| Libya |
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Largely known as the land of the Saharan desert, Libya is located in North Africa and it is 1,759,540 sq KM with a population of 5.2 million. It's capital is Tripoli. It is the 4th largest country in Africa. Bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the North (almost 2000 KM), Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Niger and Chad to the south, and Tunisia and Algeria to the west.
As big as Germany, France, Scandinavia and Holland put together, Libya is the gateway to the Arab Maghraeb, and the link between Europe and Africa. It also connects the desert to the sea and is a country which, more than any other, has succeeded in remaining a virgin land. 
The great Libyan Sahara desert is one of the last real wilderness areas on earth. In the late 19th century, when explorers first began to cross the Sahara, no journey was considered more hazardous. Today with the benefit of modern vehicles and roads, it is comparatively safe and just as exciting, and destinations that used to take days to reach now take only a few hours. The oases are havens of calm and tranquility, where one can enjoy an abundance of water and shade amongst the palms in a gorgeous setting . They are islands in the great sand sea. ..... Desert lovers have plenty to explore in the south.... in the Sahara awaits the more intrepid traveler penetrating deeper into Libya; there are also the pre-historic cave paintings of the Acacus Mountains and the ruins of the Garamantian civilization in Wadi al-Hayat. Libya is composed of basement rocks of the Precambrian age. There is also evidence of ancient volcanic activity. An infinite variety of landscapes, where areas of stony ground alternate with huge expanses of rock worn smooth by the wind, salt deserts and dried-up lakes, and enormous sand dunes that can reach a height of over one thousand feet. Nature is made even more beautiful by the total silence and infinite horizons, and stirred up in spring and autumn by the whistling Ghibli, meaning 'south' in Arabic, the wind that has become a symbol of the desert itself. Lakes surrounded by lush vegetation flash like sparkling gems amongst the dunes. The oasis is the only place where life is possible. - More detalis & information coming soon... Weather Forecast for Tripoli, Libya.Important citiesTripoli, Benghazi, Cyrene, Ghadhames, Ghat, Sabha.All civilizations that flourished in the Mediterranean left their marks on Libya. First come the Phoenicians, then the Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, and Byzantines, Finally, the tyrannical years of Byzantine rule ended in the 7th century A.D. when the Arab Muslims come to Libya to spread Islam, and Libya became a part of the Islamic Nation. The major cities of ancient times, beacons of civilization, sprang up along the coast. At first these settlements simply functioned as emporia. Or ports and markets used for trading and for taking on supplies during long sea voyages. Later they became city-states of primary importance, exerting considerable influence over neighboring territories. 
As Cyrene became the leading city of the region, history became enriched by diverse cultural influences and events that live on in the ruined Temples of Zeus and Apollo, the Tolemaion, the Theatre, and the monumental Agora and Acropolis. Libya culture centers on folk art and traditions. The dominant geometric and arabesque designs are best presented in the stucco and tiles of the Karamanli and Gurig mosques of Tripoli. In the Libyan culture, its style is best seen in the mosaics. Known as one of the oldest decorative arts practiced in the Roman Empire, mosaics can be seen in public buildings as well as in the villas and constructions built near the coast by the African bourgeoisie. The intricate designs reveal a blend of Greek classicism, Roman realism, and the spirit of the ancient people. Graffiti was engraved on cave walls and rock paintings with a very refined technique documenting an almost tropical fauna of elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses, ostriches and crocodiles from the Paleolithic to Neolithic - and even more recent - ages, that are no longer found in this area. - More information coming soon... Travel and Tourist
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