The vast lands of Libya have been settled by many civilisations across its history, including the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Arabs amongst others. They have left some amazing ruins of their ancient cities, most notably the Roman ruins at Leptis Magna, one of the most impressive such sites in the world. Away from the lush Mediterranean coast lie the harsh but dramatic landscapes of the Libyan desert, with the picturesque Acacus Mountains and Ubari Sand Sea as well as ancient desert towns and fascinating rock art paintings. Libya is well off the main tourist trails of North Africa and receives only a fraction of the visitors of its neighbours which, combined with its many attractions, makes it an ideal travel destination. Explore in depth highlights of Libya.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
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0 groups tours with set departures
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World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT +2 (Central Africa time) | Daylight savings: None |
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| Main languages: | Arabic |
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| Other languages: | English, Italian, Tamazight |
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| Currency: |
Libyan dinars (LYD) €1 = LYD1.58, $1 = LYD1.41, £1 = LYD1.88 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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| Internet Domain: | .ly | International Dialling Code: 218 |
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For help planning your trip to Libya including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Libya trip planning page.
Further information on Libya
Discover more about Libya - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 1,759,540 sq km (0 sq km under water)
Coastline: 1,770 km (Mediterranean Sea)
Neighbours (border lengths): Algeria (982km), Chad (1,055km), Egypt (1,115km), Niger (354km), Sudan (383km), Tunisia (459km)
Climate: Mediterranean climate along the coast with hot summers and cooler, wetter winters. Inland desert is extremely hot, especially between July and September, though nights can be cold.
Highest mountain: Bikku Bitti (2,267m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Libya from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Not Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Authoritarian regime | 119/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | No Data | - |
 | Press Freedom | Difficult situation | 152/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | No rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | High corruption | 166/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 181/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Status: Independent Country
Population: 6,244,174 (rank: 106/196) Density: 3.5 people/sq km (rank: 187/196)
Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)
Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%
GDP (PPP): $73.6 billion GDP per capita: $11,300 (rank: 85/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.