An Overview of Libya Profile

[BBC]

Libya, a mostly desert and oil-rich country on the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea with an ancient history, has more recently been renowned for the 42-year rule of the mercurial Col Muammar Gaddafi.

•   Full name: The Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
•   Population: 6.5 million (UN, 2010)
•   Capital: Tripoli
•   Area: 1.77 million sq km (685,524 sq miles)
•   Major language: Arabic
•   Major religion: Islam
•   Life expectancy: 73 years (men), 78 years (women) (UN)
•   Monetary unit: 1 Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirhams
•   Main exports: Crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas
•   GNI per capita: US $12,020 (World Bank, 2009)
•   Internet domain: .ly
•   International dialling code: +218

In 2011, the colonel's autocratic government appears to have been brought to an end by a six-month uprising and ensuing civil war.

A former Roman colony, Libya saw invasions by Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks and more recently Italians before gaining independence in 1951.

Oil was discovered in 1959 and made the state - then a kingdom ruled by the head of the Senussi sufi order - wealthy.

Col Gaddafi came to power by overthrowing King Idris in a coup in 1969, ten years after independence, and Libya embarked on a radically new chapter in its history.

BBC

[afroboy]

Provides an overview of Libya, including key events and facts about this major oil producer which was ruled by Colonel Gaddafi for 42 years.

Attribution: CNN, BBC and IOL Africa.