Libya
By far the predominant religion in Libya is Islam with 97% of the population associating with the faith.[57] The vast majority of Libyan Muslims adhere to Sunni Islam, which provides both a spiritual guide for individuals and a keystone for government policy, but a minority (between 5 and 10%) adhere to Ibadism (a branch of Kharijism), above all in the Jebel Nefusa and the town of Zuwarah.
Before the 1930s, the Sanusi Movement was the primary Islamic movement in Libya. This was a religious revival adapted to desert life. Its zawaayaa (lodges) were found in Tripolitania and Fezzan, but Sanusi influence was strongest in Cyrenaica. Rescuing the region from unrest and anarchy, the Sanusi movement gave the Cyrenaican tribal people a religious attachment and feelings of unity and purpose.[58] This Islamic movement, which was eventually destroyed by both Italian invasion and later the Gaddafi government,[58] was very conservative and somewhat different from the Islam that exists in Libya today. Gaddafi asserts that he is a devout Muslim, and his government is taking a role in supporting Islamic institutions and in worldwide proselytizing on behalf of Islam.[59] A Libyan form of Sufism is also common in parts of the country.[60]
Other than the overwhelming majority of Sunni Muslims, there are also small foreign communities of Christians. Coptic Orthodox Christianity, which is the Christian Church of Egypt, is the largest and most historical Christian denomination in Libya. There are over 60,000 Egyptian Copts in Libya, as they comprise of over 1% of the population alone.[61] There is also a small Anglican community, made up mostly of African immigrant workers in Tripoli; it is part of the Anglican Diocese of Egypt.[62] There is also an estimated 40,000 Roman Catholics in Libya who are served by two Bishops, one in Tripoli (serving the Italian community) and one in Benghazi (serving the Maltese community).
Libya was until recent times the home of one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world, dating back to at least 300 BC.[63] A series of pogroms beginning in November 1945 lasted for almost three years, drastically reducing Libya's Jewish population.[64] In 1948, about 38,000 Jews remained in the country. Upon Libya's independence in 1951, most of the Jewish community emigrated. After the Suez Crisis in 1956, all but about 100 Jews were forced to flee.
[
Culture
Libya is culturally similar to its neighboring Maghrebian states. Libyans consider themselves very much a part of a wider Arab community. The Libyan state tends to strengthen this feeling by considering Arabic as the only official language, and forbidding the teaching and even the use of the Berber language. Libyan Arabs have a heritage in the traditions of the nomadic Bedouin and associate themselves with a particular Bedouin tribe.
As with some other countries in the Arab world, Libya boasts few theatres or art galleries.[65][66] Conversely, for many years there have been no public theatres, and only a few cinemas showing foreign films. The tradition of folk culture is still alive and well, with troupes performing music and dance at frequent festivals, both in Libya and abroad. The main output of Libyan television is devoted to showing various styles of traditional Libyan music. Tuareg music and dance are popular in Ghadames and the south. Libyan television programmes are mostly in Arabic with a 30-minute news broadcast each evening in English and French. The government maintains strict control over all media outlets. A new analysis by the Committee to Protect Journalists has found Libya’s media the most tightly controlled in the Arab world.[16] To combat this, the government plans to introduce private media, an initiative intended to bring the country's media in from the cold.[67]
Many Libyans frequent the country's beaches. They also visit Libya's beautifully-preserved archaeological sites—especially Leptis Magna, which is widely considered to be one of the best preserved Roman archaeological sites in the world.[68]
The nation's capital, Tripoli, boasts many good museums and archives; these include the Government Library, the Ethnographic Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the National Archives, the Epigraphy Museum and the Islamic Museum. The Jamahiriya Museum, built in consultation with UNESCO, may be the country's most famous. It houses one of the finest collections of classical art in the Mediterranean.[69]
- Further information: Music of Libya
- Further information: Literature of Libya
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International rankings
| Organization | Survey | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal | 2007 Index of Economic Freedom | 154 out of 157 |
| The Economist | The World in 2005 - Worldwide quality-of-life index, 2005 | 70 out of 111 |
| Energy Information Administration | Greatest Oil Reserves by Country, 2006 | 9 out of 20 |
| Reporters Without Borders | Press Freedom Index (2005) | 162 out of 167 |
| Transparency International | Corruption Perceptions Index 2007 | 131 out of 180 |
| United Nations Development Programme | Human Development Index 2005 | 56 out of 177 |
[
See also
[
References
- ^ CIA World Factbook
- ^ U.N. Demographic Yearbook, (2003), "Demographic Yearbook (3) Pop., Rate of Pop. Increase, Surface Area & Density", United Nations Statistics Division, Accessed July 15 2006
- ^ See e. g., the chapter "Les Loouatah" in René Basset, Le dialecte de Syouah, Paris, Leroux, 1890 (pdf text online)(p. 1-14). P. 3: "On voit que les Lebou figurent au premier rang des barbares qui menaçaient l'Egypte du côté de l'ouest ; c'est aussi dans les régions qu'ils occupaient que les auteurs arabes placent les Loouata dont le nom correspond aux Lebou des Egyptiens, aux Loubim de la Bible, aux Levathae (Λευαθαι) de Procope et aux Ilaguaten de Corripus" ("We see that the Lebu are recorded in the first line among the barbarians who threatened Egypt on the western side; in the very regions where they dwelled, the Arab authors place the Lawata, whose name corresponds to the Egyptian Lebu, to the Lubim of the Bible, to the Levathae of Procopius and to the Ilaguaten of Corippus")
- ^ Annual Statistical Bulletin, (2004), "World proven crude oil reserves by country, 1980–2004", O.P.E.C., Accessed July 20 2006
- ^ World Economic Outlook Database, (April, 2006), "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects", International Monetary Fund, Accessed July 15 2006
- ^ Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, (1987), "Early History of Libya", U.S. Library of Congress, Accessed July 11 2006
- ^ Herodotus, (c.430 BC), "'The Histories', Book IV.42–43" Fordham University, New York, Accessed July 18 2006
- ^ Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, (1987), "Tripolitania and the Phoenicians", U.S. Library of Congress, Accessed July 11 2006
- ^ Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, (1987), "Cyrenaica and the Greeks", U.S. Library of Congress, Accessed July 11 2006
- ^ Heuser, Stephen, (July 24, 2005), "When Romans lived in Libya", The Boston Globe Accessed July 18 2006
- ^ Country Profiles, (May 16, 2006), "Timeline: Libya, a chronology of key events" BBC News, Accessed July 18 2006
- ^ Ilan Pappé, The Modern Middle East. Routledge, 2005, ISBN:0415214092, p. 26
- ^ Hagos, Tecola W., (November 20, 2004), "Treaty Of Peace With Italy (1947), Evaluation And Conclusion", Ethiopia Tecola Hagos, Accessed July 18 2006
- ^ US Department of State's Background Notes, (November 2005) "Libya - History", U.S. Dept. of State, Accessed July 14 2006
- ^ Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, (1987), "Government and Politics of Libya", U.S. Library of Congress, Accessed July 14 2006
- ^ a b Special Report 2006, (May 2, 2006), "North Korea Tops CPJ list of '10 Most Censored Countries'", Committee to Protect Journalists, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ Case Study: Libya, (2001), "Political Culture", Educational Module on Chemical & Biological Weapons Nonproliferation, Accessed July 14 2006
- ^ Hodder, Kathryn, (2000), "Violations of Trade Union Rights", Social Watch Africa, Accessed July 14 2006
- ^ Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, (1987), "Independent Libya", U.S. Library of Congress, Accessed July 14 2006
- ^ Abadi, Jacob (2000), "Pragmatism and Rhetoric in Libya's Policy Toward Israel", The Journal of Conflict Studies: Volume XX Number 1 Fall 2000, University of New Brunswick, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, (2001–2005), "Qaddafi, Muammar al-", Bartleby Books, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ Boyne, Walter J., (March, 1999), "El Dorado Canyon", Air Force Association Journal, Vol. 82, No. 3, Accessed July 19, 2006
- ^ (2003), "Libya", Global Policy Forum, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ Marcus, Jonathan, (May 15, 2006), "Washington's Libyan fairy tale", BBC News, Accessed July 15 2006
- ^ U.K. Politics, (March 25, 2004), "Blair hails new Libyan relations", BBC news, Accessed July 15 2006
- ^ Libya secures UN council posting. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-10-17.
- ^ Freedom in the World 2006 (PDF). Freedom House (2005-12-16). Retrieved on 2006-07-27.
