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Libya General information

Libya, in full, Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, nation of northern Africa. It is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the east by Egypt, on the southeast by Sudan, on the south by Chad and Niger, on the west by Algeria, and on the northwest by Tunisia. Libya is one of the largest countries in Africa. It covers an area of 1,757,000 sq km (678,400 sq mi), much of which is desert. Tripoli, located on the Mediterranean coast, is the capital and largest city.
Libya is rich with petroleum resources, and oil dominates the nation’s economy. The site of ancient Phoenician, Roman, and Arab settlements, Libya was colonized by Italy in the early 20th century. The country became independent in 1951, and in 1969 young army officer Muammar al-Qaddafi seized power and proceeded to create a new Libya based on his unique socialistic and nationalistic theories.
The Sahara covers most of Libya. Much of the land consists of barren, rock-strewn plains and sand sea. Two small areas of hills rise in the northwest and northeast, and the Tibesti massif rises near the southern border. There are no permanent rivers or streams in Libya. The coastline is indented midway by the Gulf of Sidra, where barren desert touches the Mediterranean Sea.

Natural Regions:

Libya is divided into three natural regions. The largest, to the east of the Gulf of Sidra, is Cyrenaica, occupying the plateau of Jabal al Akhḑar. To the west of the Gulf of Sidra lies the agricultural region of Tripolitania. Hundreds of miles to the south, in southwestern Libya, is the basin of Fezzan.

Cyrenaica :

In Cyrenaica the limestone Jabal al Akhḑar (Green Mountains) near the Mediterranean coast reach as high as 900 m (3,000 ft). The higher parts are covered with dense scrub and some pines and juniper. Rainfall is sufficient for some agriculture. South of the Jabal al Akhḑar lies an immense, but lower, sandstone plateau. This plateau makes up the western extent of the Libyan Desert, which is part of the Sahara. Much of this area is covered with sand dunes, especially along the border with Egypt. Several oases are located along the western edge of the Libyan Desert. The most important and most southerly of these is Al Kufrah, situated more than 800 km (500 mi) south of the Jabal al Akhḑar. Another 500 km (300 mi) of sparsely inhabited desert stretches between Al Kufrah and the southern border of Libya.

Tripolitania :

In northern Tripolitania lies the Jefara Plain, a semiarid, sandy coastal plain along the Mediterranean Sea where the capital city of Tripoli is located. Several well-irrigated areas in the region serve as important agricultural resources. Farther south, limestone hills and mountains rise to a height of about 800 m (2,500 ft) and are dotted with patches of stunted Mediterranean bushes and shrubs. Rainfall is barely adequate for agriculture here; olives, figs, and barley are raised by dry-farming methods. To the south, the mountains descend to the red sandstone desert plateau of Al Ḩamrā’, where desert nomads graze livestock in the northern part. The eastern end of this plateau merges into the Jabal as Sawdā’ (Black Mountains).

Fezzan :

About 500 km (300 mi) south of Tripoli, the plateau descends to the Fezzan basin, a sandy area with scattered oases. Life here depends upon water provided by wells and springs. To the southeast, the land again rises to a desert plateau and, along the southern border of Libya, gives way to the high, rugged Tibesti massif. The highest point in Libya—Pic Bette, 2,286 m (7,500 ft) tall—is located here.

Climate :

Most of Libya has an arid, desert climate year-round, but along the coast are found areas of Mediterranean climate characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters. In Tripoli average daily temperatures range from 8° to 16°C (47° to 61°F) in January and from 22° to 29°C (71° to 85°F) in July, and average annual rainfall is 380 mm (15 in). Temperatures are similar in the Cyrenaican coastal city of Banghāzī, but only 270 mm (11 in) of rain falls in an average year. The plateau and mountainous areas are slightly more humid. Temperatures are much hotter south of the northern highlands, and the average rainfall drops to less than 150 mm (6 in) per year. The highest temperature ever recorded on Earth occurred at Al ‘Azīzīyah, southwest of Tripoli, where the temperature peaked at 58°C (136°F) in 1922.

Natural Resources :

The principal resource of Libya is petroleum. Natural gas, gypsum, limestone, marine salt, potash, and natron (sodium bicarbonate) are also exploited.

Plants and Animals :

Although Libya was known as the breadbasket of the Roman Empire in ancient times, climatic changes have eroded its agricultural productivity. Today, most of Libya is either devoid of vegetation or supports only sparse growth. Date palms and olive and orange trees grow in the scattered oases, and junipers and mastic trees are found in the higher elevations. Wildlife includes desert rodents, hyenas, gazelles, and wildcats. Eagles, hawks, and vultures are common.