Libya | Facts & Information

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff
Infoplease has everything you need to know about Libya. Check out our country profile, full of essential information about Libya's geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. If that's not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags.

Facts & Figures

  • Chairman of the General National Congress: Nouri Abusahmen (2013)

    Prime Minister: Abdullah al-Thinni (interim; 2014)

    Total area: 679,358 sq mi (1,759,540 sq km)

    Population (2014 est.): 6,244,174 (growth rate: 3.08%); birth rate: 18.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 11.87/1000; life expectancy: 76.04

    Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Tripoli, 1.127 million

    Monetary unit: Libyan dinar

    National name: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma

    Current government officials

    Languages: Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Berber (Nafusi, Ghadamis, Suknah, Awjilah, Tamasheq)

    Ethnicity/race: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

    Religion: Muslim (official; virtually all Sunni) 96.6%, Christian 2.7%, Buddhist 0.3%, Hindu <.1, Jewish <.1, folk religion <.1, unafilliated 0.2%, other <.1

    National Holiday: Revolution Day, September 1

    Literacy rate: 89.5% (2010 est.)

    Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $73.6 billion; per capita $11,300. Real growth rate: -5.1%. Inflation: 3.2%. Unemployment: 30% (2004 est.). Arable land: .99%. Agriculture: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle. Labor force: 1.644 million; agriculture 17%, industry 23%, services 59% (2013 est.). Industries: petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement. Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum. Exports: $38.45 billion (2013 est.): crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas. Imports: $27.13 billion (2013 est.): machinery, transport equipment, semi-finished goods, food, consumer products. Major trading partners: China, Italy, Germany, Spain, Turkey, France, China, Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, South Korea (2012).

    Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 814,000 million (2012); mobile cellular: 9.59 million (2012). Broadcast media: state-funded and private TV stations; some provinces operate local TV stations; pan-Arab satellite TV stations are available; state-funded radio (2012) . Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17,926 (2012). Internet users: 353,900 (2009).

    Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Roadways: total: 100,024 km; paved :57,521490 km; unpaved: 42,810 km (1999 est.). Waterways: none. Ports and terminals: Marsa al Burayqah (Marsa el Brega), Tripoli. Airports: 146 (2013)

    International disputes: dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the FLN's assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya.

    Major sources and definitions

See also: