Libya
Updated: Sep 29, 2022
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Country Name
Libya, or officially the State of Libya.
Location
Libya is located in northern Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad to the south, Niger to the southwest, Algeria to the west, and Tunisia to the northwest.
Capital
Tripoli.
The reason for naming the country
The Latin name Libya (from Greek Λιβύη: Libyē), referred to the region west of the Nile generally corresponding to the Atlantic Mountains according to Diodorus. Its people were ancestors of the modern Libyans.
Flag
The flag of the Kingdom of Libya was adopted when Libya gained full independence in 1951. The flag has changed many times from 1864 to 2011.
The flag consisted of horizontal tricolor stripes of Red- Black- Green with a
white star and crescent in the middle of the flag on the black stripe.
This flag represented Libya from its independence in 1951 until the 1969 Libyan coup d'état.
The crescent is symbolic of the beginning of the lunar month according to the Muslim calendar, so It brings back to our minds the story of the Hijra [migration] of Prophet Mohammed from his home to spread Islam and teach the principles of right and virtue.
The Star represents hope, and the light of belief in God in the country, dignity, and honor illuminate the way and end the darkness."
Red represents the blood sacrificed for the freedom of Libya, black represents the dark days that Libyans lived under the occupation of the Italians, and Green represents wealth, and agriculture, (Libya once being referred to as the 'agricultural basket' or 'breadbasket' of the Ottoman Empire), and the future prosperity of the country.
Language
The official language is Arabic. The local Libyan Arabic is spoken alongside Modern Standard Arabic. Various Berber languages are also spoken, including Tamasheq, Ghadamis, Nafusi, Suknah, and Awjilah.
Amazigh (Berber or Tamazight) language was an official language in the cities and districts inhabited by the Berbers in Libya. In addition, Italian and English are widely understood in major cities.
Religion
About 97% of the population in Libya are Muslims, and most of them adhere to Sunni. Also, there are small groups of Christians who adhere to Coptic Orthodox Christianity, which is the Christian Church of Egypt and is the largest and most historical Christian denomination in Libya.
N.B: Copts in Libya are Egyptian.
Libya was once the home of one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world, dating back to at least 300 BC.
Currency
Libyan dinar (LYD).
Time Zone
+02:00 GMT.
Government Regime
Unitary presidential constitutional republic.
Climate
In Libya, the climate is the Mediterranean.
Although the temperatures near the coast are characteristic of the Mediterranean climate, the rainfall is quite low, with Tripolitania and Cyrenaica experiencing semi-desert conditions and the Gulf of Sidra experiencing desert conditions (or Sirte).
The majority of the rainfall occurs from October to early April along the shore, which is the only plain area that receives non-sporadic showers, with a peak in December and January.
In summer, along the coast, air humidity is high, though sea breezes blow in the afternoon, relieving the heat. The average maximum temperature in summer ranges from 30 °C (86 °F) along the coast, to 35/37 °C (95/99 °F) in the north-central inland area, to 40/41 °C (104/406 °F) in the south. Throughout the year, but more often in spring and autumn, Libya can be affected by the Ghibli, a hot and dry wind, which can raise dust and cause sudden temperature increases.
From April to October, the temperature can exceed 40 °C (104 °F) even on the coast, while in winter it can reach 30 °C (86 °F).
The best time to visit the main northern cities in Libya, you can choose spring and autumn, and in particular, from mid-March to mid-April and from mid-October to mid-November. If you want to visit the desert areas, you can choose the winter, from December to February, keeping in mind that it can get cold at night.
International Phone Code
+218
Internet Code
.ly
.ليبيا