Libya: Key facts.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/22/3145238.htm



Libya: Key facts

Updated Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:22am AEDT

Idriss was overthrown on September 1, 1969 by Moamar Gaddafi, who is now the Arab world's longest-serving leader. (Reuters: Zohra Bensemra)



Key facts about the north African state of Libya after days of anti-regime unrest following revolutions in two of its neighbours, Tunisia and Egypt:

Geography: Libya is bordered by the Mediterranean to the north, Egypt to the east and Tunisia and Algeria to the west. It borders Niger, Chad and Sudan in the south. About 93 per cent of its territory is desert.

Area: At 1,760,000 square kilometres, Libya is the third-largest country in Africa, after Sudan and Algeria.

Population: About 6.3 million, of whom some 1 million are immigrants, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa.

Capital: Tripoli.

Official language: Arabic.

Religion: Islam 97 per cent (almost entirely Sunni), Christianity 3 per cent.

History: Coastal areas were settled successively by Phoenician traders, Romans and Byzantines before the area became part of successive Islamic empires from the seventh century AD.

In the early 20th century, the country was seized from the declining Ottoman Empire by Italy, which gave it its modern name and ruled it with considerable violence until World War II, when its deserts saw epic tank battles between Allied and Axis troops.

Libya became independent in 1951 with King Mohammed Idriss al-Senussi as its head of state. Idriss was overthrown on September 1, 1969 by Moamar Gaddafi, who is now the Arab world's longest-serving leader.

Through much of the 1980s and 1990s, Libya was considered a pariah state by the West, and its capital was bombed by US aircraft in 1986 in retaliation for alleged support for terrorism.

On the same grounds, Tripoli was subjected to UN and US trade embargoes, which were lifted in 2003 and 2004 respectively.

Government: In 1977, Mr Gaddafi proclaimed the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, or republic of the masses, which purported to give power directly to the people.

He has always eschewed the title of head of state, preferring to call himself the guide and leader of the revolution.

The highest political authority is the General People's Congress, which functions as a parliament and heads the people's committees. The General People's Committee is the cabinet.

Economy: Oil was discovered in 1959 and is Libya's main natural resource, with a production capacity of about 1.8 million barrels per day. Estimated reserves are 44 billion barrels. Oil accounts for more than 95 per cent of exports and 75 per cent of the state budget. The country has an estimated 1.5 trillion cubic metres of gas.

GDP: $US93.2 billion in 2008 (World Bank). GDP per capita: $14,400 in 2008 (US Central Intelligence Agency).

Currency: Dinar. (One US dollar 1.25 Libyan dinar)

Military: Estimated at 76,000 men, with 50,000 in the army. The auxiliary People's Militia numbered about 40,000 reservists in 2009, according to the International Institute of Strategic Studies.

- AFP