II.

Land and Resources

About 95 per cent of Libya is made up of barren, rock-strewn plains and sand seas, with two small areas of hills rising to about 915 m (3,000 ft) in the north-west and north-east. In the south the land rises to the Tibesti along the Chad border.

A.

Climate

Climatic conditions in Libya are characterized by extreme heat and aridity. Desert and sub-desert regions have hardly any precipitation. On the coast the annual rainfall total rarely exceeds 380 mm (15 in).

B.

Natural Resources

The principal resource of Libya is petroleum. Natural gas, gypsum, limestone, marine salt, potash, and natron are also exploited.

C.

Plants and Animals

Most of Libya is either devoid of vegetation or supports only sparse growth. Date palms and olive and orange trees grow in the scattered oases, and junipers and mastic trees are found in the higher elevations. Wildlife includes desert rodents, hyena, gazelle, and wildcats. Eagles, hawks, and vultures are common.

D.

Environmental Concerns

Libya is extremely arid, and fresh water resources are scarce. Only 1 per cent (1997) of the country's land is arable, and only 0.27 per cent (1997) of its land is irrigated. There are no permanent rivers or streams in Libya, though the country has built a network of dams that store run-off from its infrequent rains, and wells have been drilled in many settlements to tap subterranean aquifers. Libya has undertaken a number of major irrigation projects intended to ease the water shortage, including the so-called Great Man-Made River (GMMR), a vast water pipeline that it is estimated will cost more than US$25 billion upon completion. The first of five planned phases in the construction of the GMMR was completed in 1996. The project will eventually tap the aquifers of the Sarir, Sabha, and Al Kufrah oases and transport fresh water to Libyan cities and agricultural areas along the Mediterranean coast. Although the project's planners predict that the GMMR could supply Libya with 5 million cubic m (177 million cubic ft) of water per day when completed, the pipeline will draw from finite reserves, and it is unclear how long the water supplies can be exploited.

Libya has pursued an extensive reforestation programme in recent decades. Since the 1960s, the government has planted more than 200 million seedlings in western Libya in an effort to prevent further soil erosion and desertification. Millions of land mines were buried in Libya during desert fighting in World War II. Many of the mines are still active, threatening the country's human and animal populations. Libya has ratified the London Dumping Convention and the Mediterranean Action Plan, although untreated sewage and waste from the country's extensive petroleum industries continue to pollute the Mediterranean Sea and coastal areas. Libya has also ratified international agreements that limit marine dumping and nuclear testing, and the country has signed treaties intended to protect biodiversity and the ozone layer. Libya is party to the World Heritage Convention.