Libya

American  

[lib-ee-uh] / ˈlɪb i ə /

noun

1. Ancient Geography. the part of N Africa W of Egypt.

2. Italian Libia.  a republic in N Africa between Tunisia and Egypt: formerly a monarchy 1951–69. 679,400 sq. mi. (1,759,646 sq. km). Tripoli.

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Libya British  

/ ˈlɪbɪə /

noun

1. Official name: Al-Jumhuria al-Arabia al-Libya ash-Shabiya al-Ishtirakiya al-Uzma.  a republic in N Africa, on the Mediterranean: became an Italian colony in 1912; divided after World War II into Tripolitania and Cyrenaica (under British administration) and Fezzan (under French); gained independence in 1951; monarchy overthrown by a military junta led by Colonel Gaddafi in 1969; Gaddafi's authoritarian regime overthrown in 2011 following a popular uprising. It consists almost wholly of desert and is a major exporter of oil. Official language: Arabic. Official religion: (Sunni) Muslim. Currency: Libyan dinar. Capital: Tripoli. Pop: 6 002 347 (2013 est). Area: 1 760 000 sq km (680 000 sq miles)

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Libya Cultural  

1. Nation in northern Africa on the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Egypt (see also Egypt) to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west. Its capital and largest city is Tripoli.

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Discover More

Under the leadership of Muammar Qaddafi, Libya pursued a policy of openly supporting and abetting terrorists around the world. This policy made Libya an outcast state with few friends outside the Arab world. Recently, Qaddafi has claimed that he now disavows terrorism.

Example Sentences

Libya has remained fractured since chaos broke loose following the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

Hosam Algaer, a Leipzig resident originally from Libya, told AFP he narrowly avoided being hit by the vehicle before running after it to try and help the injured until the car came to a stop.

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

The number of countries in the cartel has fluctuated over the years, but in addition to the five founding members it also includes Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Nigeria and the Republic of the Congo.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

More relevant, the price of oil soared in 2011 in the wake of the Arab Spring political movement and the civil war in Libya.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

People in Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, and Libya, by pushing for democracy, are arguing, in effect, for the right to argue.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith