Libya, forty years under the reign of Colonel Gaddafi

TRIPOLI: Libya, a rich oil country, is led by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi since 1 September 1969.

• LOCATION: State of Africa, bordering the Mediterranean, Libya shares borders with Tunisia and Algeria in the west, Chad in the south, Egypt in the east and Sudan in the southeast .
  
  AREA: 1,759 540 square km. Desert 93%.
  
  POPULATION: six million inhabitants. The country has one and a half million immigrants, mostly Africans, nearly 20% of the total population.
  CAPITAL: Tripoli.
  OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Arabic.
  RELIGION: Islam, 99% of Sunnis. Libya applies the Sharia (Islamic law).
      
  HISTORY / REGIME: Head of Greek and Phoenician counters, conquered by the Romans, Byzantines and Turks. Italian colony in 1912, Libya became independent in 1951, headed by King Mohammad Idris Es-Sanusi. The latter was removed on 1 September 1969 by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
  
      In 1977, Gaddafi proclaimed the "Libyan Arab Socialist People" ("Republic of the masses"), which gives the people the "direct power ", after, in 1976, outlined his political theories in the "Green Book". While having no formal role in managing affairs of state, Colonel Qaddafi remains the cornerstone of a political system based on "popular committees".
  
      The highest political authority is the "General People's Congress (GPC), which oversees the popular assemblies and acts of Parliament. The "Committee
  General People "(CPG) acts of government.
  
      Prime Minister: El-Baghdadi Ali El-Mahmoudi.
      
  ECONOMY: Libya, accused of supporting terrorism, has been submitted from 1992 to international sanctions (embargo and military aviation in 1993 reinforced by economic and financial sanctions). They were finally lifted in 2003.
  
  The country imports nearly 90% of its needs for food and equipment.
  
  OIL: OPEC member Libya is a major oil producer in Africa, with 1.8 million barrels per day. Its reserves are estimated at 42 billion barrels. Oil accounts for more than 95% of exports and 75% of the state budget.
  
  GAS: Reserves estimated at 1.314 billion m3.
  
  The country, which started since the lifting of the embargo a series of reforms to liberalize the economy has registered an average growth of 8% during the period 2003-2008. It has attributed in recent years equipment contracts for many multinational companies.
  
  CURRENCY: Libyan dinar.
  GNP per capita: 9,000 dollars.
      
  ARMED FORCES: 76,000 troops, including 50,000 for the Army. People's Militia (Reserve): approximately 40,000, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS, 2009).
      
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.