Libya's Geography | Libya 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: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: Slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries: Total: 4,348 km border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline: 1,770 km

Maritime claims: Territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain: Mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use: Arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2001)

Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: Hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

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

Environment - international agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: More than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

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