With a coastline of nearly 1,900 km facing the Mediterranean Sea and an area of 1.76 million Km2, Libya has always enjoyed the merit of a strategic location at midpoint of Africa’s northern rim. Having borders with Egypt east, Algeria and Tunisia west and Chad, Niger and Sudan south further enhanced its strategic position that links Middle East; cradle of oriental civilizations and a passage gate to the core sub-Saharan African countries. Libya rests within easy reach of Europe; home of the Romans and the Greek, and the birthplace of the modern industrial civilization. Facts that throughout history had made Libya a bustling cross roads of most witnessed civilizations. Someone once said a long time ago that “Libya is near”. 90% of the population resides in the narrow coastal strip which receives sufficient rainfall to be suitable for agriculture. Libya is said to be a part of the vast North African plateau which extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. Tripoli area consists of various different level zones begins with Jefara plain which starts from the northern coast, followed by a series of hills locally named as Giabal Al Gharbi (Western Mountain) also known as Giabal Nafusa. At the south of Giabal the plateau extends. In addition to the desert terrain, there are Tibesti and Tassili mountains which rise to heights of 1000 and 3000 meters, in the extreme south.

``

Due to the lack of natural barriers, Libya’s climate is affected by the Sahara desert on the one hand and the Mediterranean on the other. Summer is generally very hot from 30o C on the coast to 50o C in the south. In the winter it is cool and rainy on the coast, even snowing occasionally in the mountainous areas, while it is very cold in the desert at night. Ghibli winds on spring.

Libya is a very safe country to travel in. It enjoys a great deal of security and stability. Libyan people are known for being friendly, curios and hospitable to foreigners. Traveling in Libyan Desert represents a rewarding challenge to adventure lovers. Yet it can be very safe and interesting to travel with expert tour operators with proper preparations supported by desert guides and service escorts; drivers, cooks etc

Libya has 5.5 millions inhabitants majority of which are of Arab origins with some Berbers in the western highland and the Touareg in southern regions.  Concentration of population is along the coastal strip. Arabic is the official language of the country, Berber and Targi dialects are used in some places while English, Italian and some French are relatively known in Libya. Libya is 100% Islamic country yet there are some other non-Libyan Christian expatriates who live and work in the country.  

History:

History of Libya is connected to history of the region which dates back to the old Egyptian civilization. Different archaeological discoveries proved evidence of Paleolithic man in the Libya vivid in paintings and engravings at the rocks in southern Libyan Desert. Being a strategic passage, Libya has been invaded by foreigners, first of which probably were the Phoenicians who occupied the coast of North Africa 3,000 years ago and because they were more interested in trade than in colonialism, so they managed to live somehow in harmony with the locals. Trade routs connected central African states with southern Ghadames.

Upon decline of the Greek empire in Cyrenaica and the Carthage empire in Tripolitania began Libya’s connection to Roman Empire which has influenced and flourished the region for many centuries has left its mark on the land and in history. Libya, at the forefront of the Roman African colonies, has even given birth to the Roman Emperor; Septimius Severus, a Libyan from Leptis Magna who took power in 193 AD and died in Yorkshire of all places. It was these wealthy citizens who donated the monumental public buildings that graced the Roman cities of the region. At the back grounds off the Libyan coast he Garamant tribes continued to challenge Rome - especially those operating deep down in the desert. This is more so at the western parts of the Libyan coast, while at the Green Mountain area east of Libya almost facing the Greek islands the influence was more to Greek than to others. Albeit the stretch of coastal land from Egyptian to Tunisian borders has always been a strategic passage that transmitted currents of civilizations, movement of people and stage for frequent conflict between so many different parties. World War 2 is a vivid example of such a concept, although slightly different in some respects. But as they say, History repeats itself. This went in parallel line with the North / South rout of commerce that gave this part of North Africa its specific importance.

In recent ages and for many centuries, with only nominal allegiance to the Sublime Porte, Libya was under the powerful Karamanli dynasty (1711-1835). The state of virtual war between Tripoli and Europe did little to dampen trade, which continued to thrive. Even huge sets of marble columns from Leptis Magna were shipped to France during the building of Versailles.

Ottoman occupation of Tripoli was one thing, but the interior of the country was still under the control of local tribal leaders who, were unwilling to pay taxes to the Ottoman administration. Libya’s vast interior was still largely unexplored and extremely difficult to administer in the face of stiff local opposition. In 1911 Italy invaded the country in the scramble for African colonies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Italian period was a devastating one for the Libyan people.

The same advantage of location made Libya subject to a series of colonial eras starting with the Phoenicians, the first outsiders that settle in Libya in the 8th C BC. They founded the Tripolitania Leptis Magna, Oea and Sabratha. The Greek followed in the 5th C BC. But after the Roman conquest of Carthage, which was also founded by the Phoenicians the area of Tripolitania became a province of Rome. Other subsequent conquerors of the region were the Vandals, and the Byzantine.

In the 7th C the region was taken in the vast expansion of Islamic Civilization. But yet the Spanish captured Tripoli in the 16th C and soon handed it to the Knights of Saint John based in Malta. Who were eventually defeated by the Muslims and the area came under control of the Ottoman Empire based in Istanbul

By the start of the 20th Century Italy took opportunity to invade Libya in 1911 Libyan resistance featuring Omar Mokhtar continued  until 1931. in the years preceding the 2nd World War the Italians disposed thousands of Libyans and gave their land to peasants resettled from Cicely and southern Italy. During the war the Allies defeated the Italians and after a brief period under the British and French rule, overseen by the United Nations Libya became independent in 1951.

On September 1st 1969, Col. Muammar Al Ghadafi led Al Fateh Revolution that overthrew the monarchy regime. And on March 2nd 1977 Jamahiriya (State of the Masses) is announced where authority is in the hands of all Libyans through People’s Congresses.