Libya is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya faces Egypt to the east, Sudan to the south east, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.
The capital is Tripoli.
97% of the population in Libya are Muslims, who belong to the Sunni branch. Small numbers of Ibadi Muslims and Sufis also exists in the country. The main language spoken in Libya is Arabic (the Libyan dialect) by 95% of Libyans, and Modern Standard Arabic is also the official language; the Berber languages spoken by 5% (i.e. Berber and Tuareg languages), which do not have official status, are spoken by Berbers and Tuaregs in the south part of the country beside the Arabic language.
Muammar Gaddafi has no official title, but he runs Libya and is the de facto chief of state. His four decades of iron-fisted rule is coming to an end. But Fareed Zakaria says Gadhafi will not surrender. In 2011, an anti-Gaddafist uprising led by the National Transitional Council (NTC) broke out, resulting in civil war. NATO intervened militarily on the side of the NTC, resulting in the government's downfall. Retreating to Sirte, Gaddafi was captured and killed (Oct. 20, 2011) by NTC militants.
The Country profile , the CIA Factbook, and the history.
Muammar al-Qadhafi's history.
Pres. Obama's Timeline of the conflict in Libya
Transition from autocratic rule in Libya a challenge
Qaddafi's final moments as his era comes to an end . World leaders react to Gadhafi's death with common themes: regret for those killed during Gadhafi's rule, calls for national reconciliation and a move toward democracy.
" For four decades, the Qaddafi regime ruled the Libyan people with an iron fist. Basic human rights were denied. Innocent civilians were detained, beaten and killed. And Libya’s wealth was squandered. The enormous potential of the Libyan people was held back, and terror was used as a political weapon. Today, we can definitively say that the Qaddafi regime has come to an end. The last major regime strongholds have fallen. The new government is consolidating the control over the country. And one of the world’s longest-serving dictators is no more. " - Pres. Obama's remarks
“The NATO alliance worked like it was designed to do, burden sharing. In total it cost us $2 billion, no American lives lost, we carried the burden a lot of other places where NATO is-the primary burden like in Afghanistan–and this was really burden sharing. That’s the model.” VP Biden