See also Freedom in the World 2006, List of indices of freedom - ^ Lahmeyer, Jan, (November 26, 2004), "Historical demographical data of the administrative division", Universiteit Utrecht, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ Jamahiriya News Agency, (July 19, 2004), "Masses of the Basic People's Congresses select their Secretariats and People's Committees" Mathaba News, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ [1] شعبيات الجماهيرية العظمى - Sha'biyat of Great Jamahiriya, Accessed July 6, 2007
- ^ Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, (1987), "Climate & Hydrology of Libya", U.S. Library of Congress, Accessed July 15 2006
- ^ (2005), "Demographics of Libya", Education Libya, Accessed June 29, 2006
- ^ (July 20, 2006), "Field Listings - Coastlines", CIA World Factbook, Accessed July 23 2006
- ^ a b c Zboray, András, "Flora and Fauna of the Libyan Desert", Fliegel Jezerniczky Expeditions, Accessed July 14 2006
- ^ Hottest Place, "El Azizia Libya, 'How Hot is Hot?'", Extreme Science, Accessed July 14 2006
- ^ ""Fossil Water" in Libya", NASA, Accessed March 24, 2007
- ^ United Nations Economic & Social Council, (February 16, 1996), "Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Report", Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Accessed July 14 2006
- ^ a b The World Factbook, (2006), "Economy - Libya", CIA World Factbook, Accessed July 14 2006
- ^ W.M.D., (2003), "Libya Special Weapons News", Global Security Report, Accessed July 14, 2006
- ^ Reuters, (July 28, 2004), "Libya to start WTO membership talks", Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa, Accessed July 16 2006
- ^ (2001), "Safe Drinking Water", WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, Accessed October 8 2006
- ^ Volume: 23, No. 27, (2006), "Shell returns to Libya with gas exploration pact", Oil & Gas Worldwide News, Accessed July 14 2006
- ^ Jawad, Rana, (May 31, 2006), "Libyan aviation ready for take-off" BBC News, Accessed July 22 2006
- ^ Bangs, Richard; Ammar Mabrouk Eltaye. "Libya sees thriving tourism industry ahead", MSNBC. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
- ^ A Green Resort Is Planned to Preserve Ruins and Coastal Waters - New York Times
- ^ Earth Trends, Environmental Information, (2004), "Population: Population density", World Resources Institute, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ Al-Amari, Mailud, (November 2004), "Population Dynamics and Fertility Trends in Libya", American Public Health Association, Accessed July 17 2006
- ^ Libya Demographics and Geography, (2005), "Libya - Population" The Columbia Gazetteer of the World, Accessed July 17 2006
- ^ The World Factbook, (2006), "People - Libya", CIA World Factbook, Accessed July 19, 2006
- ^ Migration News - Migration Dialogue
- ^ Anderson, Lisa, (2006), "'Libya', III. People, B. Religion & Language", MSN Encarta, Accessed July 17 2006
- ^ Al-Hawaat, Dr. Ali, (1994), "The Family and the work of women, A study in the Libyan Society" National Center for Research and Scientific Studies of Libya, Accessed July 19, 2006
- ^ a b c Clark, Nick, (July 2004), "Education in Libya", World Education News and Reviews, Volume 17, Issue 4, Accessed July 22 2006
- ^ Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, (1987), "Education of Libya", U.S. Library of Congress, Accessed July 22 2006
- ^ About Libya. Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative. United States Department of State (2003). Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
- ^ a b El-Hawat, Ali, (2000), "Country Higher Education Profiles - Libya", International Network for Higher Education in Africa", Accessed July 22 2006
- ^ Religious adherents by location, "'42,000 religious geography and religion statistics', Libya" Adherents.com, Accessed July 15, 2006
- ^ a b Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, (1989), "The Sanusis", U.S. Library of Congress, Accessed July 22, 2006
- ^ Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, (1989), "Islam in Revolutionary Libya", US Library of Congress, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ Libya - Religion, (July 8, 2006), "Sufi Movement to be involved in Libya" Arabic News, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ Looklex Encyclopedia: 1% of Libya's population (6.1 million) adhere to the Coptic Orthodox faith
- ^ (2004), "International Religious Freedom Report: Libya" Jewish Virtual Library, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ The World Jewish Congress, "History of the Jewish Community in Libya", University of California at Berkeley, Accessed July 16 2006
- ^ Harris, David A. (2001), "In the Trenches: Selected Speeches and Writings of an American Jewish Activist", 1979–1999, pp. 149–150
- ^ News and Trends: Africa, (September 17, 1999), "Libya looking at economic diversification" Alexander's Gas & Oil Connections, Accessed July 19 2006.
- ^ About Libya, "Libya Today", Discover Libya Travel, Accessed July 14 2006.
- ^ (January 30, 2006), "Libya to allow independent media", Middle East Times, Accessed July 21 2006
- ^ Donkin, Mike, (July 23, 2005), "Libya's tourist treasures", BBC News, Accessed July 19 2006
- ^ Bouchenaki, Mounir, (1989), "The Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Museum: a first in the Arab world", UNESCO, Museum Architecture: beyond the <<temple>> and ... beyond, Accessed July 19, 2006
- Libya, Anthony Ham, Lonely Planet Publications, 2002, ISBN 0-86442-699-2
- Libya Handbook, Jamez Azema, Footprint Handbooks, 2001, ISBN 1-900949-77-6
- Harris, David A. (2001). In the Trenches: Selected Speeches and Writings of an American Jewish Activist, 1979–1999. KTAV Publishing House, Inc. ISBN 0-88125-693-5
- Wright, Muhannad B. Nations of the Modern World: Libya, Ernest Benn Ltd, 1969
- This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.
- This article contains material from the US Department of State's Background Notes which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.
[
External links
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- Libyan Embassy Washington D.C.
- General People's Committee (The Cabinet)
- The People's Committee of Foreign Affairs
- A Window to Libya by Tarek Alwan
- Worldstatesmen.org's History and list of rulers of Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Fezzan and Libya (before and after unification).
- Libyan People's Bureau (Libyan Embassy), London - UK
- Libyan People's Bureau (Libyan Embassy), Ottawa
- Libyan Cultural Affairs, London.
- Libyan American Chamber of Commerce
- Libya travel guide from Wikitravel
- Limes Tripolitanus
- "libye") 20 digital objects in The European Library
- Libya Directory
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