Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2008) | Libya (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 34.2% (male 983,050; female 941,603)
15-64 years: 61.7% (male 1,794,396; female 1,679,828) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 113,391; female 119,317) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle |
Airports | - | 140 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 59
over 3,047 m: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 80
over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 5 sq km
land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island |
total: 1,759,540 sq km
land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | slightly larger than Alaska |
Background | These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve. | From the earliest days of his rule following his 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appears to have decreased after the sanction imposition. During the 1990s, QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December 2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with western nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to Brussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also finally resolved in 2004 several outstanding cases against his government for terrorist activities in the 1980s by paying compensation to the families of victims of the UTA and La Belle disco bombings. |
Birth rate | - | 27.17 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $10.28 billion
expenditures: $7.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
Capital | - | Tripoli |
Climate | tropical | Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior |
Coastline | 74.1 km | 1,770 km |
Constitution | - | 11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands |
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma local short form: none |
Currency | - | Libyan dinar (LYD) |
Death rate | - | 3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $4.194 billion (2003 est.) |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Attorney-General's Department | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli in May 1980, resumed embassy activities in February 2004 under the protective power of the US interests section of the Belgian Embassy in Tripoli, then opened a Liaison Office in Tripoli in June 2004 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | Libya does not have an embassy in the US but maintains an interest section under the protective power of the United Arab Emirates Embassy in the US |
Disputes - international | Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to these islands; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catches | Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in Niger in currently dormant disputes; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $15 million (2000) |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute practically all export earnings and about one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan officials in the past three years have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 18.77 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 20.18 billion kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m |
lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | - | Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians |
Exchange rates | - | Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002), 0.6051 (2001), 0.4994 (2000), 0.3936 (1999) |
Executive branch | - | chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee (Prime Minister) Shukri Muhammad GHANIM (since 14 June 2003) cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General People's Congress elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people's committees; head of government elected by the General People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held NA) election results: NA |
Exports | - | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | crude oil, refined petroleum products (1999) |
Exports - partners | - | Italy 38.8%, Spain 13.4%, Germany 13.4%, Turkey 7.1%, France 6.1% (2003) |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion) |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $35 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 8.6%
industry: 46.1% services: 45.3% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $6,400 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 3.2% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 14 S, 123 05 E | 25 00 N, 17 00 E |
Geography - note | Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983 | more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert |
Heliports | - | 1 (2003 est.) |
Highways | - | total: 83,200 km
paved: 47,590 km unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | - | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods (1999) |
Imports - partners | - | Italy 27.8%, Germany 10.5%, Tunisia 7.6%, UK 7.1%, France 6%, Turkey 4.6% (2003) |
Independence | - | 24 December 1951 (from Italy) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA |
Industries | - | petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 25.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2.8% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | - | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | 4,700 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court |
Labor force | - | 1.51 million (2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 17%, industry 29%, services 54% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 4,348 km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2005) |
arable land: 1.03%
permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2001) |
Languages | - | Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities |
Legal system | the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply | based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees) |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 76.28 years
male: 74.1 years female: 78.58 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6% male: 92.4% female: 72% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
territorial sea: 12 nm
note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north |
Merchant marine | - | total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 129,627 GRT/105,110 DWT
by type: cargo 8, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 4 foreign-owned: Algeria 1, Kuwait 1 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force | - |
Military branches | - | Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $1.3 billion (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 3.9% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 1,588,533 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 938,196 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 61,828 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | - | Revolution Day, 1 September (1969) |
Nationality | - | noun: Libyan(s)
adjective: Libyan |
Natural hazards | surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards | hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms |
Natural resources | fish | petroleum, natural gas, gypsum |
Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
People - note | the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem | - |
Pipelines | - | condensate 225 km; gas 3,611 km; oil 7,252 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | - | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists, primarily based in London, but has little influence |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island |
5,631,585
note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | 2.37% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Al Khums, Banghazi, Darnah, Marsa al Burayqah, Misratah, Ra's Lanuf, Tobruk, Tripoli, Zuwarah |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002) |
Railways | - | 0 km
note: Libya is working on 7 lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge track; it hopes to open a 191 km line by the end of 2004 (2003) |
Religions | - | Sunni Muslim 97% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996
domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 750,000 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 100,000 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999) |
Terrain | low with sand and coral | mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions |
Total fertility rate | - | 3.42 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 30% (2001) |