The bulk of the rural people live in the eastern province of Cyrenaica practising traditional agriculture, or in the rapidly developing oases of the south. All Libyans regard themselves as Arab. Languages : Arabic is the official language, but Berber, French and English are also spoken. Religion : Islam is the state religion, with 97 per cent of Libyans officially classified as Muslims. Declining oil income means poorer Libyans under Pressure.
Oil main export. Foreign experts still vital. Equality at formal level; much better than in most Middle East countries. Tight control of the media, suppression of the opposition.
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X New Internationalist is a lifeline for activists, campaigners and readers who value independent journalism. Related Articles. Country Profile: Libya. Almost any Libyan can tell you the story of a relative or friend imprisoned, tortured, exiled or simply disappeared. Zoe Holman Is Brussels training human traffickers in Libya? Human traffickers in Libya might be benefiting from a controversial EU training program worth millions.
Karlos Zurutuza reports. To be black in Libya. Being black is a stigma which makes life even harder in a country where chaos is the only rule, reports Karlos Zurutuza.
What happened to the 'other' Libyans? EU must stop its arms trade hypocrisy. Andrew Smith explains why human rights must be placed at the heart of European foreign policy. Refugees challenge Tunisia on human rights. Our pal, Qadafi, or: a lesson in hypocrisy. The British government may have condemned him in the end, but only after years of supplying him with weapons, writes Nicholas Almost 25 percent of Libyans live in Tripoli or Benghazi. Outside of these urban centers, rural Libyans farm near desert oases, where they can access water.
Deeper into the desert, animal herders follow the weather and tend to sheep, goats, and camels. Weaving, embroidery, and metal engraving are popular arts in Libya. Other common activities include horse racing, folk dancing, and soccer, the most popular sport in Libya.
Both Tripoli and Benghazi have many teams that locals enjoy watching. Most of Libya is covered by desert, and its plants and wildlife reflect the arid conditions. Hyenas , fennec foxes , jackals, and gazelles roam the desert, and snakes , including venomous adders and kraits, slither throughout the country.
Some strips of land near the Libyan coast support native forests of pine, juniper, and cypress. Saker falcons and marbled polecats are often spotted close to the coast.
Libya has established several national parks, natural reserves, and protected areas, including two marine refuges. The park is home to Egyptian wolves, golden eagles, red foxes , flamingos , and other wildlife.
Beginning in , protests spread across many North African and Middle Eastern countries in what became known as the Arab Spring. The unrest spread to Libya, and Gaddafi punished many of the protesters. His response caused a civil war and he was killed in A transitional council was created to help form a unified government in Libya. They were followed by the Phoenicians, an ancient Mediterranean civilization, who established coastal trading posts in the 7th century B.
The Greeks later arrived in the eastern part of the country and gave the region its name: Libya. The Romans then conquered Libya and ruled the territory. Around the year A. Beginning in the 16 th century, the Ottoman Empire ruled Libya for several hundred years. First formed in , the Ottoman Empire ruled a large portion of Eastern Europe and the Middle East for over years. The empire fell apart in and became the country of Turkey.
Libya officially gained its independence in Gaddafi controlled Libya until the revolution, when he was killed in the early stages of the civil war.
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