Libya

Libya is a country in North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, and Tunisia and Algeria to the west. As part of the arid Maghreb region, more than 90% of Libya’s 1,775,500 square kilometers (679,000 square miles) is desert. Major cities in Libya span the northern coast, including the capital in Tripoli. The majority of the 6.5 million Libyans share an Arab lineage and practice Sunni Islam. Smaller minorities include Berbers and immigrants from northern and sub- Saharan African states as well as a very small Italian population. This entry discusses the history of Libya under the regime of Muammar Qaddafi, including Libya’s relationship with the United States and the international community as well as the civil war ...