title,
but is de facto chief of state
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
(Premier) Mubarak al-SHAMEKH (since 2 March 2000)
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
People's Congress
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 NA (next to be held NA)
election results: Mubarak al-SHAMEKH elected head of government;
percent of General People's Congress vote - NA

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, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, 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)

@Libya:Economy

Economy - overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends primarily
upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes practically all
export earnings and about one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a
small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in
Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of
society. In this statist society, import restrictions and inefficient
resource allocations have led to periodic shortages of basic goods and
foodstuffs. The nonoil manufacturing and construction sectors, which
account for about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly
agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals,
iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely
limit farm output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food
requirements. Higher oil prices in 1999 led to an increase in export
revenues and helped to stimul