UN-brokered peace talks, intended to resolve dif-ferences between the internationally recognizedgovernment of Libya, based in Tobruk, and the

rival General National Congress, based in Tripoli, beganin Morocco in March 2015. The UN proposal, presentedby special envoy Bernardino León, called for the two sidesto agree on a transitional government of national unity andfor a new constitution to be drafted prior to national elec-tions. After several rounds of negotiations, the factionssigned a peace agreementon December 17. Althoughthe agreement was generallyreceived as a hopeful sign,many observers worried thatit had insufficient backingfrom the country’s manymilitia groups.

DemographyPopulation (2015): 6,412,000.Density (2015): persons per sq mi9.9, persons per sq km 3.8.

Sex distribution (2014): male51.83%; female 48.17%.

Population projection: (2020)6,943,000; (2030) 7,773,000.

Major cities/urban agglomera-tions (2012/2014): Tripoli(Tarabulus) 940,653/1,126,000; Banghazi (2006)670,797/746,000; Misratah(2005) 354,823/672,000.

Urban-rural (2014):

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 pop-ulation (2013): 18.7(world avg. 19.5).

Death rate per 1,000 pop-ulation (2013): 3.6(world avg. 8.1).

Natural increase rate per1,000 population (2013):15.1 (world avg. 11.4).

Life expectancy at birth(2013): male 74.2 years;female 77.6 years.

Age breakdown (2014):

Ethnic composition (2000): Religious affiliation (2000):

Libya

Official name: Al-Jumhuriyyah al-Libiyyah (The Libyan Republic).

Form of government: interim govern-ment.

Head of state: President of the House ofRepresentatives Akila Saleh Issa.

Head of government: Prime MinisterAbdullah al-Thani.

Capital: Tripoli.Official language: Arabic.Official religion: Islam.Monetary unit: Libyan dinar (LD); valu-ation (Sept. 1, 2015) 1 U.S.$ = LD 1.37; 1 £ = LD 2.09.

Area and populationarea population area population

2012 2012Municipalities sq km estimate1 Municipalities sq km estimate1

Al-Butnan 84,996 164,510Al-Jabal al-Akhdar 11,429 209,978Al-Jabal al-Gharbi 76,717 307,616Al-Jifarah 2,666 443,768Al-Jufrah 139,038 42,711Al-Kufrah 433,611 35,315Al-Marj 13,515 190,001Al-Marqab 6,796 448,260Al-Wahat 108,523 165,184Al-Zawiyah 2,753 300,894An-Nuqat al-Khams 6,089 292,440Benghazi (Banghazi) 11,372 562,067

Darnah 31,511 164,440Ghat 68,482 23,929Marzuq 356,308 81,791Misratah 29,172 502,613Nalut 67,191 97,333Sabha 17,066 116,016Surt 86,399 117,473Tripoli (Tarabulus) 835 940,653Wadi al-Hayat 31,485 73,872Wadi al-Shati 90,244 82,505TOTAL 1,676,198 5,363,369

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National economyBudget (2010). Revenue: LD 62,037,000,000 (oil revenues 81.6%, other18.4%). Expenditures: LD 46,961,000,000 (currentexpenditure 51.5%, capital expenditure 48.5%).

Public debt (external outstanding; 2005): U.S.$3,900,-000,000.

Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture,forestry, fishing (2012): potatoes (2013) 295,000,watermelons 250,000, tomatoes 225,000, dry onions207,500, wheat (2013) 200,000, dates 170,000, olives(2013) 138,000, plums and sloes 52,500, oranges50,000, grapes 33,000, almonds 32,000, apricots 25,500;livestock (number of live animals; 2013) 7,200,000sheep, 2,600,000 goats, 198,500 cattle, 57,500 camels,37,000 beehives; roundwood (2013) 1,103,313 cu m, ofwhich fuelwood 89%; fisheries production 35,240(from aquaculture 1%). Mining and quarrying (2012): gypsum 150,000;lime 150,000; salt 30,000. Manufacturing (value added in U.S.$’000,000;2010): mineral fuels 6,285; chemicals and chemical products 3,005; foodproducts and beverages 2,610; cement, bricks, and ceramics 2,426; basemetals 1,567; textiles and wearing apparel 1,129. Energy production(consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 2011) 27,614,000,000 (27,571,000,000),by source (2012): fossil fuels 100.0%; coal, none (none); crude petroleum(barrels; 2013–14) 264,000,000 ([2011] 42,000,000); petroleum products(metric tons; 2011) 5,215,000 (7,959,000); natural gas (cu m; 2012)18,118,000,000 ([2011] 5,298,000,000).

Population economically active (2014): total 2,260,000; participation rates(2012): age 15 and over, male 61.0%; female 33.8%; unemployed 19.0%,of which youth (ages 15–24) 48.7%.

Gross national income (GNI; 2014): U.S.$49,509,000,000 (U.S.$7,920 percapita); purchasing power parity GNI (U.S.$16,190 per capita).

Average household size (2006): 5.9.Land use as % of total land area (2009): in temporary crops or left fallow0.8%, in permanent crops 0.2%, in pasture 7.7%, forest area 0.1%.

Foreign trade6

Imports (2010): U.S.$17,619,000,000 (machineryand transport equipment 49.3%, basic manufac-tures 21.5%, food and live animals 10.4%,chemicals 5.8%). Major import sources (2012):

Exports (2010): U.S.$36,375,000,000 (mineralfuels 97.1%, chemicals 2.1%, basic manufactures0.8%). Major export destinations (2012):

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads: none.7 Roads (2000):total length 51,100 mi, 83,200 km (paved57%). Vehicles (2007): passenger cars1,338,165; trucks and buses 401,838.Education and health

Literacy (2012): percentage of total populationage 15 and over literate 89.9%; males literate96.1%; females literate 83.7%.

Health (2009): physicians 11,404 (1 per 526 per-sons); hospital beds 22,208 (1 per 270 persons);infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births(2013) 12.3; undernourished population(2006–08) less than 5% of total population.

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November 2014):unknown.9 Military expenditure as percent-age of GDP (2013): 7.1%; per capita expen-diture U.S.$776.

1January 1. 2Includes refined petroleum. 3Excludes refined petroleum. 4Taxes less subsidiesand less imputed bank service charges. 5Detail does not add to total given because of round-ing. 6Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b. (including reexports). 7A Mediterranean coast rail line is tobe built from the Egyptian border to the Tunisian border. 8Subscribers. 9The organized Libyanmilitary dissolved during the 2011 civil war. It is unclear how much meaningful authority thetransitional government has over the former rebel forces or Qaddafi-regime equipment.

Internet resource for further information:• Central Bank of Libya cbl.gov.ly/eng/

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2008 2007

in value % of total labour % of labourLD ’000,000 value force force

Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2,021 1.9 135,700 7.6Petroleum and natural gas2

70,681 67.8 32,800 1.8Other mining 23,700 1.3Manufacturing3 4,747 4.6 141,800 7.9Construction 5,995 5.7 42,400 2.4Public utilities 1,256 1.2 56,400 3.1Transp. and commun. 3,884 3.7 140,800 7.8Trade, hotels 3,950 3.8 195,100 10.9Finance, insurance, real estate 6,805 6.5 41,200 2.3

Pub. admin., defense 6,671 6.4 290,400 16.2Services 364 0.4 694,200 38.7Other –2,0594 –2.04 — —TOTAL 104,3135 100.0 1,794,500 100.0

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2014 10,0768 1,6118

Landline 2014 706 113

Internet users 2009 354 55Broadband 2014 638 108

}

Bernardino León (third from left), the UN special envoyfor Libya, meets with members of the Libyan GeneralNational Congress in Tripoli on March 2, 2015.Ismail Zitouny—Reuters/Landov

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