Largest Cities in Libya

Facts about Libya

Official languages: Arabic, Italian, English
Capital: Tripoli
Area: 1,759,540 km²
Population: 6.5 million residents
Population density: 3.67 residents per km²
Currency: LYD
Internet TLD: .ly
ISO codes: LY, LBY, 434
The dialing code for Libyan -Arabic Jamahiriya is +218

Flag of Libya

The flag of Libya has changed its form several times in the last century alone. Until 2011, a pure green leaf was used, as green is the color of Libya and also of Islam. At the same time, the flag was supposed to commemorate the so-called Green Revolution of Muammar Gaddafi. Since the start of the civil war in 2011, the flag from the time of the Libyan kingdom has been used as a symbol of the revolution. Thus, the current flag consists of three horizontal stripes, where the upper one is red, the middle one is wider and black, and the lower one is green. In the center of the black stripe is a white crescent moon and a five-pointed star. Each of the stripes represents one Libyan region and the crescent moon and star are other traditional symbols of Islam.

Libya is a state in northern Africa. Libya is divided into the traditional landscapes of Tripolitania in the west, Fezzan in the south, Cyrenaica (Cyrene) in the east and the Libyan desert. Only 2.5% of the area can be used for agriculture. But there are significant natural gas and oil reserves. Libya is the only country in the world that does not have a single constant river: it only has so-called wadis, which only temporarily carry water after heavy rainfall.

Libya has been a sovereign state since 1951 and was a kingdom until 1969. In 1969, Muammar al-Gaddafi came to power in a military coup. In February 2011 his dictatorial rule began to crumble as a result of Libyan investment losses in the financial crisis; the Libyan civil war began. From March to October 2011 an international military intervention took place on the side of Gaddafi’s opponents, in the course of which the dictator was killed.

In May 2014, the power vacuum gave rise to a second civil war in which rival militias fought against each other, which led to the political and economic collapse and the division of the country into a western and an eastern power bloc. On December 17, 2015, a peace treaty was agreed between the rival camps from Tobruk and Tripoli, which provides for the reconstruction of the state and its institutions and a unity government by 2018. On March 30, 2016, the unity government in Tripoli began its work. However, even after the peace treaty, Libya remained divided into a western part of the country that supported al-Sarradsch and an eastern part.

Biggest Cities of Libya by Population

Libya is a North African country located on the Mediterranean Sea, with a population of over 6 million people. Its capital city is Tripoli which is the largest city in Libya and home to more than 1.5 million people. The city is known for its ancient ruins, vibrant nightlife, and diverse culture making it a popular destination for tourists.

Other major cities in Libya include Benghazi located near the Gulf of Sidra and known as ‘the City of Mosques’; Misrata located near the Mediterranean Sea and known as ‘the City of Merchants’; or Sabha located on the southern side of Libya and known as ‘the City of Oases’.

Libya also contains some smaller cities such as Zawiya located near the Wadi al-Kuf and home to many churches; Sirte located near the Gulf of Sidra and home to many museums; or Kufra located on the eastern side of Libya and known for its oil production.

Throughout Libya there are plenty of attractions to explore including deserts, archaeological sites, beaches, monuments, lakes and hot springs. Visitors can also enjoy activities such as camel riding or exploring ancient ruins or take part in water sports on Lake Tazirbu.

Libya: Tripoli

Libya’s capital is Tripoli. The word is derived from the Greek and means “three cities”. This is what the Greeks called this region in which the three ancient cities of Oea, Sabratha and Leptis Magna were located. Today’s Tripoli was originally Oea, but the name Tripoli was then transferred to the largest of the three cities.

Tripoli is located on the Mediterranean Sea, in the northwest of Libya. About 1.8 million people live here. Tripoli is the country’s political, economic and cultural center.

Countries neighboring Libya

• Algeria
• Egypt
• Niger
• Sudan
• Chad
• Tunisia