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Libya
Area: 1.76m sq km
Population: 5.41m
Capital City: Tripoli
People: 97% Berber and Arab
Language(s): Arabic. English and Italian understood in major cities
Religion(s): 97% Sunni Muslim
Currency: Dinar
Major political parties: None
Government: Jamahiriya
Head of State: Colonel Muammar Al Qadhafi, 'Leader of the Revolution (de facto Head of State)'
Prime Minister: Dr Al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmudi
Foreign Minister: Abdul Rahman Shalgam
Membership of/Participation in international groups/organisations: African Union, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA), African Development Bank (AfDB), Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), Arab League (AL), Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU), Customs Cooperation Council (CCC), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (Intelsat), International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Organisation of Saharan and Sahelian States (CENSAD), Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), United Nations (UN), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WToO), World Trade Organisation (WTO - observer)
GEOGRAPHY
Libya is the fourth largest country in Africa. It lies on the north coast of Africa, on the Mediterranean Sea, and is bordered by Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Chad, Sudan and Egypt. It is a low-lying country, much of which is desert. There are mountainous regions in the South and North West and North East.
HISTORY
Recent History
Muammar Al Qadhafi came to power in a coup on 1 September 1969 which toppled the monarchy of King Idris. The ideological basis of Qadhafi’s regime is his own political philosophy, the Third Universal Theory, set out in his Green Book. Drawing heavily on Islam, socialism and Bedouin tradition, the Third Universal Theory calls for a system of direct rule by the people through a series of committees. It is intended as an alternative to capitalism and communism, and is applicable to all countries. In March 1979 Qadhafi renounced virtually all his positions in government and thereafter became known by the title “Leader of the Revolution and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.” He is known locally as the "Brother Leader". There have been at least six failed coup plots during Qadhafi’s period in power.
Longer Historical Perspective
For most of their history, the peoples of Libya have been subjected to varying degrees of foreign control. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals and Byzantines ruled all or parts of Libya. Although the Greeks and Romans left impressive ruins at Cyrene, Leptis Magna and Sabratha, little else remains today to testify to the presence of these ancient cultures.
The Arabs conquered North Africa in the seventh century AD. In the following centuries, most of the indigenous peoples adopted Islam and the Arabic language and culture. The Ottoman Turks conquered the area in the 16th century. The provinces of Cyrenaica (now eastern Libya), Tripolitania (west) and Fezzan (south) remained part of their empire - although at times virtually autonomous - until Italy invaded in 1911. Italian control over territory outside Tripoli remained weak until the late 1920s and resistance subsided only after the execution of Omar Mukhtar in 1931.
In 1934, Italy adopted the name "Libya" (used by the Greeks for all of North Africa, except Egypt) as the official name of the colony. Libyan resistance to Italian occupation between the two World Wars was led by the Sanussiya religious brotherhood. Its head, Sidi Idriss al-Senussi, was recognised by the Italians as Emir of Cyrenaica, but had lived in exile in Egypt since 1922. He returned to Libya in 1942, where he was subsequently invited to become Emir of Tripolitania. From 1943 to 1951, Tripolitania and Cyrenaica were under British administration; the French controlled Fezzan. Under the terms of the 1947 peace treaty with the Allies, Italy relinquished all claims to Libya.
On 21 November 1949, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution stating that Libya should become independent before 1 January 1952. Sidi Idris represented Libya in the subsequent UN negotiations. When Libya declared its independence on December 24, 1951, it was the first country to achieve independence through the United Nations. Libya was proclaimed a constitutional and hereditary monarchy under the now King Idris I. The discovery of significant oil reserves in 1959 and the subsequent income from petroleum sales enabled what had been one of the world's poorest countries to become extremely wealthy, as measured by per capita GDP. King Idris ruled the Kingdom of Libya until he was overthrown in a military-led coup on 1 September 1969. The new regime, headed by the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC), abolished the monarchy and proclaimed the new Libyan Arab Republic. Col. Muammar Al Qadhafi emerged as leader of the RCC and eventually as de facto head of state, a position he still holds. Qadhafi became known as the “Brother Leader of the Revolution”, but his only official position is Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
Seeking new directions, the RCC's motto became "freedom, socialism, and unity." It pledged itself to remove backwardness, take an active role in the Palestinian Arab cause, promote Arab unity, and encourage domestic policies based on social justice, non-exploitation, and an equitable distribution of wealth.
