Libya Map

Libya is a nation located in North Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the African nations of Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria, and Tunisia. Libya is part of the Maghreb region of Africa, meaning the northwestern part of the continent. Libya has an area of 1,759,541 square kilometers (679,359 square miles), much of which is covered by the Libyan Desert. The capital and largest city of Libya is Tripoli, which has a population of about 2.2 million.

Libya has been at the forefront of the news in recent years, for its political events, including a civil war, revolution, and emerging new government. In its long history, Libya has been inhabited since around 8000 BC by ancestors of the Berbers, and later colonized by Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans. Libya fell to the Muslims conquests, then later Ottomans, and eventually came under Italian rule, when it received its current name. Libya declared independence on December 24, 1951, becoming the United Kingdom of Libya. Arab Spring, beginning on February 17, 2011, was movement of uprising by the people of Libya, culminating in Libyan liberation on October 23, 2011.

The population of Libya is over 6,500,000, though the majority of the population resides along the coast. The three largest cities are Tripoli, Benghazi, and Misrata. The main language is Libyan Arabic, with Berber languages spoken by a minority of the population. There are also speakers of Italian and English, primarily the older generation living in the cities. The main religion in Libya is Islam, with the vast majority following Sunni Islam.

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Last Updated On : April 17, 2013