LibyaGeography
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Location: |
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
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Geographic coordinates: |
25 00 N, 17 00 E
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Map references: |
Africa
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Area: |
total: 1,759,540 sq km
land: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Area - comparative: |
slightly larger than Alaska
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Land boundaries: |
total: 4,348 km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
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Coastline: |
1,770 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
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Climate: |
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
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Terrain: |
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
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Natural resources: |
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
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Land use: |
arable land: 1.03%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 98.78% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
4,700 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards: |
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
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Environment - current issues: |
desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
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Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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Geography - note: |
more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert
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More about Libya:
Introduction
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues
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