10 things I wish I knew before going to Libya

Greek ruins, including Leptis Magna, Cyrene and Sabratha. Where is Libya? Libya is a predominantly Islamic State located in northern Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Chad, Egypt and Niger.

What is the capital of Libya?

The capital of Libya, as well as the largest city, is Tripoli. Libya, which has about 7.2 million people, is recognized as the 4th largest country in Africa by land area. Libyans and their population density, ethnicity, level of education, the health of the population, economic status, religious affiliation and other aspects of the Libya population's life. There is no complete population registration or demographic statistics in Libya. Of the more than 7,000,000 Libyans who lived in Libya before the Libyan crisis, more than a million were immigrants. This article provides estimates taken from the revised edition of the World Population Outlook, prepared in 2019 by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat unless otherwise indicated. Libya, with a Libya population living in Libya - a territory located on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, to the west of Egypt and adjacent to it. The majority of Libya population is in the capital, Tripoli. It is the capital of Libya and the first in terms of the urban population, followed by Benghazi, the second-largest city in Libya.

1. King of Libya

The first and last monarch of Libya was known as King Idris I. He was both a political and religious leader who was born into the Senussi Order. King Idris, I served as Emir of Cyrenaica before becoming King of Libya in 1951 at the end of colonial rule. The king's reign was unpopular because of his conservatism. In 1969, King Idris I was overthrown in a coup led by Colonel Gaddafi, who later succeeded him in this post.

2. Oil Libya

Libya and Libya oil are inseparable. The discovery of an oil field in Libya in the 1950s was a big turnaround for a previously among the world's poorest. As of 2010, the country's annual oil production was 1.65 million barrels per day. Today, most of Libya's exports and government revenues are oil and petroleum products. It is also one of the 15 most prosperous economies in Africa, South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt and Cameroon. However, the country's unstable political situation has led to fluctuations in world oil prices in the recent past.

3. Libya civil war

Oil-rich Libya has been in chaos since the Arab Spring movement, and the NATO bombing campaign toppled Gaddafi in 2011. After Gaddafi's fall, attempts to build a democratic state collapsed into a new Libya civil war between rival governments in 2014. Armed groups, including extremists such as the Islamic State, have become widespread. The lawless country has also become a major transit point for people from all over Africa who want to get to Europe. Since 2014, Libya has been a war fought mainly between rival centres of political power in eastern and western Libya: the Tripoli administration, known as the Sarraj-led Government of National Accord (GNA), and the Tobruk administration, which decapitated into the eastern city after disputed elections. The Tobruk government-appointed Haftar as the head of the Libyan National Army (LNA) and restore its sovereignty.

4. Libya religion

Despite being known as a Muslim nation, Libya has a rich Christian history. Today's Libya and Libya religion will present Christianity as a minority religion in the country. However, the country has strong Christian roots. Examples of two important biblical figures associated with Libya are Simon of Cyrene and Saint Mark. Simon, who was forced to help Jesus Christ carry his cross, was from Cyrene. Cyrenaica was a Libyan city that existed hundreds of years ago. On the other hand, Saint Mark, who wrote the Gospel of Mark, founded the Church of Alexandria in Egypt in 49 AD. This church gave birth to many Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Coptic and Greek Orthodox Churches that exist in Libya.

5. Libya regions

Libya on the map: Fezzan was the southwestern part of Libya, Cyrenaica occupied the eastern part of the country, and Tripolitania covered the northwestern part of Libya. Today, the country is divided into three administrative districts divided into 22 districts (called shabiyat).

6. The Libyan desert

The Libyan desert includes the eastern and northern parts of the Sahara Desert. Ideally, this is part of the Sahara Desert, located on the territory of Libya. The Libyan desert is known as the most brutal, driest and most remote region of the Sahara. With daytime temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius, this region can last for decades without rain. The Libyan deserts are very impressive. You should definitely visit them. You can see the two main deserts, Akakus and Fezzan. The Akakous Desert, located on the border with Algeria, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. There are thousands of rock paintings in various styles, and the oldest of them dates back to about 12,000 years BC. The last of them date from the first century.

7. Libya food

Libya imports most of the food consumed by its people because of its inability to produce it locally. The country is located in the vast Sahara Desert, which means it receives very little rainfall. Besides, it has poor soil and climate, which is both a limitation for food production. One of the serious attempts of former Libyan President Gaddafi to reverse the situation was the financing of the Great Man-made River project, built to irrigate agricultural land. This project turned out to be the world's largest irrigation project. It includes 1,750 miles of underground water supply network. However, Libya remains dependent on food imports for the survival of its people.

8. Libyan tea 

Mainly made by women, Libyan tea is very thick due to mixing many tea leaves and a high concentration of sugar. After mixing the two ingredients and adding the appropriate amount of water, the tea boils for 20-30 minutes. When the tea is ready, it is served in small pyrex glasses accompanied by sumac which is favourite Libyan tea type.

9. Libya attractions

The highest mountain in Libya is Bett Peak. Bette Peak is the highest mountain in Libya at 7,434 feet. Bikku Bitti, this mountain is located in southern Libya on Chad and Libya's border. Jing Fullen made the first documented ascent of Bette Peak with his Chadian guides in December 2005. However, the location of the mountain makes it difficult to access it and makes it rare. Libya is also home to some of the most beautiful corners of the Sahara Desert, from Swiss-sized sand seas and sheltering palm lakes (the Ubari Sand Sea) to remote massifs decorated with prehistoric rock art (jebel Acacus), labyrinthine caravan towns (Ghadames) and an isolated black-a-black volcano (Waw an Namus) in the heart of the desert. The Libyan city of Cyrenaea was part of the ancient Greek Empire. Kyrenia, modern Shahhat, is a city in Libya, which was part of the Greek Empire that existed hundreds of years ago. It was one of the most important Greek cities, as it was the centre of philosophical education. As one of the country's oldest cities, Kyrenia is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

10. Muammar Gaddafi 

Muammar Gaddafi seized power in 1969 and ruled Libya for 42 years. As a result, he became one of the longest-serving heads of African and world nation-states. Gaddafi was known as the leader of the dictatorship. However, he also served his country well, improving medical care to one of Africa's best. He also raised the literacy rate in Libya from 25% before his rule to 87%. His reign ended in 2011 when he was ousted from his position in the government. The militia tracked him down to his hometown, where he sought refuge and killed him. At the time of Gaddafi's death, his net worth was $ 200 billion.