An early objective of the new revoltionary government was withdrawal of all foreign military installations from Libya. Following negotiations, British military bases at Tobruk and nearby El Adem closed in March 1970, and U.S. facilities at Wheelus Air Force Base near Tripoli closed in June 1970. That July, the Libyan Government ordered the expulsion of several thousand Italian residents. By 1971, libraries and cultural centres operated by foreign governments were closed. Libya claimed leadership of Arab and African revolutionary forces and sought active roles in various international organisations. In the late 1970s, Libyan embassies were redesignated as "people's bureaux", as Qadhafi sought to portray all Libyan policy as an expression of the popular will. The people's bureaux, aided by Libyan religious, political, educational, and business institutions overseas, exported Qadhafi's revolutionary philosophy abroad.
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
The General People’s Congress (GPC) is formally responsible for formulating policy and passing laws in accordance with the decisions of the many local and regional People’s Congresses. The GP Congress meets annually and comprises delegates from the Basic People’s Congresses, the 20 administrative Sha’abiyat (regional level) Popular Committees and the newly elected communes. Representatives from the trade unions and professional organisations also attend. The GP Congress last met in January 2007.
The GP Congress provides a forum for debate and criticism and has on occasion obstructed policies proposed, but strong direction from the leadership can be obeyed.
Central government is made up of General People’s Committees that cover the core national issues: Foreign Affairs, Finance, Justice, Public Security, Economy and Trade, Workforce and Training, Planning and Tourism, Energy, etc. Secretaries of the GP Committees hold the equivalent of Ministerial rank and act as a link between the People's Committees and the Executive. The GP Congress has its own Secretariat. Its Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Suleiman Shahoumi) acts to some extent as an alternate Foreign Minister.
DEFENCE
Colonel Qadhafi, as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, exercises control over the defence establishment and security services. There is no General People’s Committee for Defence. All male Libyans should complete two years' conscription in the armed forces.
The EU arms embargo on Libya was lifted on 11 October 2004. All UK defence exports to Libya require an export licence. Licence applications are judged against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria on a case by case basis.
LIBYAN OPPOSITION GROUPS
There are numerous small groups opposed to the regime of Col. Qadhafi, the vast majority of which are based outside Libya. The National Front for the Salvation of Libya (NFSL), the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) are perhaps the best known groups in the external opposition. The LIFG has links to al-Qaeda and is proscribed in the UK. The NFSL’s importance reflects its financial strength.
Internal opposition is rare although there were significant disturbances in the East of the country in 1993 and 1996. In February 2006, a demonstration in Benghazi against cartoons of Mohammed got out of control as protestors turned their attention towards the regime. At least 11 people died as police tried to regain control.
ECONOMY
Basic Facts
Libya is a major oil producer, with the oil sector contributing practically all export earnings and over one-quarter of GDP. Libya has begun a process of economic reform. Efforts are being made to modernise the economy as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate with the international community. Initial steps include applying for WTO membership, cautiously reducing subsidies, and announcing plans for privatisation. The non-oil 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 aluminium. Libya imports about 75% of its food.
GDP:\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\$46.3bn (2006)
Real GDP Growth: 8.1% (2006)
Inflation: 3.1% (2006)
Major Industries: Oil and gas, petrochemicals
Major trading partners: Italy, France, Germany, Turkey, spain and the UK.
US sanctions on Libya were eased in April 2004 although prohibitions still apply to exports of equipment that might be used for lethal military purposes.
Exchange rate: £1 = 2.53 Libyan dinar, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\$1 = 1.31 Libyan dinar December 2005)
Source: Economist Intelligence Unit, January 2007
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Libyan Relations with the International Community
Africa has occupied a central position in Libyan foreign policy for some years. Libya hosted an extraordinary summit of the Organisation for African Unity (OAU) in September 1999. Libya has lobbied intensively to promote the OAU and its successor organisation, the African Union. Libya set up the Organisation of Saharan and Sahelian States (CENSAD, formerly COMESA) in 1998 to foster regional integration and security co-operation.
Relations with neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia have improved in recent years. Economic links with Egypt are particularly important: there are over 750,000 Egyptian workers in Libya and considerable Libyan investment in Egypt.
Libya is the only Mediterranean rim country which does not have formal relations with the European Union. However Colonel Qadhafi visited Brussels on 27 April 2004. Libya currently attends Barcelona Process meetings as an observer.
The US opened a liaison office in Tripoli in June 2004. After Libya’s removal from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism in July 2006, US/Libya relations were normalised and the liaison office was upgraded to an embassy.
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