Districts of Libya

Libya

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Libya

The Green Book Jamahiriya Muammar al-Gaddafi Head of state Secretary-General of the General People's Congress Mohamed Abu Al-Quasim al-Zwai General People's Committee Secretary-General Baghdadi Mahmudi General People's Congress Districts (Shabiyat) Foreign relations

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There are twenty-two districts of Libya, known by the term shabiyah (Arabic singular شعبية sha'biyah, plural sha'biyat). In the 1990s these replaced the 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, Misurata, Benghazi, Derna, (in the north) and the Territory of the Libyan Sahara (in the south).^[1] 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. ^[2]

Article 176 of the 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 extend of these units shall be determined by law which shall likewise organize these Councils." in exact quote.

After independence, 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 to was reduced to twenty-two districts.

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

Shabiyat

Shabiyah is a neologism exclusive to Libya. The term basically means a district, that is, a top level administrative division. In 2007 the current twenty-two shabiyah replaced the older thirty-two shabiyah^[3][4][5].

The current list is as following:

The current twenty-two shabiyat system in Libya (since 2007)

32 shabiyat

The 2001 reorganization of Libya into shabiyat districts^[7] resulted in thirty-two districts and three administrative regions (المنطقة الإدارية):

The old thirty-two shabiyat system in Libya (2001-2007)

The three administrative regions are missing from the above map, Al Qatrun,^[8] Maradah,^[9] and Al-Jaghbub^[10]

26 shabiyat

In 1998 Libya was reorganized into twenty-six districts which were: Al-Batan, Al-Jafarah, Al-Jofra, Al-Kofra, Al-Marj, Al-Morqib, Al-Qoba, Al-Wahad, Ben Walid, Benghazi, Derna, Gharyan, Jabal Al-Akhdar, Murzaq, Musrata, Nalout, Nikat Al-Khams, Sabah, Sabrata/Sorman, Sirte, Tarhouna/Msallata, Tripoli, Wadi Al-Hait, Wadi Al-Shaati, Yefrin, and Zawiyah^[11]

13 shabiyat

On 2 August 1995 Libya dropped the baladiyat system and reorganized into thirteen districts (shabiyat). Among them were Al Butnan (formerly Tobruk), Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jabal al Gharbi, Az Zawiyah, Benghazi and Tarabulus. However there is not agreement about the other seven names.^[5].

Former baladiyat

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,^[5] 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. 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 Al 'Aziziyah 3 Al Fatih 4 Al Jabal al Akhdar 5 Al Jufrah 6 Al Khums 7 Al Kufrah 8 An Nuqat al Khams 9 Ash Shati' 10 Awbari 11 Az Zawiyah 12 Banghazi 13 Darnah

14 Ghadamis 15 Gharyan 16 Misratah 17 Murzuq 18 Sabah 19 Sawfajjin 20 Surt 21 Tarabulus (Tripoli) 22 Tarhunah 23 Tubruq 24 Yafran 25 Zlitan

Map showing subdivision of former governorates into the 25 baladiyat

Evolution

See also

• Subdivisions of Libya
• ISO 3166-2:LY

Notes

External links

• Historical population data by district from Universiteitsbibliotheek Utrecht (Library, University of Utrecht), retrieved by WebArchive.

Districts of Libya since 2007 Al Butnan · Al Jabal al Akhdar · Al Jabal al Gharbi · Al Jfara · Al Jufrah · Al Kufrah · Al Marj · Al Murgub · An Nuqat al Khams · Al Wahat · Az Zawiyah · Benghazi · Darnah · Ghat · Misratah · Murzuq · Nalut · Sabha · Surt · Tripoli · Wadi Al Hayaa · Wadi Al Shatii

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