Geography of Libya

Introduction to Geography of Libya

Libya, or The Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, a country in North Africa. It fronts on the Mediterranean Sea and is bounded by Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Chad, Sudan, and Egypt. The country has three historic regions—Tripolitania in the northwest, Fezzan in the southwest, and Cyrenaica in the northeast—but they have no political status.

Physical Geography

Except for two strips of land along the coast, one in the northwest and one in the northeast, Libya lies entirely within the Sahara. Much of the country lacks physical variety, consisting primarily of stony plateaus, gravelly plains, and vast expanses of shifting sand dunes. Only occasional oases and rock outcrops break the monotony of the terrain, which generally varies from 500 to 3,000 feet (150 to 900 m) in elevation. The highest point is Bette, a peak in the Tibesti massif near the Chad border, which reaches 7,434 feet (2,266 m).

Libya has no permanent rivers but has numerous wadis, broad gulleys that contain water briefly after rains. Sizable reserves of groundwater occur along the Tripolitanian coast and in some parts of the desert. The largest of these underground sources is at the Kufra Oasis in the southeast. Salt marshes and dry salt lakes fringe the coast, especially along the Gulf of Sidra.

Most of Libya has a desert-type climate, marked by extreme aridity and wide daily variations in temperature. Rainfall averages less than 5 inches (130 mm) annually, and large areas receive no rain for several years at a time. Temperatures in summer reach well over 100° F. (38° C.) at midday, then drop to between 60° and 70° F. (16° and 21° C.) at night. Winters are cooler, with occasional nighttime frosts.

In the coastal areas of the northwest and the northeast, where the influence of the sea overcomes that of the desert, a Mediterranean-type climate prevails. Summers are generally hot and dry, with temperatures averaging near 80° F. (27° C.). Winters are mild to cool and moderately rainy. Annual rainfall usually varies from 10 to 20 inches (250 to 500 mm) depending on location and elevation, but severe droughts occur every few years. The ghibli, a hot, dry, sand-laden wind, blows from the desert, mainly in spring and fall. It usually lasts only one to four days, but can raise temperatures considerably and cause considerable damage to crops.

Throughout most of the country vegetation is either nonexistent or limited to desert and semidesert grasses and shrubs. Date palms and citrus trees grow in the oases and along the Tripolitanian coast. The only true forests occur in high, relatively well-watered parts of the northeast, where cypress, juniper, and wild olive trees grow.

Economy

When it gained independence in 1951, Libya was one of the poorest countries in the world, with an economy based largely on subsistence farming and nomadic herding. It had few prospects for development and depended heavily on foreign aid for survival. The discovery of oil in the late 1950's, however, changed the economy dramatically. Today, Libya ranks among the world's leading producers and exporters of petroleum and has one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa. Vast oil revenues have enabled the government to initiate much-needed development programs in agriculture, transportation, housing, education, and industry.

The rapid utilization of Libya's large petroleum reserves has resulted partly from the nation's location near European markets. Most of the oil comes from rich fields in north-central Libya. Oil is also produced offshore. About 80 per cent of the oil is produced by state-owned enterprises, the remainder by European firms. Pipelines carry crude oil to ports along the northeastern coast. Much of the exported oil is unrefined. Other minerals produced include iron ore, gypsum, and natural gas.

Many Libyans still depend on a primitive kind of farming or nomadic herding for a living, but their number has been declining since the oil boom began. Tillable land, which amounts to less than 2 per cent of the total area, is concentrated in relatively well-watered areas near the coast and at oases. Principal crops include barley, wheat, peanuts, olives, vegetables, dates, grapes, and citrus fruits. Government programs to develop water resources and introduce modern farming methods are resulting in an increase in cultivated land and productivity. Production, however, continues to fall far short of domestic requirements, and much food must be imported. Livestock herding is widespread but is most important in marginal areas that are too dry for farming. Sheep, goats, camels, and cattle are raised, mainly by nomads and seminomads.

