libya

Libya's Distances

Libya General Information 

Arab Jamahiriya of Libya:

Independent Jamahiriya republic, divided into 25 municipalities (baladiya). Jamahiriya is a system defined to be the population governing through local councils, then represented at national councils. However, most decisions are taken by the leaders of Libya, and then implemented on a local scale. 

Geography:

Demography:

Languages: Arabic (official) and Berber. The major foreign languages are English and Italian.
Religions: Islam and small communities of Christians. 

Climate:

Libya is almost only desert. Even the coastal areas are quite dry. There is very little forest, and the only true exceptions are in the mountain ranges in the northwest and east of Benghazi.  There are no rivers and the only lakes are small and normally found in the Sahara together with oasis. 

Coast near Tripoli and Benghazi is relatively pleasant even in summer time, but some years the temperatures can reach the level of 40°C, especially in July/August. Winter in this region often brings rain and cold nights. During spring, the "ghibli" (wind storms) can offer an unpleasant experience of fast increase in the temperatures, when it can be up to 40-45°C.  Temperatures drop slightly inland from these two large cities, and in the Jabal Akhdar region, summer is to be preferred to winter. 

Traveling in the Sahara could be done even in summer, but only for those supporting high temperatures with ease, staying indoors during midday, will then be compulsory. However, waiting until the period from November to March, will add to the total experience.

Health and Education:

Medium quality health care system, but accessible for all citizens of the country. The medical system was for years effected by the international embargo, which made import of important equipment and medicines difficult.
The educational system is of average quality. Education in Libya is free for all, and compulsory up until secondary level. Libya has 4 universities, with about 50,000 students.

Religion and People:

Practically all Libyans are Muslims and about 50,000 are Roman Catholics, mostly descendants of the former Italian colonialist community. A large part of the population of Libya is non-Libyans, counting for at least 20% and in some areas more than 50% of the total number of inhabitants. These are foreign workers mainly from other Arab countries like Sudan, Egypt, and Tunisia.

The native population of Libya are mainly considering themselves as Arabs, but there is a large influence of Berber origin and in certain communities, the Berber culture is still the strongest.

Money, Currency, and Exchange Rates:

The unit currency is the Libyan Dinar (LYD), which equals 1000 dirham.

Dinars are issued in 20, 10, 5, 1, 0.5, 0.25 notes.

1 Euro (€) = around 1.65 Libyan Dinar

1 USD ($) = around 1.20 Libyan Dinar

How To Obtain a Visa To Libya

To get one from a local embassy in any country takes weeks or months. As a Libyan inbound tour operator we are able to issue visas for most nationalities upon arrival at the airport.

For Liberty Libya to do so:

1. You are kindly requested to send us a scanned copy of passport for every client by email or fax, AND A SCANNED COPY OF THE ARABIC TRANSLATION NEWLY REQUIRED (POINT # 6 HEREUNDER) 14 days before the FIT/Group arrival date, in order for us to arrange and finish all necessary procedures with the Libyan authorities to get their approval for Visa issuance. Once we get this approval, our airport staff will be meeting the FIT/Group upon their arrival at Tripoli airport before passport control and finish all procedures with authorities at the airport.
2. After FIT/Group check-in at hotel on the day of arrival, Liberty Libya local T/L will collect all original passports from clients to finish the obligatory passport registration procedure required from the Libyan authorities for all tourists arriving to Libya. Our T/L returns all passports same day or maximum next morning and we are fully responsible for all passports during this period.
3. Libyan Authorities do not provide any visas to any USA passport holders.
4. All Clients' passports arriving to Libya must not have visa or stamps from Israel. If any client will have any visa or a stamp from Israel on his passport, the Libyan authorities at the airport upon his arrival will immediately refuse his entrance to Libya and they will send him back home on the same flight. If that would be the case with any of the clients, they are kindly requested to issue a new passport.
5. Any client from any nationality written on his passport that his Place of Birth: Beirut- Lebanon will not be provided with a visa to Libya (Authorities Regulations).
6. New regulation through the Libyan Authorities as of November 11th 2007; All foreigners arriving to Libya must have an Arabic translation of their passports written and stamped on their passports' last page; which will be inspected it upon arrival at Libya airports or borders. This Arabic translation must be done through the Libyan Embassies/Consulates in client's countries before arriving to Libya. If any client will not have this accredited and stamped Arabic translation in the last page of his passport; Libyan authorities will refuse his entrance to Libya and will unfortunately send him back home on the same flight.

Alcohol Situation in Libya

Alcohol is strictly forbidden in Libya; clients can not find it or buy it anywhere in Libya. In addition clients can not carry alcohol bottles in hand or in their luggage while entering Libya from airports or borders.