Country name:
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya
local short form: none
local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma
Government type:
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
Capital:
Tripoli
Administrative divisions:
25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al
'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions
Independence:
24 December 1951 (from Italy)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Constitution:
11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977
Legal system:
based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate
religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
but is de facto chief of state
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
people's committees; head of government elected by the General
People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held
NA)
election results: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected premier; percent of
General People's Congress vote - NA%
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
People's Congress
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
(Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000)
Legislative branch:
unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected
indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible
memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some
Islamic elements
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Libya does not have an embassy in the US
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980
Flag description:
plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state
religion)