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NAVIGATION
Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Libya
Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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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 |
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Government type:
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Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship |
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Capital:
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Tripoli |
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Administrative divisions:
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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Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions |
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Independence:
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24 December 1951 (from Italy) |
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National holiday:
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Revolution Day, 1 September (1969) |
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Constitution:
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11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977 |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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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) |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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none |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements |
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International organization participation:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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Libya does not have an embassy in the US |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980 |
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Flag description:
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plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion) |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $40 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 7%
industry: 47% services: 46% (1997 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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13.6% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.5 million (2000 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services 54%, industry 29%, agriculture 17% (1997 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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30% (2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $9.3 billion
expenditures: $9.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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19.4 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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18.042 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle |
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Exports:
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$13.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil, refined petroleum products |
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Exports - partners:
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Italy 42%, Germany 19%, Spain 13%, Turkey 6%, France 4%, Switzerland 3%, Tunisia 2% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$8.7 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods |
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Imports - partners:
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Italy 25%, Germany 10%, UK 8%, France 7%, Tunisia 7%, South Korea 4% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$4.7 billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$7 million |
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Currency:
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Libyan dinar (LYD) |
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Currency code:
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LYD |
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Exchange rates:
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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 ) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |