(1995 est.)
total population: 76.2%
male: 87.9%
female: 63%

Government
----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya
local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
al Ishtirakiyah
local short form: none

Data code: LY

Type of government: 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 (baladiyah, singular -
baladiyat); 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note: the 25 muncipalities may have been replaced by 1,500 communes
in 1992

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) was elected by the General
People's Congress
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
(Premier) Abd al Majid al-QA'UD (since 29 January 1994)
cabinet: General People's Committee was established by the General
People's Congress
note: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
peoples' committees

Legislative branch: unicameral
General People's Congress: national elections are indirect through a
hierarchy of peoples' committees

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: none

Other political or pressure groups: 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, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, NAM, OA