Geography & environment — Libya
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Libya: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
25 00 N, 17 00 E
- Total Area
679,358 Square Miles 1,759,540 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
679,358 Square Miles 1,759,540 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
2,702 Miles 4,348 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
- Coastline
1,100 Miles 1,770 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
- Highest Point
2,267 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
- Lowest Point
-47 Meters
- Lowest Point Location
Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
- Natural Resources
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
- Irrigated Land
1,815 Square Miles 4,700 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
- Terrain
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
- Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria
- Total Area
679,358 Square Miles 1,759,540 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
- desertification
- very limited natural fresh water resources
- the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities
- Environment - International Agreements
- party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed,
- but not ratified: Law of the Sea