Any Travels

Libya is situated on the coast of North Africa and is the fourth largest country on the continent. It borders with Egypt in the east, Sudan in the southeast, Chad and Niger in the south, Algeria to the west and Tunisia in the northwest and the Mediterranean Sea in the north.

Libya forms part of the North African plateau extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea. The highest point is 10,335 ft, a peak in the extreme south. The main geographical areas are Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, and Fezzan. Tripolitania consists of a series of terraces rising slowly from sea level along the coastal plain of the Jafara to sharp escarpments commonly called the Jabal. These are the most important agricultural areas of Tripolitania. South of the Jabal is an upland plateau of sand, scrub and scattered masses of stone. Further south are depressions extending from east to west. Here are found many oases and artesian wells. An upland plateau rising to 2,000 ft gives a rugged coastline to Cyrenaica. This plateau, the Green Mountain (Jabal Akhdar) contains three of Libya's leading cities - Benghazi, El Bayda and Darnah. Further south, the desert is studded with oases such as Jalu and Jaghbub. South of Cyrenaica are the Tibesti Mountains. The Fezzan is largely a series of depressions with occasional oases. There are no perennial rivers in the whole country.

Libya does not sound like an every day tourist destination, and it's not. That, however, does not mean that that you shouldn't go! Quite the contrary, Libya has marvellous monuments dating back to Roman and Greek times, good souqs and lots of great desert for you to explore. The capital Triploi is well worth a visit as well. The people are very friendly and curious. You might want to avoid discussing sensitive political topics.

Tripoli
Tripoli, the capital of Libya, is well worth a visit. Although the oil boom has produced quite a few ugly buildings, the jumbled streets of the old town still offer a taste of Tripoli?s ancient charm. The city sites include a few museums, the Gurji Mosque and a U.S. Army cemetery that dates from World War II. Spend some time walking along the harbor to see the Roman Arch of Marcus Aurelius (AD 163) the Turk and Al Mushir suqs. There are also some excellent beaches just outside the city.

Great Roman ruins can be visited as day trips, include Sabratha and Leptis magna.

Culture

Libya has a population of over five million, around half of whom are under the age of 15. Most Libyans are Arabs (and nearly all think of themselves as such), although ethnically there is quite a mixture of races, including Turks, Berbers, and sub-Saharan Africans. In the south, especially around Ghat, there are large Tuareg communities, most of whom now live in towns and settlements rather than pursuing a life of desert nomadism. Away from the more cosmopolitan coastal cities, tribalism remains strong, especially affecting family relationships, matrimony and social structures.

Modern Libyans adhere to the traditions of Muslim society, which revolve around family life. Most visitors' overall impressions of Libya are of modest material comforts but with none of the flashy wealth of some oil-rich nations. As a result, there is none of the general hassle toward tourists that you find in other North African countries, such as locals begging for baksheesh or hustling you to buy something. In fact, an offer of payment for a small (or even large) kindness would probably cause offence to a Libyan.

Arabic is the official language of Libya, though English is often spoken by businesspeople in the main centres and some older Libyans speak Italian. Some Berber groups still speak their own language, and Tuaregs in the south speak Tifinagh as well as Arabic. However, all road, shop and other public signs are in Arabic, so it's extremely useful if not requisite to know at least a few words. In religion, Libyans are Sunni Muslims almost across the board; they are, in general, conservative without being fundamentalist in their outlook.

There has recently been something of a revival of the arts in Libya, especially in the field of painting, and private galleries are springing up to provide a showcase for new talent. Conversely, for many years there have been no public theatres and only a few cinemas showing foreign films. The tradition of folk culture is still alive and well, with troupes performing music and dance at frequent festivals, both in Libya and abroad. The lion's share of Libyan TV is devoted to showcasing various styles of traditional Libyan music. Traditional Tuareg music and dance are popular in Ghadhames and the south.