Libya on the map of Africa
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States, like people, have their own destiny, their own history. Libya and its inhabitants got a difficult fate. Adverse climatic conditions, the difficult economic situation was complicated by the war and political instability. But this hot country on the Mediterranean coast deserves attention and attracts close attention from all over the world.

Geographical position

From the countries of the Maghreb (states west of Egypt) Libya occupies the extreme east. The advantage of the geographical position lies, first of all, in the fact that its northern tip runs along the Mediterranean coast. Access to a strategically and economically important water body influenced the history of the state and its further development.

The Libyan coastline is the longest among all African countries located in the Mediterranean region. It is 1770 km, and that part of the Mediterranean that adjoins the territory of the state is called the Libyan Sea.

The mainland south of the country is bordered by Niger and Chad. To the west, Libya neighbors Algeria and Tunisia. In the east, there is a long border with Egypt, in the southeast - with Sudan.

The total area is 1,759,541 km², which is the 4th indicator among all African states.

There are three regions in Libya:

• Cyrenaica - an elevated northeastern region that includes the Barqa el-Bayda plateau near the Mediterranean coast;
• Tripolitania - western plain Jefara and adjacent areas of the sea coast. This is the most favorable area for human life and agricultural activities;
• Fezzan is a dry sandy plain in the south. Its desert landscape is enlivened only by a few oases.

The subtropical Mediterranean type of climate of the coastal territories of North Africa, when moving south (inland), is replaced by a tropical desert. The Libyan tropics are characterized by extreme dryness of the air and huge fluctuations in daily temperatures. The difference between the climatic conditions of the north and south is quite noticeable.

In the coldest month of the year, January, the average temperature in the northern part of Libya is +12 ° C, in the south of the country they are much higher - up to +18 ° C. The July heat in the north is softened by the proximity of the sea, the average temperature here is about +28 °C. The southern regions live in conditions of abnormal heat with an average July temperature of +35 ° C, the usual daily figures exceed 42 ° C in the shade.

In 1922, the Al-Aziziya weather station (80 km southwest of Tripoli) recorded the highest air temperature in the history of observations on Earth. The record was almost +58 °C.

The amount of precipitation is uneven. Most of them are in the Mediterranean region. The average annual amount is 250 mm, in some areas up to 360 mm. Almost all of them fall in winter, while summer is always dry.

In the continental desert regions, no more than 25 mm of precipitation falls per year. Dry dry winds and dust storms (sirocco) are frequent here.

Flora and fauna

Unfavorable climatic conditions do not contribute to the formation of a permanent vegetation cover, more than 90% of the Libyan territory is completely devoid of it. Only on the coast, mountain slopes and in oases you can find green plants - date palms, olive, orange and pistachio trees, juniper.

The traditional inhabitants of the deserts are gazelles and antelopes, hyenas and wild cats, various reptiles. Vultures, hawks and eagles soar above them.

State structure

Libya Map

The full official name is the state of Libya. The form of government is a republic. The state system is the Jamahiriya, or people's state (people's power). Legislative power is exercised by the General People's Congress, executive power is exercised by the Supreme People's Committee. All political parties were abolished in 1977.

Italian civil law and Islamic law form the basis of the country's legislation. After the overthrow of Gaddafi, control passed into the hands of the National Transitional Council, which included 31 representatives of the largest Libyan cities. Administrative division: 13 districts.

The official language of the country is Arabic. 97% of the inhabitants are Sunni Muslims.

Population

The total population in 2015 is approaching 6.7 million. It is extremely unevenly settled throughout Libya. The most populated are the coastal northern regions of Tripoletania and Cyrenaica, 9/10 of the total population lives here. The desert expanses are poorly populated, the population density in them is less than 1 person per km².

It is noteworthy that the average life expectancy of Libyans is quite high (77 years), and the average age of the inhabitants is 24 years.

The national composition is homogeneous: 98% Arabs, the remaining 2% are Berbers, Greeks, Egyptians, Italians, Malians, Tuareg, etc.

Economy

Until recently, Libya was a backward agricultural country. But in the 60s of the last century, thanks to the development of the oil industry, the state began to develop rapidly. The development of oil fields has become the basis of the economic foundation.

