About Libya

A wealth of unseen cult treasures latent in Libya and a wide variety of touristicl potentials and possibilities to be discovered. The distinctive geographical position of Libya situated at central North Africa, facing the Mediterranean southern shoreline of Europe granted her the novelty of being the melting pot of many civilizations that rose and fell across history, hence playing an important role of correlation between all such civilizations prospered in Arabia and the Mediterranean basin and carrying their charms and influence in active links with the African Sub Saharas. The Phoenicians, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and ultimately the Islamic civilizations have all left permanent marks in Libya; ancient towns, old cities, ruins, shrines, mausoleums, and many other different valuable historical sites and locations spread all over the vast area of the Libyan land. This turned Libya into an open huge museum of about 2 million square kilometers wide You will be impressed with the Greek archeological sites in Apollonia and Cyrene and other sites that carry the Byzantine and Roman aurora such as the famous Leptis Magna and Sabratha and the Islamic character still vivid in the Old City in Tripoli with its mosques and architecture. Yet, these features splendid as they are never less charming than desert oases such as Ghat and Ghadames also known as ‘pearl of the desert'. Not forgetting of course the historical treasures left by civilizations that originated locally such as the Garmant whose ruins and relics are yet intact in the Old City of Germa situated in southern Libya. Further west south, in Tadrart Acacus Mountain and in Al Awaynat mountain in the east southern rims we can find traces left by the inhabitants of the Libyan Sahara desert during the rainy epoch represented in the magnificent paintings and engravings depicting life from as long as 10,000 years ago. Some of these historical sites and locations in Libya are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. So, welcome to Libya, and make sure that you will not miss the opportunity to explore the potentials, incentives and temptations to see Libya with Jabal Al-Hassawna .

Public holidays: Declaration of people's power - 21 March British Evacuation Day 28 March Student revolution Day 7 April US evacuation Day 11 June Revolution Day 1st September Italian Evacuation Day 7 October *Muslim New Year *Id al-Fitr *Id al-Adha *Prophet Mohamed's Birth Day Languages Arabic (official), English, French, Italian (commercial) Electricity 220 volts 50cycles AC Airports Tripoli (25 Km from city center). Benghazi (29 Km from city center) Ports Tripoli (main port for west), Benghazi (main port for east) Visas Visas are required for all visitors except nationals of Algeria and Mauritania. Passport may need Arabic translation. Invitation from Libyan company is required Customer's regulations No alcohol. 200 cigarettes, 250 gm of tobacco, 0.25 liter of perfume Currency regulations Maximum of 20 Libyan dinars per entry and departure. No restriction on other currencies though the amount taken out must not exceed that taken in.

