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| Entry Regulations / General Information |
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Entry for German Nationals |
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Travellers must hold a visa; on application, a national passport valid for at least a further six months, detailed information on the scheduled travel route and return tickets must be submitted (among other documents). The visa application takes approximately 2-3 weeks (only visas issued in Berlin will be accepted!).
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Geographical Location |
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The "Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya" is located in North Africa and is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt and The Sudan to the east, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.
Libya is divided into three provinces: Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan.
Libya is for the most part composed of the Sahara desert.
Total area: 1,759,000km².
Administrative divisions: 13 regions.
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Population |
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Population: approximately 5,7 million.
Cities (approximate numbers): Tripoli (capital) 1.7 million; Banghazi 800,000; Al-Zawiyah 280,000; Misurata 230,000; Al-Khoms 190,000.
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Language |
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Classical Arabic is the official language and the lingua franca. Moreover there are numerous Maghribian dialects and Berber and Nilo-Saharan languages. English and Italian are sometimes spoken as commercial languages.
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Time Difference |
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Central European Time (CET) + 1 hour..
During European summer time there is no time difference.
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Electricity |
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In the cities usually 150 and 220V alternating current, 50Hz.
Most apartments are equipped with sockets suitable for both types of voltage. There may be occasional power failures. Multiple plug adapters should be carried, as different types of plugs are in use.
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Postal Service |
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Post offices are only available in larger cities. Postal services are unreliable; letters are occasionally censored. Mail sent by airmail to Europe takes approximately two weeks to arrive.
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Telephone |
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The international dialling code for calls from Western Europe to Libya is 00218; in the case of calls from Libya to Western Europe the prefix "00" must be dialled prior to the relevant international country code (for example in the case of calls to Germany: 00-49). Automatic dialling service is available.
Calls must be made from post offices as only an inadequate number of public phone boxes is available.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS: Police, ambulance, fire brigade 191.
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Mobile Phones |
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Mobile network technologies: GSM 900.
Information for users of mobile phones registered with German network providers: Mobile phones connected to the E-Plus, O2 or Vodafone networks can be used due to international roaming agreements. Travellers intending to use other mobile phones are advised to contact their network provider for detailed information.
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Internet |
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Country code suffix: .ly
Internet cafes are available in Benghazi, Al Khoms, Misurata, Tripoli, und Zleetin.
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Public Holidays |
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7 January (Day of the First General People´s Congress), 2 March (Proclamation of Jamahiriya), 8 March (Anniversary of the Syrian Revolution), 28 March (Day of the British Evacuation), 15 April (day of remembrance of the bombardments of Tripoli by US combat aircraft), 11 June (Day of the Evacuation), 23 July (Day of the Egyptian Revolution), 1 September (National Holiday), 7 October (Day of the Italian Evacuation).
Apart from the holidays listed above there are also numerous annual movable Islamic holidays, for example Aïd al Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), Muharram (Islamic New Year), Mawlid an Nabi (Prophet´s Birthday), Lailat al Miraj (Ascension of the Prophet) and Aïd el-Fitr (end of Ramadan).
Friday is the weekly day of rest.
The main holiday season ranges from July to August. During the Ramadan period reduced business activity/opening hours must be expected.
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Opening Hours |
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Please note that there are no uniform opening hours; these may vary consiberably.
* Banks: in winter Sat to Wed 8a.m.-12p.m., in summer Sat to Thurs 8a.m.-12p.m. (Sat and Wed also 4p.m.-5p.m.)
* Offices/shops: in winter 8a.m.-12:30p.m. and 2p.m.-5:30p.m., in summer 7:30a.m.-12:30p.m. and 2:30p.m.-6:30p.m. (partly offices and shops have longer lunch breaks)
* Post offices: Sat to Wed 8a.m.-12p.m. and 3/4p.m.-5/6p.m.
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Clothes |
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Light summer clothes are appropriate from April to November, but travellers should also take light woollen clothes for the chilly nights, or even warm woollen clothes when staying in the desert at night. Travellers visiting the country during the period from November to March are recommended to only take warmer clothes. A raincoat or similar rainwear will be needed from December to February. Men usually wear long-sleeved shirts instead of jackets during the day; in the evening light suits are appropriate. Shorts are frowned upon in the cities/villages. Women are advised to generally dress conservatively.
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© 2001 All rights reserved TIP Gesellschaft für Touristik-Informations-Programme mbH, München Last updated: 14.03.2007 - Proposals, hints and contact - Copyright
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