Agriculture remains an important industry. In areas with sufficient moisture, horticulture is developed, and barley is cultivated on arable land. Since 1979, the country has been building the so-called "great artificial river", which will help expand the amount of agricultural land. In Libya, vast areas of pastures - 8 million hectares, which are developed by nomadic pastoralists.

At the end of the twentieth century, new enterprises for the production of metal products and cement appeared in Libya. Heavy industry enterprises and power plants were built with the help of foreign specialists.

The former province of the Ottoman Empire, later the colony of Italy, Libya, remained dependent for a long time. Only in 1951 she received freedom, King Idris I began to rule the country. After the military coup in 1969, the state was headed by Muammar Gaddafi. For forty-two years he was the sole leader (from 1977 to 2011).

The Gaddafi regime was overthrown by the rebels, with funding from foreign countries.

These events had devastating consequences for the country. The population, the economy, the political structure suffered. To this day, the war in Libya continues, the recognized government of the country is trying to cope with strong Islamist groups. Civil war and political instability bring grief and ruin.

Attractions

On the Mediterranean coast, the ruins of Phoenician settlements, the ruins of Roman dwellings and baths have been preserved.

The main values ​​of Libya are concentrated in Tripoli. These are the Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum, the Museum of Islam, the Arc de Triomphe of Marcus Aurelius, unique mosques.

Libyans have something to demonstrate to lovers of ancient antiquity, they are proud of their unique nature. It remains to be hoped that the country will soon find the long-awaited stability and will be happy to welcome guests from all over the world.

Libya photo

(Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya)

General information

Geographical position. Libya is a state in North Africa. In the north it is washed by the Mediterranean Sea. In the east it borders with Egypt, in the southeast with Sudan, in the south with Chad and Niger, in the west with Algeria, in the northwest with Tunisia.

Square. The territory of Libya occupies 1,759,540 sq. km.

main cities, Administrative division. The capital of Libya is Tripoli. Largest cities: Tripoli (2,595 thousand people), Benghazi (1,059 thousand people). Administrative-territorial division of the country: 13 municipalities.

Political system

Libya is an Islamic Arab socialist people's state. The governing body of Libya is the "Revolutionary Leadership" (officially located outside the system of state power). The legislature is the General People's Congress.

Relief. About 90% of the territory is bare rocky plains and deserts, only in the northeast and northwest there are low (up to 900 m) mountain plateaus; in the south, along the border with Chad, lies the Tibetsi massif.

Geological structure and minerals. The bowels of the country contain reserves of oil and natural gas.

Climate. The country's climate is hot and arid, the annual rainfall on the coast rarely exceeds 400 mm, the average temperature in July is about +28°C.

Inland waters. There are no permanent rivers.

Soils and vegetation. The vegetation is poor: date palms, orange and olive trees grow in a few oases. In mountainous areas, juniper and pistachio trees are found.

Animal world. Among mammals, the hyena, gazelle and wild cat are the most common; among the birds are the eagle, the hawk and the vulture.

Population and language

The population of Libya is about 5.69 million people, the average population density is about 3 people per 1 sq. km. km. More than two thirds of the population lives in northern

coastal areas. Ethnic groups: Arabs and Berbers - 97%, Greeks, Italians, Pakistanis, Egyptians, Turks, Indians. Languages: Arabic (state), Berber, sometimes Italian and English are used.

Religion

Sunni Muslims - 97%, Catholics.

Brief historical outline

The first settlements on the territory of modern Libya were founded by the Phoenicians, and in the VI century. BC e. conquered by Carthage. Later, Libya became part of the Roman Empire, and in 455 AD. e. was conquered by vandals. In 643, the country was captured by the Arabs, under whose rule, with a short break, the country was until the 16th century, when it became part of the Ottoman Empire.

At the beginning of the XX century. Italy made several attempts to occupy Libya. In 1943, after the expulsion of the Italian and German troops, Libya was under the joint administration of France and Britain. On December 24, 1951, King Idris I proclaimed an independent United Kingdom of Libya. On September 1, 1969, a group of young officers led by Muammar Gaddafi carried out a coup and proclaimed the country the Libyan Arab Republic.

