Libya

Understand

Politics and government Libya is officially known as the State of Libya (Arabic: دولة ليبيا; Dawlat Libiya). Until 2011, the country was known as the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Arabic: الجماهيرية العربية الليبية الشعبية الإشتراكية العظمى; al-Jamāhīrīyah al-'Arabīyah al-Lībīyah ash-Sha'bīyah al-Ishtirākīyah al-'Uẓmá).

Geography Libya is Africa's 4th largest country, covering nearly 1,800,000 square kilometres (690,000 sq mi) of land (similar to Alaska). While the country's northern parts are densely populated, the southern parts are barren, poorly developed, and virtually uninhabited. In all, Libya has some 7 million inhabitants, making it one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world.

History

Ancient history

Archaeological evidence indicates that from as early as 8,000 BC, the coastal plain of Ancient Libya was inhabited by a Neolithic people, the Berbers, who were skilled in the domestication of cattle and the cultivation of crops. Later, the area known in modern times as Libya was also occupied by a series of other peoples, with the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Persian Empire, Romans, Vandals, Arabs, Turks and Byzantines ruling all or part of the area.

Italian colonial era From 1912 to 1927, the territory of Libya was known as Italian North Africa. From 1927 to 1934, the territory was split into two colonies, Italian Cyrenaica and Italian Tripolitania, run by Italian governors. During the Italian colonial period, between 20% and 50% of the Libyan population died in the struggle for independence, and some 150,000 Italians settled in Libya, constituting roughly one-fifth of the total population. In 1934, Italy adopted the name "Libya" (used by the Greeks for all of North Africa, except Egypt) as the name of the co

See

Libya's colourful capital Tripoli makes for a great start to explore the country, as it still has its traditional walled medina to explore, as well as the interesting Red Castle Museum, with expositions on all parts of the region's history. Despite the development as a tourist destination, this remains a quintessentially North-African place, with a range of beautiful mosques and impressive fountains and statues to remind of its historic role in the great Ottoman Empire. Some 130 km from the capital is Leptis Magna ('Arabic: لَبْدَة), once a prominent city of the Roman Empire. Its ruins are located in Al Khums, on the coast where the Wadi Lebda meets the sea. The site is one of the most spectacular and unspoiled Roman ruins in the Mediterranean. Another must-see is Cyrene, an ancient colony founded in 630 BC as a settlement of Greeks from the Greek island of Theraa

Getting there

Entry requirements Libya is a very difficult country to access, mainly because its immigration requirements are notoriously perplexing. The Libyan government has a history of changing its immigration rules frequently and without warning. The government officially launched an e-Visa system on 21 March 2024.

Tourism requirements Visitors travelling to Libya for tourism are required to convert US$1,000, or equivalent, in freely convertible cash or debit the amount from a valid credit card upon arrival. Failure to do so will result in you being denied entry. There are, however, a few exceptions to this rule:

Those travelling as part of a guided tour. Those who have been sponsored by a Libyan citizen.

Entry bans Citizens of Israel, Bangladesh, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Sudan and Syria are banned from entering Libya.

The Libyan government appears to be convinced that Bangladeshi citizens regularly abuse Libyan immigration rules just so that they can emigrate to Europe from Libya. The Libyan government appears to be convinced that Sudan and Syria are involved in "undermining" Libya’s security and sovereignty. The Libyan government appears to be convinced that Iranian, Yemeni, and Pakistani citizens often join Islamic terror groups. Due to the Arab-League boycott of Israel, citizens of Israel and those who have visited Israel are forbidden from entering the country.

Special requirements If you are a citizen of the United States, you are required to be sponsored by a Libyan company before coming to Libya.

By plane Most visitors normally enter Libya by plane. Ever since the civil war began, air operations have become quite unreliable as airports are repeatedly closed and opened again depending on the level of violence in the area.

1 Tripoli International Airport

Getting around

By plane

Due to the immense size of the country, the terrible state of the roads, and the poor security situation, the only way to get around the country quickly is by plane. This is not to say that it's entirely safe, but it's still a better alternative to travelling overland.

By road Prior to the civil war many visitors undertook the trip in their own 4x4s or using their own dirt bikes and campervans. It would seem that they encountered considerable hospitality once in the country. It was not uncommon to see convoys of European campervans on Libya's highways prior to the civil war. Please make serious and detailed enquiries prior to undertaking any trip by road into Libya to determine if the area you will be travelling through is safe and if fuel and other services are available. Travel such as this is not recommended. Some self-drive car rental services are available in the large cities but the rates were typically high and the cars unreliable. Avis and Europcar provide rental cars. Around the major cities, driving can be an "education", although driving standards are not as bad as in other countries in the region. The recommended method of transport for tourists around major towns is taxis. There are also many shared taxis and buses. The small black and white taxis (or death pandas) tend to be safer (more cautious drivers) but learn the term "Shweyah-Shweyah", Libyan for slow-down, and ask them to keep off Al-Sareyah (the motorway from Souq-Al-Thataltha to Janzour)! A taxi driver will routinely try it on with tourists. Will always try to charge 10 dinars for a fare around town. Negotiate the price first. If you find a good taxi driver with a good car, it doesn't hurt to build up a relationship and get their mobile number. Taxis from the airport can be more exp