Official name:

State of Libya

Capital:

Tripoli.

Area:

1,759,540 sq km.

Population:

About 5.3 millions.  Density 3.2 km² according to 2006 census.

Main cities:

Tripoli – Benghazi – Misurata.

Official language:

Arabic is the official language, although English and Italian are sometimes used in trade. Arabic must be used for all official purposes.

Religion:

Islam 100%

Timing:

GMT 2+

Calling code:

00218

Climate and geography:

The climate is extremely hot and humid; rain is rare on desert areas whereas coastline rain rates are no more than 380 ml per year. Libya thought enjoys a spectacular and strategic destination. It is bound to the north by the Mediterranean Sea, the west by Tunisia and Algeria, the southwest by Niger, the south by Chad and Sudan and to the east by Egypt. Its ports makes are able to accommodate ships all year round as well as good trade routes with the African neighbors like Niger, Chad, and Mali and outside world. This destination makes Libya’s political history connected especially with Islamic and Arabic history as well as east and south countries of the Mediterranean in general which gave Libya its status in the region as a main player in terms of political development in this part of the world. This is apparent in the mixture of cultures either Islamic or Arabic.

Investment in Libya:

Libya is encouraging direct foreign investment in its mainland to open the door for new technologies and provide job vacancies, as it is aiming to invest ideally on its natural resources so as to vary income sources which are regulated by law (5) on 1977 for encouraging foreign capital investment.
In the same path comes law (9) on 2001 for regulating port commerce and free zones which aims to encourage import and export trade as well as money exchange for the benefit of both the country and the investor.
Libyan economy nowadays undergoes an essential makeover; when Libya was asked to join world trade organization as a proof of this; this is been prepared at the highest levels in the government. At the same time the whole world is watching these changes which definitely are going to make Libya an international economic point nonetheless by its strategic destination.

Currency:

The Libyan dinar is the official currency used in Libya. Denoted by LYD, one Libyan dinar can be divided into 1000 Libyan Dirhams. The Libyan currency is available in both paper Notes and Coins.

Paper notes:

Quarter a Dinar – Half a Dinar – One Dinar – Fve Dinars – Ten Dinars – Twenty Dinars - Fifty Dinars.

Holidays:

Fridays and Saturdays are officially weekend holidays as well as national and religious holidays such as Eid Elfitr and Edha Eid.

Visas:

It’s important that you have a valid passport, as visas are accessible at Libyan embassies or at ports and airports at arrival.