Brief economic essay

The basis of the economy is the oil producing and oil refining industry. Cement, textile, metallurgical, food and flavor industries. Cultivate cereals, vegetables, peanuts, tobacco. Fruit growing (dates, citrus fruits), viticulture. Extensive animal husbandry. Fishing. Export: oil, oil products and gas (96%), chemical products, citrus fruits.

The monetary unit is the Libyan dinar.

A Brief Outline of Culture

Art and architecture. Tripoli. Museum of Natural History; Archaeological Museum; Ethnographical museum; Museum of Epigraphy, which contains written monuments of the Phoenician, Roman and Byzantine periods; Museum of Islam; Triumphal Arch in honor of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, erected in the II century. n. e.; the mosques of Karamanli and Gurgi; Spanish fortress of the 16th century Al-Hum. Museum "Leptis Magna", which houses exhibits from the Roman period.

The African country of Libya is located in the North of the mainland. The state is washed by the Mediterranean Sea from the north side. Libya's neighboring countries: in the northwest - Tunisia, in the west - Algeria, in the east - Egypt, in the southeast - Sudan, in the south - Chad and Nigeria. The capital of Libya is the city of Tripoli. Benghazi is the second largest city in terms of population. The most famous Sahara desert is located on the territory of Libya, in total, deserts occupy 95% of the country's area, as you can see by looking at the map.

The climate on the coast of the sea is Mediterranean subtropical, and in the rest of the state it is tropical desert. On the coast, the coldest temperature is +12 degrees in January, the maximum temperature in the north of the country is +35 degrees. In the desert, the temperature can range from -15 at night to +60 degrees during the day.

The official language of the country is Arabic. The country's currency is the Libyan dinar. Today Libya is divided into 22 administrative divisions, which are called municipalities. The country is rich in oil and is considered one of the richest on the continent. The country is in a civil war that began in 2011 and continues to this day. by the most famous person Libya can be safely called Muammar Gaddafi.

Quality of life in Libya

Under the Gaddafi regime, the standard of living was high, with free healthcare and education, high salaries, and a good birth allowance. After the death of Gaddafi, the standard of living in the country has declined significantly and is falling lower and lower every year. The literacy rate in the country is 86.8%, which in the world ranking puts Libya in 111th place in this indicator. The country's economy is in a deplorable state, only the oil industry has been restored. Oil is produced by foreign companies, and the Libyans get pennies. Unemployment in the country has reached 44%, and social payments have decreased by 9 times. The city of Tripoli was included in the list of cities with the lowest standard of living, according to The Economist.

The population of Libya

The population consists mainly of Arabs, there are Berbers and Tuareg. Due to the large area of ​​deserts not intended for life, the population of the country is only about 6 million. The average life expectancy of a Libyan is 76 years. Religious Libyans are predominantly Muslims. The average age in Libya is 24 years old, this nation can be called young, for comparison, in Europe this figure is 42 years old. Libyans are friendly to tourists, love to communicate with them, so you need to behave politely and cordially with the local population.

Sights and cities of Libya, interesting for tourists

Libya is rich in historical sights, the most popular is Leptis Magna - this is an ancient city that was built around 1100 BC. the Phoenicians. It was captured by the Romans in 146 BC. and during the reign of the Romans reached its peak. This place is called "Rome in Africa" ​​because of its layout. At the moment, the ruins of the city have been preserved in Leptis: a theater, a market, the arch of Septimius Severus, a forum and much more.

Sabratha is the second most popular ancient city in Libya. The city has preserved the remains of the temple of Serapis and Isis, the ruins of a Roman theater and the ruins of a Christian basilica from the reign of Emperor Justinian.

Ghadames is the oldest city in Libya, divided into old and new parts. The city is located in an oasis in the north of the Sahara desert, the ancient Ghadames is surrounded by a fortress built by the Romans. The rest of the buildings of the Romans have not survived to this day, but the city, built in a later period, has been completely preserved. Ghadames has a system of underground passages made to move the women of that time.

Cyrene - ancient greek city, is located near the Jebel Ah Dar mountain. The attraction of the city is the temple of Apollo, built in the 7th century BC, next to the temple is the fountain of Apollo. In the city are the ruins of the temple of Demeter, the partially excavated ruins of the temple of Zeus and a huge necropolis (cemetery in the ancient world).