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Geography With a coastline of nearly 1,900 km facing the Mediterranean Sea and an area of 1.76 million Km 2 , Libya has always enjoyed the merit of a strategic location at midpoint of Africa's northern rim. Having borders with Egypt east, Algeria and Tunisia west and Chad, Niger and Sudan south further enhanced its strategic position that links Middle East; cradle of oriental civilizations and a passage gate to the core sub-Saharan African countries. Libya rests within easy reach of Europe; home of the Romans and the Greek, and the birthplace of the modern industrial civilization. Facts that throughout history had made Libya a bustling cross roads of most witnessed civilizations. Someone once said a long time ago that “Libya is near”. 90% of the population resides in the narrow coastal strip which receives sufficient rainfall to be suitable for agriculture. Libya is said to be a part of the vast North African plateau which extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. Tripoli area consists of various different level zones begins with Jefara plain which starts from the northern coast, followed by a series of hills locally named as Giabal Al Gharbi (Western Mountain) also known as Giabal Nafusa. At the south of Giabal the plateau extends. In addition to the desert terrain, there are Tibesti and Tassili mountains which rise to heights of 1000 and 3000 meters, in the extreme south. Productive agriculture is concentrated on the coastal. Still farther south a pastoral zone of grassland gives way to the vast Sahara Desert which contains a magnificent natural landscape with scarce greenery around few scattered oases that supports minimal human habitation; the Toareq and their distinct culture. In the absence of natural rivers, and the existence of vast fossil aquifers in the south and south-east, the idea of Great man-made river was born, the project which actually brought huge amounts of potable waters to the coastal regions in pipeline that could reach from London to Zurich. Climate Due to the lack of natural barriers, Libya's climate is affected by the Sahara desert on the one hand and the Mediterranean on the other. Summer is generally very hot from 30 o C on the coast to 50 o C in the south. In the winter it is cool and rainy on the coast, even snowing occasionally in the mountainous areas, while it is very cold in the desert at night. Ghibli winds on spring. The coastal regions enjoy a moderate temperatures, averaging 30 0 C (86 0 F) in summer which is quite interesting in larger cities along the coast. But in desert areas south of Jebel Nefusa summer midday heat is unbearable and keeping to the shade is recommended as well as the use of hats and sun glasses. This may explain the unique architecture of Ghadames oasis and the troglodyte houses in Ghariyan.   Average temperature 8 0 C (46 0 F) in winter which is rather cold at coastal strip, sunny and warm in desert lands though it gets rather chilly there at night. Some 380mm (15in) rain falls mainly in winter. Semi arid conditions predominate in the central plaines, while the southern deserts are subject to frequent periods of drought.	Flora&Fauna Libya is a rain dependant region and greenery grows wherever water is available. Highlands northern east and west are quite rich with Mediterranean fruit trees; figs, olives, oranges, almonds and peanuts. Date palms and olive trees are traditionally cherished in Libya. Desert environment provides home for camels, gazelles, hyenas, and the nocturnal fennec a small big-eared fox. One should always be cautious of lizards, snakes, scorpions and other reptiles in arid bushy regions in summertime. Pastoral regions in the coastal and sub coastal plains breed some herds of sheep. In addition to resident birds, there is a wonderful variety of bird life can be seen in Libya, as it lies on the migratory route of many species. You can see seagulls glide over along shores and you can watch swallows robins dance in the late afternoon twilight sky in Tripoli Olive, citrus, figs, oleander, grapevines, and palm trees are found on the coast, while down south only oases have limited vegetation, where the date palm reigns supreme. Outside the oases there is the frequent acacia tree in the wilderness. A wonderful variety of bird life can be seen all over Libya, being the migratory rout of many species. In the desert regions, in addition to camels, there are still some herds of gazelle, and the fennec fox. Food and Drink Libyan food is a blend of Arabic, Turkish and Italian cuisines. This is obvious in the use of pasta. In addition to Libyan Soup, other famous Libyan dishes are macaroni, couscous and rice eaten with beef, lamb or chicken. There is also popular haggis, noodles, stuffed vegetables and green lettuce salad. In addition to international luxury restaurants in Libya serving continental food there is a growing number of traditional restaurants that specialize in local food. Alcohol is prohibited by law. So tea, coffee and soft drinks are much consumed instead. Architecture Islamic influence is quite visible in the great legacy of classical architecture well preserved in most Libyan cities and towns. The Italian colonial period also left its mark on the façade of Libyan architecture especially in Tripoli. Still more admirable is the unique housing style characterizing Ghadames with its palm-log roofed streets and the Troglodytes in Ghariyan and some other Jebel Nafusa towns, where people used to live underground avoiding excessive heat. Libyan People Libya has 5.5 millions inhabitants majority of which are of Arab origins with some Berbers in the western highland and the Touareg in southern regions. Concentration of population is along the coastal strip. Arabic is the official language of the country, Berber and Targi dialects are used in some places while English, Italian and some French are relatively known in Libya. Libya is 100% Islamic country yet there are some other non-Libyan Christian expatriates who live and work in the country.
Safety Libya is a very safe country to travel in. It enjoys a great deal of security and stability. Libyan people are known for being friendly, curios and hospitable to foreigners. Traveling in Libyan Desert represents a rewarding challenge to adventure lovers. Yet it can be very safe and interesting to travel with expert tour operators with proper preparations supported by desert guides and service escorts; drivers, cooks etc. Health Health care in Libya is excellent with no specific risks to travelers during their stay in Libya and there would be no need for any vaccinations prior to arrival. Public and private health facilities are available in most cities and towns. First aid and emergency facilities are also accessible whenever needed

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