LibyaThe Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Libya's official name, achieved independence from Italy on 24 December 1951, although it had been held under British (for Tripolitania and Cyrenaica) and French (Fezzan) administration since 1943. Initially ruled as a monarchy under King Idris, the country became a republic when Gadaffi took power in 1969.
The first inhabitants of Libya were Berber tribes. In the 7th century B.C., Phoenicians colonized the eastern section of Libya, called Cyrenaica, and Greeks colonized the western portion, called Tripolitania. Tripolitania was for a time under Carthaginian control. It became part of the Roman Empire from 46 B.C. to A.D. 436, after which it was sacked by the Vandals. Cyrenaica belonged to the Roman Empire from the 1st century B.C. until its decline, after which it was invaded by Arab forces in 642. Beginning in the 16th century, both Tripolitania and Cyrenaica nominally became part of the Ottoman Empire.
Tripolitania was one of the outposts for the Barbary pirates who raided Mediterranean merchant ships or required them to pay tribute. In 1801, the pasha of Tripoli raised the price of tribute, which led to the Tripolitan war with the United States. When the peace treaty was signed on June 4, 1805, U.S. ships no longer had to pay tribute to Tripoli.
Following the outbreak of hostilities between Italy and Turkey in 1911, Italian troops occupied Tripoli. Libyans continued to fight the Italians until 1914, by which time Italy controlled most of the land. Italy formally united Tripolitania and Cyrenaica in 1934 as the colony of Libya.
Libya was the scene of much desert fighting during World War II. After the fall of Tripoli on Jan. 23, 1943, it came under Allied administration. In 1949, the UN voted that Libya should become independent, and in 1951 it became the United Kingdom of Libya. Oil was discovered in the impoverished country in 1958 and eventually transformed its economy.
Libya stretches along the northeast coast of Africa between Tunisia and Algeria on the west and Egypt on the east; to the south are the Sudan, Chad, and Niger. It is one-sixth larger than Alaska. Much of the country lies within the Sahara. Along the Mediterranean coast and farther inland is arable plateau land.
The Geography of Libya
Total Size: 1,759,540 square km
Size Comparison: slightly larger than Alaska
Geographical Coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E
World Region or Continent: Africa
General Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Geographical Low Point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
Geographical High Point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Major cities: TRIPOLI (capital) 1.095 million (2009), Benghazi, Misrata
Economy of Libya
Major Industries: petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Agricultural Products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle
Natural Resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Major Exports: crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas
Major Imports: machinery, transport equipment, semi-finished goods, food, consumer products
Currency: Libyan dinar (LYD)
National GDP: $38,980,000,000
Places to visit in Libya:
A steepish climb up the hill from the rest of the site is the famed Temple of Zeus, one of the highlights of Cyrene. Reflecting Cyrene's importance in the ancient Greek world, the Temple of Zeus was larger than the Parthenon in Athens. Constructed in the 5th century BC, the sanctuary measured 32m