Tadrart-Acacus is a mountain range in the Sahara desert, known for rock carvings that date back to 12000 BC. e. - 100 AD e. The rocks depict people and animals. Images of people tell about the daily life of the peoples of those times.

Tolmea is another ancient city, the main attraction of which is the Hellenic Palace, built in the 1st century BC. The so-called “Street of Monuments” passed through the whole city, now fragments of fountains, statues and engravings have remained from it. In the central part of the city there are several Christian churches of the 5th century AD. e.

Tourist safety and useful information

Due to military conflicts, there are few decent hotels left in the Libyan capital, so finding a safe overnight stay with good service is problematic. In the capital and beyond, there is no reliable housing that can be rented. But, in areas remote from the capital, you can settle in an inexpensive and comfortable campsite.

The most dangerous place in Libya is the capital, so tourists are advised not to visit Tripoli. For safety reasons, visitors are usually accompanied by people from the local population. There are few people who want to visit the country, mostly journalists and extreme sensations lovers who are not afraid of the current situation in Libya. However, in last years the security situation is starting to improve. Humanitarian missions take place here, doctors from different countries. Sooner or later, life in the country will return to normal completely.

Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, a state in North Africa. In the north it is washed by the Mediterranean Sea, in the east it borders on Egypt, in the southeast with Sudan, in the south with Chad and Niger, in the west with Algeria and in the northwest with Tunisia. Formerly an Italian colony, since 1951 an independent monarchy. As a result of a military coup in September 1969, King Idris I was overthrown, and Libya was proclaimed a republic. Until 1963, when Libya became a unitary state, the country had a federal structure and consisted of three historical regions - Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan. Capital Tripoli. Although the area of ​​Libya is one of largest countries Africa, its population in 1998 was only 5.7 million people. Most of the country's territory is occupied by desert. Thanks to the exploitation of rich oil resources, which began in 1961, the once impoverished Libya has become a prosperous state with the highest per capita income in Africa.

social structure. For many centuries, the historical development of each of the two main regions of Libya Tripolitania and Cyrenaica went its own way. That is why social homogeneity is more manifested at the regional rather than at the national level. Distribution in the 19th century on the territory of Cyrenaica, the activities of the Senussi order further alienated these two areas, since the population of Tripolitania remained faithful to normative Sunni Islam. The Senussi religious-historical movement, founded by the grandfather of the former King Idris I, aimed to return to the origins of Islam. The population of Cyrenaica consisted mainly of nomads and semi-nomads, while a settled peasant and urban population lived in Tripolitania. Peculiar social organization characteristic of the population of the desert region of Fezzan.

There is a small stratum of merchants and a small but ever-increasing group of officials, managers and qualified specialists. In the coastal zone and in Fezzan, the land is in individual private ownership. Areas with a nomadic population are characterized by collective ownership of land by tribal groups.

Public education. During the period of the Italian colonial presence in Libya, there was virtually no system of Western education. The beginning of its active distribution dates back to the time of the British military administration, and further development took place after the 1960s, when significant funds began to flow into independent Libya from the sale of oil. Education in the country is free at all levels and compulsory up to grade 9. In 19911992 there were 2744 primary schools and 1555 secondary schools in Libya, 195 vocational and colleges of education. There were also 10 universities and 10 pedagogical institutes(including the respective departments at Al-Fattah Universities in Tripoli and Garyounis in Benghazi). IN primary school 1.4 million children study, in the average 310.5 thousand, in vocational schools 37 thousand and in the system high school 72.9 thousand students. The development of technical training is mainly driven by the needs of the oil industry. There are 14 research centers in the country. The state provides material assistance to the network of Islamic educational institutions, including the Islamic University of Beida, which is also a center for religious studies.

In Libya comes out approx. 20 newspapers and magazines in Arabic and English, the number of published books is small.

