Misplaced Pages

Politics of Libya
Member State of the Arab League
Constitution 2017 draft constitution 2011 Constitutional Declaration (Basic Law) 1977 People's Authority 1969 Constitution 1951 Constitution
Executive Presidential Council (in Tripoli) Chairman: Mohamed al-Menfi Government of National Unity (in Tripoli) Prime Minister: Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh Government of National Stability (in Tobruk) Prime Minister: Osama Hammad (acting)
Legislature High Council of State Chairman: Khalid al-Mishri House of Representatives Chairman: Aguila Saleh Issa
Judiciary Supreme Judicial Council of Libya Supreme Court Courts of Appeal Courts of First Instance
Administrative divisions Districts
Elections Recent elections Presidential: next Parliamentary: 2014 next Constitutional: 2014 Municipal: 2014 2019–21 Political parties
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Najla Mangoush Diplomatic missions of / in Libya Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
Libya portal Other countries
v t e

In Libya there are currently 106 districts, second level administrative subdivisions known in Arabic as baladiyat (singular baladiyah). The number has varied since 2013 between 99 and 108. The first level administrative divisions in Libya are currently the governorates (muhafazat), which have yet to be formally delineated, but which were originally tripartite as: Tripolitania in the northwest, Cyrenaica in the east, and Fezzan in the southwest; and later divided into ten governorates.

Prior to 2013 there were twenty-two first level administrative subdivisions known by the term shabiyah (Arabic singular شعبية šaʿbiyya, plural šaʿbiyyāt) which constituted the districts of Libya. In the 1990s the shabiyat had replaced an older baladiyat system.

Historically the area of Libya was considered three provinces (or states), Tripolitania in the northwest, Cyrenaica in the east, and Fezzan in the southwest. It was the conquest by Italy in the Italo-Turkish War that united them in a single political unit. Under the Italians Libya was eventually divided into four provinces and one territory: Tripoli, Misrata, Benghazi, Derna, (in the north) and the Territory of the Libyan Sahara (in the south). After the French and British occupied Libya in 1943, it was again split into three provinces: Tripolitania in the northwest, Cyrenaica in the east, and Fezzan-Ghadames in the southwest.

Article 176 of the 1951 constitution of Libya stated "The Kingdom of Libya shall be divided into administrative units in conformity with the law to be promulgated in this connection. Local and regional councils may be formed in the Kingdom. The extent of these units shall be determined by law which shall likewise organize these Councils." in exact quote.

After independence (1951), Libya was divided into three governorates (muhafazat), matching the three provinces of before, but in 1963 it was divided into ten governorates. In 1983 a new system was introduced dividing the country into forty-six districts (baladiyat). In 1987 this was reduced to twenty-five districts.

On 2 August 1995, Libya reorganized into thirteen districts (shabiyat). In 1998 this was increased to 26 shabiyat districts. In 2001 it was increased to thirty-two districts plus three administrative regions. Finally in 2007 it was reduced to twenty-two districts.

For historical evolution see also: Subdivisions of Libya.

Libyan districts were further subdivided into Basic People's Congresses which act as townships or boroughs until 2011.

Etymology

The term شعبية in Arabic can mean both "popularity" or "That that is of the people" or more simply "pertaining to the people". The second meaning was used by the Libyan government to refer to the districts of Libya, in tandem with the general ideology of the state. Sha'biyat in Libya are the highest administrative level. A lower level, equivalent to a county, exists and divides each Shabiyah into smaller entities.

The term was new and exclusive to Libya, in line with exclusive terms for republic (jamahiriya), ministry (amanah) and embassy (people's-bureau)—all of which are different from what is used throughout Arabic-speaking countries, including even Libya itself before its adoption of the neology.

Districts (Shabiya)

Shabiyah (Arabic: شعبية šaʿbiyyah, plural: شعبيات šaʿbiyyāt) is a neologism exclusive to Libya under Gaddafi, in line with exclusive terms for republic (jamahiriya), ministry (amanah) and embassy (people's-bureau). The term basically means a district, that is, a top level administrative division. Etymologically, it is an adjective meaning "of or pertaining to the people, popular".

22 districts (2007)

In 2007 the twenty-two districts (shabiya) replaced the older thirty-two district system.

The list is as following:

32 districts (2001)

The 2001 reorganization of Libya into districts (shabiya) resulted in thirty-two districts and three administrative regions (المنطقة الإدارية):

The three administrative regions are missing from the above map, Qatrun, Marada, and Jaghbub

26 districts (1998)

In 1998 Libya was reorganized into twenty-six districts which were: Butnan, Jafara, Jufra, Kufra, Marj, Murqub, Quba, Al Wahat, Bani Walid, Benghazi, Derna, Gharyan, Jabal al Akhdar, Murzuq, Misrata, Nalut, Nuqat al Khams, Sabha, Sabrata/Sorman, Sirte, Tarhuna/Msalata, Tripoli, Wadi al Hayaa, Wadi al Shatii, Yafran, and Zawiya

13 districts (1995)

On 2 August 1995 Libya dropped the baladiyat system and reorganized into thirteen districts (shabiyat). Among them were Butnan (formerly Tobruk), Jabal al Akhdar, Jabal al Gharbi, Zawiya, Benghazi, and Tripoli. However, there is not agreement about the other seven names.

Former baladiya

Baladiyah (singular) or baladiyat (plural), are Arabic words used in many Arab countries to denote administrative divisions of the country. In Libya, the baladiyat system of districts was introduced in 1983 to replace the governorate system. Originally there were forty-six baladiyat districts, but in 1988 that number was reduced to twenty-five baladiyat. The table hereunder lists the old twenty-five baladiyat in alphabetical order with a link to each one and numbered to be located on the map. Note that each district linked may be both a baladiyah and a shabiyah. The many changes may not always be reflected in the article.

1 Ajdabiya 2 ‘Aziziya 3 Butnan 4 Fati 5 Jabal al Akhdar 6 Jufra 7 Khoms 8 Kufra 9 Nuqat al Khams 10 Wadi al Shatii 11 Ubari 12 Zawiya 13 Benghazi

14 Derna 15 Ghadames 16 Gharyan 17 Misrata 18 Murzuq 19 Sabha 20 Sawfajjin 21 Sirte 22 Tripoli 23 Tarhuna 24 Yafran 25 Zlitan

Evolution

For 1995 data, and are the two different sources mentioned in the bibliography: "The Europa World Year Book 2001" and "Ershiyi (21) Shiji Shijie Diming Lu", Beijing, 2001.

For 1988, name is provided if different from nowadays. As said above, AR stands for the three "Administrative Region" of 2001.

Fazzan wasn't strictly a district, but a historical muhafazah or wilayah along with Tripolitania (capital Tripoli) and Cyrenaica (capital Cyrene -near nowadays Shahhat- with Diocletian, moved to Ptolemais after the earthquake of 365, and to Barce -nowadays Barca- with Omer Bin Khattab in 643).

See also

• FIPS region codes of Libya
• ISO 3166-2:LY
• List of cities in Libya
• Subdivisions of Libya

Notes

1. "Baladiyat" (in Arabic). Central Committee for the election of baladiyah councils. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021.
2. "Baladiyat" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 25 January 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
3. "اسماء البلديات" [The names of the baladiyat] (in Arabic). اللجنة المركزية لانتخاب المجالس البلدية . 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 13 December 2015.
4. Vandewalle, Dirk (2015). "Libya's Uncertain Revolution". In Cole, Peter; McQuin, Brian (eds.). The Libyan Revolution and its Aftermath. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-19-025733-0.
5. Ross, Simona; Wolff, Stefan; Marc, Alexandre (26 January 2021). "Building peace through subnational governance: The case of Libya". Brookings Institution.
6. Pan, Chia-Lin (1949) "The Population of Libya" Population Studies, 3(1): pp. 100–125, p. 104
7. "Map of Libya 1943–1951" Zentrale für Unterrichtsmedien
8. شعبيات الجماهيرية العظمى – Sha'biyat of Great Jamahiriya Archived December 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, accessed 10 May 2009, in Arabic
9. :"Libya population statistics" (in English and Arabic). Geohive. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
10. ^ "Districts of Libya". Statoids.com. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
11. Libyan General Information Authority Archived 2011-02-24 at the Wayback Machine accessed 22 July 2009
12. Bureau of Statistics and Census Libya (website).
13. "الشعبيات بالجماهيرية" ("Districts of Libya") Website of the General People's Committee of Libya, from WebArchive dated 30 August 2006
14. "Districts of Libya:Alqtron Tjrhi" Website of the General People's Committee of Libya, in Arabic, from Web Archive dated 30 August 2006
15. "Districts of Libya:Mradq" Website of the General People's Committee of Libya, in Arabic, from Web Archive dated 30 August 2006
16. "Districts of Libya:Aljgbob" Website of the General People's Committee of Libya, in Arabic, from Web Archive dated 30 August 2006
17. "Libya" 2006 Statesman's Yearbook
18. "Districts of Libya". statoids.com. Retrieved 27 October 2009. and German wikipedia
19. Spanish, Italian, Polish and Portuguese wikipedias

External links

• Historical population data by district from Universiteitsbibliotheek Utrecht (Library, University of Utrecht), retrieved by WebArchive.
• Administrative Map of Libya – Nations Online Project

v t e Libya
History	Ancient Roman Islamic Tripolitania and Cyrenaica Spanish Tripoli Hospitaller Tripoli Ottoman Italian colonization Italian Tripolitania Italian Cyrenaica Italian Libya Libyan genocide The Holocaust Allied occupation Kingdom Libya under Gaddafi State of Libya Libyan Crisis 2011 2014–2020
Geography	Borders Cities Climate Districts Ecoregions Libyan Desert Municipalities Subdivisions Wildlife
Politics	Constitution Elections Foreign relations Foreign relations under Gaddafi Government of National Accord Government of National Unity Presidential Council Head of state Head of government High Council of State House of Representatives Military Human rights LGBT
Economy	Agriculture Central Bank Communications Companies Dinar (currency) Energy Great Man-Made River National Oil Corporation Oil reserves Tourism Transport
Culture	Demographics Education Health Libyan Arabic Literature Media Music Public holidays Religion Sports Football Olympics Women
Outline Index Category Portal

v t e Historical regions of Libya
	Cyrenaica Fezzan Tripolitania
Subdivisions Provinces Governorates Districts Baladiyat

• Districts of Libya
• Administrative divisions in Africa
• First-level administrative divisions by country
• Libya geography-related lists
• Lists of administrative divisions