Libya became independent on 24 December 1951 after decades of Italian colonialism and a period of Franco-British occupation from 1943-51.
On 1 September 1969, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi succeeded in overthrowing King Mohammed Idris-al-Senussi and proclaimed a republic. Even without assigning himself a clear political role, Gaddafi assumed control of the country as “Guide of the Revolution”, and abolished elections and political parties.
With the constitutional reform on 2 March 1977, the country adopted the name Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Republic), which remained in forced until the fall of the Gaddafi regime (killed on 23 October, 2011), the final act of the first civil war that broke out in February 2011 following widespread protests.
The country was then governed by the National Transitional Council, the interim government body in charge of leading the first stage of the transition to democracy until the elections held on 7 July, 2012, which appointed the General People’s Congress of 200 members, then replaced by a 200-member House of Representatives after the elections held on 25 June 2014. Following the outbreak the second civil war, the country is divided on an institutional level: the extremist militia siding with the Justice and Reconstruction party and the Muslim Brotherhood attacked the capital Tripoli and reinstated the general national congress; the national forces of Zintān and other armed groups uphold the House of Representatives, which are more liberal and federal in orientation, and which has been transferred to Tobruk, where General Khalīfa Ḥaftar has strong influence, he himself being backed by Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Russia, and who does not recognize the government in Tripoli. On 30 March 2016, the Presidential Council was established in Tripoli, led by Fayez al-Sarraj, though he was unable to reunify the country. The chaotic situation encourages activities by criminal groups who exploit the migrant flows coming from Sub-Saharan Africa and heading toward Europe and the penetration along the southern border of armed militias from nearby countries.

Defence and justice.
The legal codes (civil, penal and commercial) bring together elements of the Italian and the French legal systems as well as Islamic law.

Population by age and gender (% - 2018)
	75+ 60-74 45-59 30-44 15-29 0-14
MALE	AGE	FEMALE

In the last 30 years the population has doubled in size due to the high birthrate and high levels of immigration.
The arid regions are populated by nomadic and semi-nomadic Berber tribes, such as the Tuareg. Libya is a popular departure point for emigrants trying to get to the southern Italian coasts.

Economic situation.
The civil war has seriously affected the country’s manufacturing industry, both as a result of damage caused directly by the war, and on account of the discontinuity in exports of oil and natural gas. The instability of the political framework and clashes between factions make recovery tough. The shortage of many goods has led to a sharp rise in prices.

Primary sector
Agriculture.
Agriculture is carried out only in oases and in the regions of Benghazi and Tripoli, and most food is imported. The main products are potatoes, watermelons, tomatoes, onions, and dates. Olives are found all over the country, especially in Tripolitania. Some plants growing wild in the country are harvested, including alfalfa and esparto grass, especially in the Er Regina area in Cyrenaica and the An-Nuqāṭ al-Khams area in Tripolitania, which are used for cellulose, ropes and mats.
One of the major constructions commenced by the former regime, a large water network covering approximately 3500 km (“The Great Man-Made River”) pipes the water pumped from the desert subsoil to the coastal areas of Benghazi and Sirte (the infrastructure however suffered damage caused by the bombardments in July 2011).
Livestock and fishing.
In the arid regions, livestock farming of goats and sheep by nomads is still of importance. Along the Cyrenaica coast, sponge diving is practiced.

Secondary sector
Minerals.
The main oil reserves are found at Mabrūk, Al Ḥufrah, Zalṭan, Ar Rāqūbah, Al-Bayḍā’, ‘Awrā’, Samāḥ, Waha, Jālū, Āmāl, Sarīr, Awjilah and Magid. The pipeline network is very long. A 175 km pipeline connects the wells at Zalṭan to the terminal at Marsá al-Burayqah on the Gulf of Sirte.
Another 137 km pipeline transports oil from Al Ḥufrah to Sidra/As Sidrah. A 200 km pipeline takes oil extracted from Ar Rāqūbah into the Zalṭan-Marsá al-Burayqah pipeline.
The Ra’s Lānūf pipeline terminal is fed from Al Ḥufrah and ‘Awrā’ oilfields, and is also linked to the reserves in Al-Bayḍā’, Samāḥ, Waha and Jālū. More pipelines connect Āmāl to the Ra’s Lānūf terminal, Sarīr to the Marsá al-Ḥarīqah terminal, near Tobruk, and Awjilah to the Az Zuwaytīnah terminal. The subsoil also contains natural gas (since 2004 Libya and Italy have been connected by a pipeline between Mellitah and Gela), soda (from lakes to the east of Awbārī in Fezzan) and iron ore (also in Fezzan).
Industry.
Oil refineries operate at Az-Zāwiyah, Ra’s Lānūf, Sarīr, Tobruk and Marsá al-Burayqah (where there is also a natural gas liquefaction plant). Miṣrātah has a steelworks, while Rabtas, Tarhūnah and Marsá al-Burayqah have chemical plants.
Other industries include cement factories (near Tripoli, Homs, Benghazi and Darnah), tanning plants in Tripoli and Benghazi and tobacco plants, also in Tripoli. Artisans produce rugs and embroidery in silk and silver.

Tertiary sector
Foreign trade.

Almost 80% of the country’s export income comes from oil, while imports are mostly foodstuffs, manufactured products and technology.
Tripoli has a stock exchange.

Main exports (M US$ - 2017) 
crude oil 15 662, natural gas 1 000, petroleum products 576, iron and steel 153, refined copper 88, chemicals 77, aluminium 69, gold and silver 48, fish 40, fertilizers 34, sulfur 14, electrical and electronic equipment 8, hides and skins 7, machinery 6, refined lead 5, wheat 4, wool 3

Tourism. Prior to the recent conflict, tourism was extremely active in the desert (Akākus, Murzuq) and in archaeological sites (Leptis Magna, Ṣabrātha).

Transport.
The road networks is concentrated in the north where the national coast road (1822 km) goes from the Egyptian border to the Tunisian border, linking Tripoli and Benghazi. There is no rail network, but air travel is increasing.

Education.
Education is compulsory from 6 to 15 years, after which there are another three years of secondary schooling.