STORY The differences between the two main regions of the country Tripolitania and Cyrenaica go back to ancient times. In the 4th c. BC. Cyrenaica was colonized by the Greeks, then conquered by the army of Alexander the Great, then was under the control of the Ptolemaic dynasty, and already from them in 96 BC. went to the Roman Empire. The island of Crete was also part of the Roman province of Cyrenaica. Tripolitania was initially in the zone of influence of Phoenicia, and then Carthage. Ultimately, both areas became the possessions of the Roman Empire, but when it was divided, Cyrenaica became part of the eastern possessions, while Tripolitania remained under the direct control of Rome. In 455, the Vandals attacked the territory of Libya from the west, but in 533 the troops of Emperor Justinian managed to oust them from the country. In 642644, Arab cavalry invaded Libya, and the country became part of the Arab Caliphate, but until the 11th century. the local population was not converted to Islam. After the Arab conquest, Cyrenaica moved closer and closer to Egypt, while Tripolitania became part of the Western Arab world (Maghrib).

Between 1517 and 1577 Libya was conquered by the Ottoman Empire and until 1711 was under the control of governors from Istanbul. In 1711-1835, the local Karamanly dynasty established itself in Libya, nominally remaining loyal to the Sultan. In 1835 the country came under direct control of the Ottoman Empire. The Sultan personally appointed the wali, who had full power in Libya, turned into a vilayet (province).

Italy, which in 1911 began to seize the territory of Libya, ran into stubborn armed resistance from the local population. Until 1922, the Italians managed to maintain control over only some coastal areas, and only by 1932 did they manage to subjugate the entire country. Until 1934, Cyrenaica and Tripolitania were considered separate colonies of Italy, although they were under the control of one governor-general. Under Mussolini in 1939, Libya was incorporated into Italy.

During the Second World War, Libya became the scene of fierce hostilities, and in 1943 was occupied by the Allied forces. Under the 1947 peace treaty, Italy lost all rights to the territory of its former colony, the fate of which was to be decided during negotiations between France, Great Britain, the USA and the USSR. It was envisaged that if within a year the great powers could not come to an acceptable agreement, the fate of the country would be decided by the UN. In November 1949, the UN General Assembly decided to grant independence to Libya until January 1, 1952.

In 1950-1951, the work of the National Constituent Assembly took place, which included an equal number of representatives from all three regions of the country. The deputies of the assembly adopted a constitution and in December 1951 approved the Emir of Cyrenaica, Mohammed Idris al-Senusi, as king of Libya. On December 24, 1951, an independent federal kingdom was proclaimed, which included the provinces of Cyrenaica, Tripolitania, and Fezzan.

An independent Libya inherited a very poor and mostly illiterate population. In exchange for substantial economic and technical assistance, the Libyan government allowed the United States and Britain to maintain their military bases in the country. Since there were not enough lawyers and teachers in the country, public service specialists from Egypt were invited.

The second decade of the country's independent path of development was strikingly different from the first. The oil export revenues that poured into Libya allowed the government to forego foreign aid, and it terminated the agreement to maintain American and British military bases on its territory. In 1963, the federal structure was abolished, which took into account the peculiarities historical development and the traditions of the three parts of the country, and Libya was declared a unitary state.

On September 1, 1969, a group of young army officers led by Muammar Gaddafi overthrew the regime of King Idris I. The country was named the Libyan Arab Republic, and all power was transferred to the Revolutionary Command Council. Gaddafi led the country in accordance with his proclaimed principle of "Islamic socialism" and was determined to reduce Libya's dependence on foreign influence. By 1973, 51% of the shares of all foreign oil companies had become state property. An important step was the nationalization of the retail network for the sale of petroleum products and gas, as well as the introduction of a state monopoly on the export of petroleum products. At the initiative of Gaddafi, the process of strengthening national sovereignty was carried out in the country: foreign military bases were withdrawn from Libya, nationalization of foreign property was carried out, and control over the production and sale of oil was introduced. Many leading positions in the economy and other spheres of life were occupied by citizens of the country. In the mid-1970s, after the deterioration of relations with Egypt, many Egyptians who worked in Libya were forced to leave it.

In 1977, M. Gaddafi, who served as General Secretary of the General People's Congress, became head of state. Measures have been stepped up in the country to oust private capital from retail and wholesale trade and eliminate private ownership of real estate. Gaddafi proclaimed a foreign policy course to provide active assistance to "revolutionary movements and regimes that oppose imperialism and colonialism" and supported international terrorism. In 1979, he resigned, declaring his intention to devote himself to developing the ideas of the Libyan revolution. Nevertheless, Gaddafi remained the key figure in political life countries.

