Part 429

Branches: NA; the ultimate structure of the Liberian military force will depend on who is the victor in the ongoing civil war

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 479,274 males fit for military service: 256,200 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $14 million, 2.9% of GDP (1993)

======================================================================

@Libya -----

Map ---

Location: 25 00 N, 17 00 E -- Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia

Flag ----

Description: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion)

Geography ---------

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

Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 1,759,540 sq km land area: 1,759,540 sq km comparative area: 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 Gulf of Sidra closing line: 32 degrees 30 minutes north

International disputes: the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in February 1994 that the 100,000 sq km Aozou Strip between Chad and Libya belongs to Chad and that Libya must withdraw from it by 31 May 1994; Libya has withdrawn some of its forces in response to the ICJ ruling, but still maintains part of the airfield and a small military presence at the airfield's water supply located in Chad; maritime boundary dispute with Tunisia; claims part of northern Niger and part of southeastern Algeria

Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 8% forest and woodland: 0% other: 90%

Irrigated land: 2,420 sq km (1989 est.)

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 natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms international agreements: party to - Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

People ------

Population: 5,445,436 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (male 1,319,696; female 1,274,865) 15-64 years: 49% (male 1,375,441; female 1,308,613) 65 years and over: 3% (male 87,434; female 79,387) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.67% (1996 est.)