| Libya ((ar)ليبيا) | |
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| Flag | |
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| Information | |
| Capital city | Tripoli |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 760 000 km² |
| Population | 6 400 000 hab. (2010) |
| Density | 3,64 inhab./km² |
| Cash | Libyan dinar (LYD) |
| Electricity | 127 V/50 Hz Where 230 V/50 Hz |
| Telephone prefix | 218 |
| Internet suffix | .ly |
| Flow direction | Right-hand drive |
| Spindle | UTC 2 |
| Location | |
 27 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ N 17 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ E | |
The Libya is a country ofNorth Africa, border of the Tunisia to the north-west ofAlgeria to the west, from Niger to the southwest, from Chad to the south, from Sudan in the south-eastEgypt to the east, and bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north.
Understand
Geography
Weather
Story
Population
Religion
THE'Islam is the main religion. There is a small Christian minority in the country.
Holidays and public holidays
Regions
.png/350px-Libya_Regions_map_(fr).png) Libya Map |
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Cities
- 1 Tripoli – The capital
- 2 Benghazi – 2nd most populous city in the country.
- 3 Derna
- Ghadames
- Misratah
- Sabha
- Shahat – the ancient city of Cyrene
- Sirte
- Tobruk
- Zawia
Other destinations
From Tripoli to the Tunisian border
TO 66 km west of Tripoli, is the westernmost of the "Tripolis". Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, it is, with Leptis Magna, one of two major Roman archaeological sites in Libya.
On the way from Tripoli, the curious can discover Al Rabich (12 ° 38'53.53 "E, 32 ° 47'18.52" N), reputed to be the largest open-air junkyard in Africa. On 4 km from the power station of Zawia, the coastal road is lined with countless wrecks of wrecked cars. The entrepreneurial spirit has taken advantage of the automotive approximations of the Libyans and the shops are specialized in the resale of spare parts from one to two makes of vehicles. Along the rest of the road to Sorman you will be able to see many quarries of limestone blocks, still used for the construction of dwellings. Exploited since Italian colonization, these quarries have eaten away at the cliff that previously threw itself into the sea.
From Tripoli to Misrata
In its time, it was the second largest city in the Roman Empire, after Rome.
The Djebel Nefoussa
To go
Formalities
Access to Libya requires being the bearer ofa passport valid for at least six months after the scheduled return date which must be accompanied by a official translation in Arabic to ask at the consulate. This passport must also be stamped with a Visa... but be aware that at present, obtaining it remains complicated as a simple tourist, due to the persistent climate of insecurity in the country.
The cost of the visa is € 60 for an entry valid for 30 days and € 120 for a period of 3 months with multiple entries.
 | Visa restrictions: The entry visa to Libya will be systematically refused to any citizen ofIsrael as well as to any traveler presenting proof of passage in the same country. These include entry stamps or visas for Israel but also exit stamps from Egypt and Jordan at the land borders with Israel, plane tickets and Hebrew-denominated invoices, etc. |
By plane
Tripoli is served by the majority of major European companies and by companies in the Middle East [1] and of course by Libyan Airlines[2] where the airport is the main hub, we can expect a daily flight to major regional airports such as Heathrow, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Rome, Cairo and several weekly flights to Milan, Manchester, Vienna, Alexandria, etc.
A new private Libyan company, Afriqiyah[3] serves many European and African cities from Tripoli. It uses new Airbus planes and seems to want to multiply its destinations quickly.
Another new Libyan private company, Buraq provides domestic flights as well as some restricted international flights (eg to Istanbul). Note that a few devices from the Buraq fleet (but not all) have recently appeared on the list of risky air carriers published by the European Union.
There are also some international flights between the second city of the country, Benghazi toAlexandria and Cairo (according to the LAA website, London and Casablanca are scheduled from Benghazi) but the traffic is more seasonal and it is best to check in advance.
Of course, there are many direct flights from Amsterdam for example to small oasis towns in the middle of the Sahara but these are chartered by oil companies for private use (such as transporting foreign workers directly to the oil fields).
On a boat
Since 2009, a maritime link has existed between Sfax (Tunisia) and Tripoli: 12 h, 25-50 € one way ticket.
By train
Libya has no international rail link or a significant domestic rail network.
By bus
There are bus connections to and from the Tunisia andEgypt.
By car
You can enter Libya by crossing a land border, except the one with the Chad who is closed since 03/03/2019. There are buses and "shared taxis" (6 passengers inside a station wagon) from Tunis, Alexandria, Cairo, Djerba, etc.
There are many blogs of people who made the trip with their own 4 x 4 or their own off-road motorbike, camper van etc. It seems that they encountered some difficulties at the border (1-2 days to sort out the paper problems) but once in the country they were able to enjoy great hospitality.
Circulate
By plane
Libyan Airlines[4] offers many domestic flights which are relatively inexpensive. The same destinations are also served by the new private company Buraq (see the Arriving section).
On a boat
By train
Libya has not had a rail network since 1965. There are various projects to rehabilitate certain tracks.
By bus
There are many bus lines between the main cities and it is definitely a cheap way to travel. The most important bus companies use newer coaches with air conditioning and relatively comfortable. A detail that can be important on longer journeys (such as Tripoli To Benghazi which takes around 14 h by bus). These buses stop for meals and the all-important tea breaks (shahee) along the route. A faster method is to take "shared taxis" but some drivers tend to be more reckless to shorten the journey time.
By car
Most road signs are only written in Arabic, rarely in English.
Speed limits:
- Highway: 100 km / h (65 km / h with trailer ...)
- Route: 85 km / h (60 km / h with trailer ...)
- City : 50 km / h
No blood alcohol level is allowed while driving.
To speak
THE'Arab is the main language although others such as Berber and Tuareg are used locally in many small towns. THE'English is little spoken but widely understood in the main cities.
Libya's Italian colonial past and access to television in the 1980s meant that theItalian is relatively often understood. However, this is not comparable with the situation, for example, of French in Tunisia or Morocco. Several Italian words are used in everyday speech such as "semafaro" (traffic lights) and "benzina" (gasoline).
To buy
The currency of Libya is the Libyan dinar (dinar, LYD)
Eat
Libyan gastronomy is first and foremost family cuisine, made up of dishes that often require significant preparation time, served in large quantities during celebrations and family events. A reason for certain family pride, Libyan cuisine is only served in a few restaurants.
Sfinz: it is not uncommon to see queues forming in the morning in front of stalls where the smell of frying floats. Breakfast of the simplest, a pancake of dough is thrown in a basin of boiling oil where it seizes. An egg is broken on its center, then covered with a smaller dough patty. When fried, a golden donut is formed, served hot on a piece of paper that quickly becomes translucent, eaten immediately seasoned with harissa.
Briouch: favorite breakfast of Tripolitans, croissant heated in the microwave or in a waffle iron and served covered with butter, syrup, honey, nutella and almonds.
Chorba libya: Libyan soup, bird tongue pasta cooked in a tomato-based sauce and lamb meat, seasoned with spices.
Haraimi: a sort of bouillabaisse, fish (preferably grouper) cooked with vegetables in a spicy tomato-based sauce.
Mubatan: “Estomaché” in literal translation, vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants) stuffed with minced meat.
Basilia bil sibia: peas and dry, cooked and served together.
Bourdim: Meat foil (lamb or chicken) in aluminum foil, stewed in a special barbecue with a small fireplace. One of Libyans' favorite picnic recipes, portable bourdim barbecues are even sold in grocery stores. Note that bourdim is a traveller's dish, always served in roadside restaurants and never in town centers.
Hosban: mutton belly stuffed with a mixture of rice, liver, vegetables and mint and boiled in its own juice.
Rijda: Artisanal pasta in the shape of vermicelli, cooked and served covered with candied onions, chickpeas and a tomato sauce seasoned with spices (cinnamon, pepper).
State: flagship dish of the great south of Libya, it is made from a mixture of torn bread pancakes, wet with a tomato-based sauce and on which are served candied onions, chickpeas, mutton and vegetables.
Bazin: emblematic dish of Libyan cuisine and a popular topic of conversation among Libyans who seem to get their fill just to talk about it. Bazin is a sort of wheat flour polenta in the shape of a salad bowl, in which hard-boiled eggs are planted and served covered with a tomato and meat-based sauce. Eat by hand in shared dishes, especially on the occasion of holidays and family moments.
Couscous: dish available throughout North Africa according to regional variations. In Libya, couscous seed is served cooked, sometimes flavored with cinnamon, and covered in a sauce made from tomato, candied onions and chickpeas with mutton. In the region of the city of Zintan, sand truffles are added to the sauce and served mixed with vegetables, sips of juice.
Mbakbuka: if Libyan cuisine is above all the secret of Libyan mothers and daughters, mbakbuka is the dish that men would not let them prepare for the world. A sauce based on tomatoes and crushed garlic, spiced with chili pepper, in which onions, peppers, potatoes, cubed lambs come back, then diluted in the water in which the pasta was cooked. The name of the dish corresponds to the sound of the boiling water which reduces ("mbak mbak") before the pasta is served in a large tin plate. The guests eat them by hand, enhancing their flavor of a squeezed lime. Prepared preferably on the farm or on the beach, it is not uncommon to see Libyans making special barbecues for the pan where the mbakbuka is cooked.
Hasida: Favorite holiday dessert, a sort of wheat flour flan served with a sweet sauce or date syrup.
Have a drink / Go out
The most common drink in Libya is tea. Green tea and "red" tea are served almost everywhere, in small cups, it is usually sweet. Mint is sometimes mixed with tea, especially after meals.
Coffee is traditionally served Turkish style: strong, in small cups, without milk. Most coffee shops in large cities have an espresso machine. The quality is variable so ask the inhabitants about the best places around.
Alcohol is officially banned in Libya although there are rumors of government plans to allow the sale of alcohol in some mass hotel complexes for Western customers in the future. In reality alcohol is readily available through the local black market (from whiskey to beer to wine).
Note that the fines for illegal purchasing can be steep and travelers should always exercise common sense in obeying local laws, and more importantly, sensitivities and traditions.
Housing
Big cities have a range of accommodations available from seedy hotels to true five star ones. Prices vary accordingly.
Although it seems to decrease with the arrival of more tourists each year, Libyans have a strong tradition of taking travelers into their own homes and lavishing hospitality on them. This is certainly true in small towns and villages.
There are youth hostels with the Federation of VSV (HI). Call 218 21 4445171.
To learn
To work
Security
 | Emergency telephone number: All emergency services:1515 |
Government travel advice
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Belgium (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) 
Canada (Government of Canada) 
France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 
Swiss (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
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Health
Not all bottled water is safe in Libya. Be sure to ask which ones are the safest. There are also foreign brands.
Respect
Ramadan date
Majority of Muslims insist on local sighting of the crescent moon to mark the start of Ramadan, but others insist on calculating the new moon or declaring it saudi to determine the start of the month. Since the first crescent after the new moon is not visible everywhere at the same time, the start and end dates of the month depend on what is visible in each location. Therefore, the dates vary from country to country, but usually only one day. |