In the 1970s, oil prices rose significantly on world markets, which led to the accumulation of significant funds in Libya, which was a supplier of oil to Western countries. Government receipts from oil exports went to finance urban development and the creation modern system social security of the population. However, to enhance the international prestige of Libya, huge sums were spent on the creation of a well-armed modern army. In the Middle East and North Africa, Libya acted as a carrier of the ideas of Arab nationalism and an uncompromising opponent of Israel and the United States. The sharp drop in oil prices in the mid-1980s led to a significant weakening of Libya. Meanwhile, the US administration accused Libya of complicity in international terrorism, and on April 15, 1986, the US bombed several cities in Libya.

In 1992, sanctions were applied against Libya after Libyan citizens blew up two passenger airliners. She denied all accusations and refused to extradite her citizens suspected of committing sabotage. In late 1993, Gaddafi suggested that the two Libyans accused of the Lockerbie bombing should be tried in any country in the world, but that the court should either be Muslim, or the composition of the court should consist entirely of Muslims. The proposal of the Libyan leader was rejected, and since 1992, every six months, UN sanctions have been renewed against Libya, including the termination of military-technical cooperation and air traffic, the freezing of Libyan assets, a ban on the import of certain types of equipment for the oil industry to Libya, etc. After the International a court in The Hague issued a verdict on the right of Chad to the Aouzu strip, occupied in 1973 by Libyan troops, Libya in 1994 withdrew its troops from the area.

In September 1995, as a sign of dissatisfaction with the peace agreements concluded earlier between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel, Gaddafi announced the deportation of 30 thousand Palestinians living there from Libya.

M., 1985
Proshin N.I., Roshchin M.Yu., Smirnova G.I. Libya. ¶ In: Recent history of the Arab countries of Africa, 19171987. M., 1990

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Libya is one of the most big countries African continent. Until recently, it was the leading economic development in the region, in addition, its history is full interesting facts. How did the Libyans live before and how do they live now? Description of Libya, its sights and legal system and will serve as the subject of our story.

Geographical position

First, let's find out where the state of Libya is located. This country is located in the very north of the African continent. On the western side, its border passes with Tunisia and the Andra, from the south - with the state of Chad and the Sudanese Republic, and on the eastern side - with the Egyptian state. From the north, the shores of Libya are washed by the gentle waves of the Mediterranean Sea.

The territorial area of ​​Libya is 1.8 million km2. Most of it is occupied by desert lands, in particular the Sahara desert. Only in the north of the country is a narrow strip of land favorable for agriculture with a Mediterranean type of climate.

Among natural resources Libya first of all needs to allocate oil.

Story

To have a better idea of ​​the state of affairs in the present, you need to look into the past. Let's dwell on the main points of the history of Libya.

In ancient times, its territory was inhabited by nomadic Berber tribes. The name "Libya" is of Greek origin. So the Hellenes called the entire African continent.

From the 1st millennium BC e. active Phoenician and Greek colonization of the coast of Libya begins. During that period, such large colonies arose as Cyrene, Leptis Magna, Barca, Euhesparides, Tripoli. Many of these cities still exist and are major centers of the state of Libya.

In the second half of the 1st millennium BC. e. a significant part of the northern part of the country was captured by Carthage, the western part went to the Egyptian state of the Ptolemies. Nevertheless, by the beginning of our era, all these territories were controlled by the Roman Empire. After the fall of Rome, the east of Libya went to Byzantium, and the west to the barbarian state of the Vandals, centered in Carthage. However, in the 6th century A.D. e., under the emperor Justinian, Byzantium managed to crush the vandals and include all their lands in its composition.

The south of Libya during all this time was not subject to any state formation. Here, as before, free tribes roamed.

The situation has changed radically since the middle of the 7th century, when the Arabs conquered the Byzantine possessions in Africa. They also managed to conquer all of Libya, which was included in the Caliphate. Since then it has changed significantly National composition countries. If earlier the majority of the inhabitants were Berbers, now the Arabs have become the dominant nation. After the collapse of the unified Arab Caliphate in the 8th century, Libya was alternately part of the states of the Aghlabids, Fatimids, Ayyubids, Almohads, Hafsids, Ayyubids, Mamluks, until it was annexed to the Ottoman Empire in 1551.

