Libya
Independent since 1947, Libya is a country in North Africa, bordering with the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan, Chad and Niger to the south, Algeria to the west and Tunisia to the northwest. The population is about 7 million and the official language is Arabic.
After the first Libyan civil war in 2011, which led to international military intervention and the fall of the Gaddafi regime, Libya has entered a critical stage in its history, experiencing civil conflict which has also affected the rest of the region. After the signing of a formal ceasefire between the parties involved in the conflict, Libya is now heading toward a complex transition stage.
Trade between Libya and Italy amounts to $8,61 billion (2021), with a negative balance for Italy. The bulk of Italian sales to Libya consists of petroleum products, but a significant proportion is also taken up by machinery, electrical appliances and food. Italian imports from Libya mainly consist of crude oil, followed by natural gas and, to a lesser extent, products derived from the process of oil refining, chemical products, fertilisers and nitrogen compounds. Libya plays an important role for Italy, not only because its proximity makes it a “natural” oil supplier for the Italian market, but also because it is a crossing point for migration flows from Africa to Europe.
The Med-Or Monthly Report for the month of April is now available online.
Med-Or hosted the President of the High Council of State, Mohamed Takala, to examine the current situation in Libya.
Libya’s instability, its porous borders, and the country’s central position could grant Moscow a strategic asset for its penetration into the African continent and a new outpost on the Mediterranean.
| Head of state | Mohammad Menfi |
| Head of Government | Abdul Hamid Dbeiba |
| Institutional Form | National Unity Government |
| Capital | Tripoli |
| Legislative Power | House of Representatives (unicameral, 200 Members of Parliament) |
| Judicial Power | A transitional judicial system |
| Ambassador to Italy | Muhannad Saeed Ahmed Younes |
| Total Area kmq | 1.759.540 Km2 |
| Land | 1.759.540 Km2 |
| Weather | Desertic hinterland, Mediterranean climate on the coasts |
| Natural resources | oil, natural gas, plaster |
| Economic summary | The economy depends almost exclusively on oil and gas exports, but it’s compromised by political and security instability, the suspension of oil production and the decline of oil prices in global market |
| GDP | € 40.1 billion (2023) |
| Pro-capite GDP (Purchasing power parity) | $8753 (December 2021) |
| Exports | € 33 billion (2023) |
| Export partner | Italy 21.1%, Turkey 19.6%, UAE 10.6%, Germany 9.14%, China 8.48%, Spain 7.53%, France 5.59% (2020) |
| Imports | €19.9 billion (2023) |
| Import partner | China 15.9%, Turkey 14%, Italy 8.51%, UAE 8.49%, Greece 6.09%, Netherlands 4.8%, Germany 3.45% (2020) |
| Trade With Italy | € 9,067 billion (2023) |
| Population | 7.137.931 (2022 est.) |
| Population Growth | +1,65% (2022 est.) |
| Ethnicities | Berber arabs 97%, other groups 3% (in part Italian) |
| Languages | Arabic |
| Religions | Muslim 96.6% (Islam is the official religion), Christianity 2.7%, other religions 0.3% |
| Urbanization | 81,3% (2022 est.) |
| Literacy | 91% (2022 est.) |
Independent since 1947, Libya is a country in North Africa, bordering with the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan, Chad and Niger to the south, Algeria to the west and Tunisia to the northwest. The population is about 7 million and the official language is Arabic.
After the first Libyan civil war in 2011, which led to international military intervention and the fall of the Gaddafi regime, Libya has entered a critical stage in its history, experiencing civil conflict which has also affected the rest of the region. After the signing of a formal ceasefire between the parties involved in the conflict, Libya is now heading toward a complex transition stage.
Trade between Libya and Italy amounts to $8,61 billion (2021), with a negative balance for Italy. The bulk of Italian sales to Libya consists of petroleum products, but a significant proportion is also taken up by machinery, electrical appliances and food. Italian imports from Libya mainly consist of crude oil, followed by natural gas and, to a lesser extent, products derived from the process of oil refining, chemical products, fertilisers and nitrogen compounds. Libya plays an important role for Italy, not only because its proximity makes it a “natural” oil supplier for the Italian market, but also because it is a crossing point for migration flows from Africa to Europe.
