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Libya has
an area of approximately 1,775,500 sq.km, and a population of about 6,000,000
(1995), the capital city being Tripoli (OEA). Libya is a cultural and geographic
bridge firstly between Egypt and the Arabian lands to the East, and the
territory of the Arab W. Secondly, Libya acts as a link between the
Mediterranean/Europe and sub-Saharian Africa.
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 season for grain farming. Annual precipitation averages 380 mm (15 in)
and falls mainly in winter, 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 deg. C and 50 deg. C, occasionally blows into the usually humid coastal
towns. The wind is most noticeable in Western Libya and is often associated with
the spring solstice.
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