However, during this period, Libya had a relative autonomy. Since 1711, the Karamanli dynasty began to rule here, which recognized the actual dependence on Ottoman Sultan. But in 1835, due to popular discontent, the dynasty fell, and the Ottoman Empire again established a regime of direct control of Libya.

In 1911, these lands were captured by Italy, having won the war with the Turks. Since that time, the country has become an Italian colony. After the defeat of Italy during the World War in 1942, this territory was occupied by British and French troops.

In 1951, Libya became an independent monarchy led by King Idris I. Thus began recent history countries.

The era of Gaddafi

The person who had the greatest influence on modern history Libya became Muammar Gaddafi. It was he who was the head of the conspiracy of officers directed against the monarchical government. In 1969, during the revolution, the power of Idris I was overthrown. The Libyan Arab Republic (LAR) was formed, led by Muammar Gaddafi. In fact, this was the President of Libya, although he never officially held this position.

In 1977, Gaddafi formally resigned from all government posts, leaving behind only the title of Fraternal Leader, but in fact continued to rule the state. At the same time, the LAR was transformed into the Jamahiriya. It was a unique form of government that proclaimed democracy, formally built on the management of the country by many communes. The foundation of the Jamahiriya was socialism, Arab nationalism and Islam. It was in this ideological field that Libya was at that time. The head of state, Muammar Gaddafi, issued the Green Book, which actually replaced the constitution.

It was during this period that Libya achieved unprecedented economic development. At the same time, relations between the state and Israel and Western countries have become extremely aggravated, in which the Libyan special services even carried out a number of terrorist attacks. The most famous of these was the explosion of an airplane in 1988, after which economic sanctions were applied against Libya. In addition, he was accused of suppressing political opposition in his country and of violating human rights, as well as of aggression against some other African states.

Civil War

Naturally, this state of affairs did not suit a significant number of the inhabitants of Libya. In 2011, unrest began against the Gaddafi regime. When the confrontation between the rebels and government troops reached a particular intensity, a coalition intervened in the conflict. Western countries who took the side of the rebels. Aviation of NATO countries carried out bombing of government military facilities. With the support of foreign powers, the rebels managed to capture the capital of Libya - the city of Tripoli. Muammar Gaddafi was killed.

Libya was taken over by the Transitional National Council. But even after the parliamentary elections, peace did not come to the country. It continues the war between several opposing forces. actually disintegrated public education today is Libya. The state cannot ensure the unity of the country. In addition, the activities of a number of terrorist organizations have intensified in Libya, including the Islamic State (ISIS), which even managed to seize a number of territories.

Population

The vast majority are Arabs, among whom there are many Arabized Berbers. The nomadic Berber and Negroid Tubu people also live in the south of the country.

Most of the population is concentrated in northern Libya. The southern part of the country is sparsely populated, due to the very dry climate of the Sahara. There is a large number of absolutely uninhabited territories.

The total population in the country is about 5.6 million people. It should be noted that most of this number live in cities. For example, total strength residents in the agglomerations of the largest settlements countries of Tripoli, Benghazi and Misrata exceeds 56% of the total population of the country.

Tripoli - the capital of Libya

The capital of Libya is the city of Tripoli. It is located in the western part of the country on the Mediterranean coast. This is the largest of the cities for which the state of Libya is famous. The capital has a population of almost 1.8 million inhabitants. For comparison, the second largest city of the Libyan state - Benghazi is inhabited by about 630 thousand people.

Tripoli is famous for ancient history. It was founded in the 7th century BC. e. and was originally called Ea. The modern name of the city was given a little later by the Greeks. Translated from Greek, it means "Three cities". For a long time he was central city province of Tripolitania, and in 1951, after the country's independence, became the capital of Libya.

Now Tripoli is a big modern city with high-rise buildings and azure beaches, which the state of Libya can be proud of. Photos of sand dunes and dunes, which abound in information resources dedicated to the sights of the corners of the globe, fascinate, and it’s hard to even imagine that high-rise buildings rise somewhere in the neighborhood of wild desert nature and ... there is a war.

However, despite metropolitan status, in Tripoli from large government organizations only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located. All other organs of the central state apparatus are concentrated in provincial towns. Even the parliament is located in the city of Sirte. This was done as part of a program that began in 1988 on the decentralization of government in the country.

