Land area

1,759,540 sq km

Population

6.16m (2007 mid-year estimate, IMF)

Main towns

Population in '000 (2003 estimates, National Authority for Information and Documentation)

Tripoli (capital): 1,149

Benghazi: 636

Misurata: 360

Al Mirqab: 328

Al Bitnan: 142

Sebha: 126

Climate

Hot and dry with mild winters

Weather in Tripoli

Hottest month, August, 22-30°C (average daily minimum and maximum); coldest month, January, 8-16°C; driest month, July, 1 mm average rainfall; wettest month, December, 94 mm average rainfall

Language

Arabic

Measures

Metric

Currency

Libyan dinar (LD) = 1,000 dirham. Average official exchange rate in 2009: LD1.21:US$1

Time

2 hours ahead of GMT

Public holidays

Commercial offices and government establishments are closed on Fridays. Other than the usual Islamic celebrations, national holidays include Declaration of the People's Power Day (March 3rd); Evacuation Day (June 11th); Revolution Day (July 23rd); and National Day (September 1st)