Libya, the fourth largest state in Africa, is located in the Northern part of the Continent and lies between latitudes 33ºN and approximately 20ºN and longitudes 20ºE and 25ºE.

With a Mediterranean coastline of approximately 1820 km in length, it is bordered by Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south with Algeria and Tunisia to the west and northwest respectively.

Libya has an area of approximately 1.775 million sq. km., 3 times the surface area of France, the capital city being Tarabulus (Tripoli).

Libya has played host to many civilizations, and has enriched civilization in its turn, with writings, drawings and engravings.

Phoenician, Roman and Byzantine ports (Tripoli, Sabratah, Libdah, Shah'hat, Susah, Tukrah and Talmitha), old Islamic cities such as Sirt, Darnah, and Ajdabiya, and other cities can be found in the heart of the desert, including Ghadames, Zuwaylah, Jalu, Ojla, Ghat, and Fezzan.

Gharyan, Mizdah, Al-Qaryat, Yifran, Jadu, Nalut, Misallatah and Awinat are places and fortresses wich can also be found there.

Libya is a country with a great history, a country of breathtaking beauty.

High mountain chains are just one of the beauties of its fabulous landscape with green fields and sun-drenched Mediterranean beaches.

The desert, watered by magnificent oases, extends far into Africa. Fabulous villages and cities scattered amongst meadows, with oases everywhere.

There are historical monuments (like the engravings of the Akakus mountains, the cities of Jarma, Zakakra and Sabha) forests and towering mountains.

The first site most tourists visit is Tarabulus (Tripoli), Libya's biggest city, the queen of the seas. It is an historical site where every monument tells a story.

Tripoli, founded in the first millennium BC, is still a lush garden filled with olive trees, palms, grapevines, and orange groves.

Climate

Due to the lack of natural barriers, the climate is greatly influenced by the desert to the south and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. The coastal regions have a Mediterranean climate with moderate temperatures and enough rain during the winter months for grain farming.

In Tripoli average temperatures are 30 ºC (86 ºF) in summer and 8 º C (46 ºF) in winter; annual precipitation averages 380 mm (15 in) and falls mainly in winter.

The mountains of the Jabal Al-Akhdar attract considerably more reliable rainfall in winter and early spring, while in summer the heights are cooler than the surrounding plains.

Semi-arid conditions predominate in the AL MARJ and JAFFARA plains, and in the southern deserts frequent periods of drought occur. A scorching wind called the "GHIBLI" which is a hot, very dry, sand laden wind which can raise the temperatures in a matter of hours to between 40 ºC and 50 ºC, occasionally blows into the usually humid coastal towns.