Political structure

Libya is currently unitary state. Its form of government is a parliamentary republic. There is no such position as the President of Libya. The head of state is the President of the House of Representatives, who is elected by Parliament. Since August 2014, this post has been occupied by Aguila Sallah Isa. In addition, the House of Representatives (parliament) also elects the prime minister of the country, that is, the head of the government. At the moment, the head of the executive branch is Abdullah Abdurrahman at-Thani. The government is in Tobruk. Abdullah at-Thani resigned several times, but to this day he remains. O. prime minister.

At the moment, the State of Libya controls the eastern part of the country.

At the same time, it should be pointed out that the General National Congress operates in Tripoli in parallel, which opposes the House of Representatives and controls the territories around the capital.

Libya is currently a secular state with government bodies authorities are separated from religion and religious organizations. At the same time, Islamist sentiments are quite strong in society.

Administrative division

The state of Libya is administratively divided into 22 municipalities. True, this division is rather conditional, because the central authorities simply do not control a significant part of the country's territory, and there actually exist their own administrative units.

In addition, there are three historical provinces in Libya, from the combination of which, in fact, a single state was formed at one time: Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan. The centers of these unofficial components are, respectively, Tripoli, Benghazi and Sabha.

State symbols

Since 2011, the national flag of Libya has been a flag with red, black and green stripes from top to bottom. In the center of the banner is an Islamic crescent with a star. This flag was used as a state flag during the Kingdom of Libya (1951-1969), but after the revolution Gaddafi was replaced by a red-white-black tricolor, and then, since 1977, by an absolutely green flag.

At the moment, there is no official coat of arms in the state of Libya, but there is a state emblem in the form of a yellow crescent and a star.

Since 2011, the anthem of the country has been the composition "Libya, Libya, Libya", which performed the same function during the period of the monarchy. During the reign of Gaddafi, they used as an anthem musical composition"Allah is great."

Legal system

Currently, the legal system of the state of Libya is based on French as well as Italian legal norms. At the same time, since the time of Gaddafi, the influence of Islamic law, in particular Sharia, has remained quite strong.

The country has a constitutional court, although a new constitution has not yet been adopted. At the same time, the state of Libya has not yet recognized the jurisdiction of international courts.

At the same time, it should be taken into account that at the moment several groups control various parts of Libya, so, in fact, there is no single rule of law in the country that would apply to the entire territory of the state. Many parts of the country have de facto rigid Islamic law (Sharia).

Attractions

Ancient history has given us many cultural monuments that delight the eyes of tourists. Indeed, there are many historical places that the state of Libya can be proud of. Attractions are available in many regions of the country.

One of the most famous monuments world culture, located in Libya, are the ruins of the amphitheater, which can be seen in the photo above. They are located in Sabratha, which is west of Tripoli. This amphitheater was built during the Roman rule and was intended for spectacles that were supposed to entertain the public, including gladiator fights.

On the territory of the country there are other ruins of ancient buildings of the Phoenicians and Romans. Especially famous among tourists are the ruins of the ancient city of Leptis Magna, founded by Phoenician colonists, but then adopted the Roman way of life.

Among the buildings of the Islamic period, the mosque of Ahmad Pasha Karamanli, located in Tripoli, built by this ruler of Tripolitania in 1711, can be especially distinguished. The Gurgi and Al-Jami mosques are also quite interesting.

In addition, the Tadrart-Acacus rock carvings, which are up to 14,000 years old, are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During Gaddafi's time, the Jamahiriya Museum was especially popular among locals and tourists.

Indeed, there is much to be proud of the people of Libya.

With faith in the future

From the very moment of her birth, Livia has experienced difficult periods. After the fall of the Gaddafi regime, many people were sure that bright times of real democracy and the triumph of law would come. But their hopes were not destined to come true, as the country was mired in the abyss civil war in which foreign powers intervene to some extent.

Currently, Libya is actually split into several parts, which either require broad autonomy from the central government, or do not recognize it at all. At the same time, no one denies the right of the Libyan people to build a peaceful democratic society in which the rule of law will be at the forefront. Of course, the Libyans will achieve this goal sooner or later. When that will be is the big question.