About Libya

    About Libya


  • Location: North Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, southern border with Chad, Niger, and Sudan.
  • Geographic Coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E
  • Area: 1,759,540 million sq. km.
  • Cities: Tripoli (capital), Benghazi.
  • Land use: Arable land–1.03%; permanent crops–0.19%; other–98.78%
  • Coastline: 1,770 km

  • Libya Demographics


  • Ethnic Groups: Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)
  • Nationality: Libyan
  • Religion: Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%
  • Language: Arabic is the official language and is understood by virtually everyone, about 10% of the population
  • Libyan People


  • Population (est): 6,036,914
  • Annual growth rate (est.): 2.262%.
  • Birth rate (est.)–26.09 births/1,000 population. Death rate (est.)–3.47 deaths/1,000 population.
  • Education: Literacy total population 82.6%
  • Health (est.): Infant mortality rate-22.82 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy-total pop 76.88yrs; male 74.1yrs; female 78.58yrs.

  • Libyan Economy


  • GDP (purchasing power parity): $74.72 billion (est.)
  • GDP (official exchange rate): $57.06 billion (est)
  • Real GDP growth rate: 5.8%. (est)
  • GDP – per capita (PPP): $12,400 (est.)
  • Natural resources: Oil Sector (95% export) – Petroleum, natural gas, gypsum.
  • Agriculture: Products–wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle; approximately 75% of Libya’s food is imported.
  • Industry: petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement.
  • Exports: $42.97 billion f.o.b. (est.) crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals
  • Imports:$14.43 billion f.o.b. (est.) machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products
  • Egypt and North Africa