Manufacturing industries have developed slowly in Libya, largely because of a lack of raw materials and skilled labor. Food processing and the making of beverages, tobacco products, textiles, and simple metal goods account for much of the production. The fastest growing industries are oil refining and the making of chemicals and fertilizers, all based on Libya's abundant oil. Most of the large-scale manufacturing enterprises are state-owned. The making of handicraft items, such as rugs, metalware, and leather goods, is still done in homes and small shops as it has been for centuries.

Libya's transportation system consists chiefly of a paved cross-country highway that follows the coast, and some secondary roads extending into the desert. The nation has no railways. Tripoli and Benghazi are the main transportation centers. Their ports handle virtually all the nation's foreign trade, except for petroleum, and both cities have international airports. Libyan Arab Airlines, the national carrier, provides domestic service and some international flights, mainly to cities in North Africa and the Middle East.

The People

Most Libyans are of a mixed ancestry including that of native Berbers and Arab invaders. Libyans of the far south have some Negro ancestry. In eastern Libya there are many Bedouins, nomadic people who live in the desert. Because the Arabs' language, Muslim faith, and culture were adopted by the subject peoples, it became customary for Libyans to consider themselves Arabs.

There are some small isolated settlements where Berbers predominate. Among the desert Berbers in the Fezzan region are the Tuareg, who have the only written Berber dialect.

In rural Libyan society, tribalism is often the basis of social and political allegiances, particularly among the Bedouins.

At the close of World War II, there were substantial Italian and Jewish minorities. By the early 1970's, however, most of the Jews and Italians had either voluntarily emigrated or been expelled.

Heavy urban migration began in the 1960's, and by 1981 more than half the population was urban. The largest cities are Tripoli, the capital, and Benghazi.

Arabic is the official language. Berber dialects prevail among the Berbers, who usually know Arabic as well. In the cities, Italian and English are spoken as second languages by many Arabs in commerce and government.

Libya's first public schools were created by Italy after its conquest of Libya in 1912. Although the schools were for Libyans as well as Italians, the language of instruction was Italian, and most Libyan children who attended school went to Koranic schools operated by mosques. After independence in 1951, Arabic was made the language of instruction and the public educational system was rapidly expanded.

Primary education begins at age six and lasts for six years. Beginning in fifth grade English is taught. Primary school is followed by three years of preparatory education, and then three years of secondary education. About 40 per cent of the people are literate.

Libya's principal institutions of higher learning are Alfateh University in Tripoli and the University of Ghar Yunis in Benghazi. Arabic and English are the languages of instruction. Because of a shortage of Libyan college graduates, Egyptians are used as teachers at all levels of schooling.

Approximately 95 per cent of Libyans are Muslims of the Sunni branch of the faith. Islam in Libya has been profoundly shaped by the Sanussi Order, a religious reform organization that seeks a return to the austere practices of the early days of Islam. Sanussi lodges, scattered throughout the country, are influential in maintaining among the people a strict adherence to Muslim customs.

Because it long lacked an adequate educational system, Libya developed little literature under colonial rule. Indigenous literature, showing an Egyptian influence, began to appear in the 1960's. Art is expressed through traditional mediums, such as the mosaics and elaborate stucco work on public and private buildings. Extensive handicrafts also help to preserve the country's artistic traditions. Libyan artists largely conform to the Islamic injunction against representation of humans and animals. Music remains traditional and is related generally to folklore and folk dances.

Libya is trying to preserve its heritage and strongly promotes exploration and preservation of its archeological sites. There are archeological museums in Tripoli and at the ancient ruins of Sabratha and Leptis Magna.

In the cities, soccer is the principal sport. Basketball, boxing, and track and field also have many fans. In the rural areas, horse racing and various displays of horsemanship called fantasias are popular.

Government

Decrees set forth in 1977 by the General People's Congress (the supreme legislative body) named Muammar Qaddafi as head of state, assisted by the General Secretariat of the General People's Congress and the General People's Committee of the General People's Congress. There is one political party, the Arab Socialist Union. The guiding principles of government are based on socialism and the precepts of Islam. The judicial system is based on both Western and Islamic law.