earth stations; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; planned ARABSAT and Intersputnik satellite earth stations Radio: broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 12 televisions: NA Libya:Defense Forces Branches: Armed Peoples of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriyah (includes Army, Navy, and Air and Air Defense Command), Police Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,131,175; males fit for military service 672,571; males reach military age (17) annually 54,676 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.4 billion, 6.1% of GDP (1994 est.)
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