Libya's Agricultural Economy in Brief

Excerpts from the report: Ninety-five percent of the country is classified as desert, with just over 2 percent (mainly a narrow coastal strip along the Mediterranean) presently regarded as agricultural land. Of this 2 percent, about 5.9 million acres are arable, 0.3 million are under permanent crops, and 2.8 million are in permanent meadows and pastures. An additional 2 percent of the country has some agricultural potential. Two-thirds of the nation's cultivated acreage is found in Tripolitania, where about 260,000 acres are under irrigation. Increased use of modern farming techniques would sizably improve Libya's agricultural picture, but, given present limitations on arable land, water supplies, and other agricultural resources, the country will have a continuing need to import substantial amounts of agricultural products in the foreseeable future. The leading agricultural products are grains, tomatoes, dates, potatoes, nuts, citrus fruits, grapes, olives (and olive oil), esparto grass, and animal products.