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[[Image:{{country |flag=LibyaFlag.gif|thumbnail250pix|right |250pxcapital=Tripoli |government=Authoritarian |language=Arabic, Italian, English |president-raw=[[Muammar al-Gaddafi|Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi]] |area=1,759,540,558 sq. km |pop=6,036,914 |pop-basis=(2007 estimate) |gdp=72.7 billion |gdp-year=(2007 estimate) |gdp-pc=$12,300}}   '''Libya''' (Arabic الجماهيرية العربية الليبية الشعبية الإشتراكية العظم and formally : Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) is a country in northern [[Africa]]. The country is officially a [[Democracy]], has been described as a [[Socialism|Socialist state]], and is in practice a [[Military Junta]]. The country borders the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to the north, [[Egypt]] to the east, [[Sudan]] to the southeast, [[Chad]] and [[Niger]] to the south, [[Algeria]] to the west, and [[Tunisia]] to the northwest. Originally the Ottoman Turks controlled the area around Tripoli but in 1911 the [[Italians]] would take control, and held much of North Africa until 1943 when they were defeated in [[World War II]]. The country has been led by the infamous [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]] since 1969, who siezed power in a military coupe. The country is nearly 98% desert. Libya has large oil wealth which contributes some 95% of export earnings.<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ly.html</ref> In 1981 the [[United States]] [[US_Navy|Navy]] shot down two Libyan FlagSukhoi SU-22 Fitter fighter jets when they fired upon F-14s in when the carrier USS Nitmitz was operating in international waters, which Libya claimed. In retaliation, in 1985 Libyan agents would blow up terrorist bombs in Berlin at a nightclub and in the Rome and Vienna airports. In early 1986 the US Navy would send a message to the state sponsers of terrorism by sinking two Libyan warships and attacking Libyan army bases, again after being fired upon. The Libyan government was again sponser terrorism and hijack Pan Am flight 73 and would bomb of Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21, 1988. The Libyans also supported the [[PLO]]and [[IRA]] during the 1980s. The Libyan Government formally accepted responsibility for the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing in 2002, and offered $2.7 billion to compensate the families and rebuild international relationships. In December 2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to develop [[weapons of mass destruction]].  ==References==