Short facts about the geography of Libya

Location:

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:

25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total:  1,759,540 sq km land:  1,759,540 sq km water:  0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:

total:  4,383 km border countries:  Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,150 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline:

1,770 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea:  12 NM note:  Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Climate:

Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain:

mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point:  Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use:

arable land:  1% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  8% forests and woodland:  0% other:  91% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

4,700 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

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

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Biodiversity, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Source: World Factbook