Districts of Libya

There are twenty-two districts of Libya, known by the term shabiyah (Arabic singular شعبية šaʿbiyya, plural šaʿbiyyāt). In the 1990s these replaced the older baladiyat system.

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

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 current twenty-two districts (shabiya) replaced the older thirty-two district system.[3][4][5]

The current list is as following:

The current twenty-two district system in Libya (since 2007)
Map no. Name English transliteration Area (km2) Population
(2006)[6]
Cyrenaica
1البطنانAl Butnan84,996159,536
2درنةDarnah31,511163,351
3الجبل الاخضرAl Jabal al Akhdar11,429203,156
4المرجAl Marj13,515185,848
5بنغازيBanghazi11,372670,797
6الواحاتAl Wahat105,523177,047
7الكفرةAl Kufrah433,61150,104
Tripolitania
8سرتSurt77,660193,720
9مصراتةMisratah29,172550,938
10المرقبMarqab6,796432,202
11طرابلسTarabulus8351,065,405
12الجفارةAl Jafarah2,666453,198
13الزاويةAz Zawiyah2,753290,993
14النقاط الخمسAn Nuqat al Khams6,089287,662
15الجبل الغربيAl Jabal al Gharbi76,717304,159
16نالوتNalut67,19193,224
Fezzan
17الجفرةAl Jufrah117,41052,342
18وادي الشاطئWadi ash Shati'97,16078,532
19سبهاSabha107,310134,162
20وادي الحياةWadi al Hayat31,48576,858
21غاتGhat68,48223,518
22مرزقMurzuq356,30878,621

32 districts (2001)

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

The old thirty-two shabiyat system in Libya (2001–2007)
شعبيةSha'biyahPopulationArea
(km2)		Number
(on map)
إجدابياAjdabiya165,83991,6201
البطنانButnan144,52783,8602
الحزام الاخضرHizam al Akhdar108,86012,8003
الجبل الاخضرJabal al Akhdar194,1857,8004
الجفارةJafara289,3401,9405
الجفرةJufra45,117117,4106
الكفرةKufra51,433483,5107
المرجMarj116,31810,0008
المرقبMurqub328,2923,0009
النقاط الخمسNuqat al Khams208,9545,25010
القبةQuba93,89514,72211
الواحاتAl Wahat29,257108,67012
الزاويةZawiya 197,1771,52013
بنغازيBenghazi636,99280014
بنى وليدBani Walid77,42419,71015
درنةDerna81,1744,90816
غاتGhat22,77072,70017
غدامسGhadames19,00051,75018
غريانGharyan161,4084,66019
مرزقMurzuq68,718349,79020
مزدةMizda41,47672,18021
مصراتةMisrata360,5212,77022
نالوتNalut86,80113,30023
تاجوراء والنواحي الأربع Tajura wa Arba‘ 267,0311,43024
ترهونة و مسلاتهTarhuna wa Msalata 296,0925,84025
طرابلسTripoli882,92640026
سبهاSabha126,61015,33027
سرتSirte156,38977,66028
صبراته و صرمانSabratha wa Sorman152,5211,37029
وادي الحياةWadi al Hayaa72,58731,89030
وادي الشاطئWadi al Shatii77,20397,16031
يفرنYafran117,6479,31032

The three administrative regions are missing from the above map, Qatrun,[8] Marada,[9] and Jaghbub[10]

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[11]

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.[5]

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,[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 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.

Evolution
شعبية / بلديةName2007 (22)2001 (32)Name in 1998 (26)1995 (13)1988 (25)Capital
إجدابياAjdabiya DistrictxxAjdabiya
البطنانButnan District (Tobruk in 1995, from 1988 Tobruk District) xxBatanxTobrukTobruk
الحزام الاخضرHizam al Akhdar DistrictxAybar
الجبل الاخضرJabal al AkhdarxxJabal al AkhdarxxBayda
الجبل الغربيJabal al Gharbi DistrictxxGharyan
الجغبوبJaghbub Administrative RegionARAdministrative Region
الجفارةJafara (from 1988 'Aziziya District)xxJafara'Aziziya'Aziziya
الجفرةJufra DistrictxxJufra4xHun
الكفرةKufra DistrictxxKufra5xAl Jawf
المرجMarj District (1983–1988 Fati District)xxMarjFatiMarj, Barca in antiquity
المرقبMurqub District (Morqib) (from 1995 & 1988 Khoms District)xxMurqub5KhomsKhoms
القطرونQatrun Administrative RegionARAdministrative Region
القبةQuba DistrictxQubaQuba, or Giovanni Berta
الواحاتAl Wahat District (Waha in 1995)xxWahad4Ajdabiya (cf. Ajdabiya District)
الوسطىWusta4
النقاط الخمسNuqat al Khams (Nikat al Khums in 1995)xxNikat al Khams5xZuwara
أوباريAwbari District5axUbari
الزاويةZawiya DistrictxxZawiyaxxZawiya
بني وليدBani Walid District (from 1988 Sawfajjin District)xBani WalidBani Walid
بنغازيBenghazixxBenghazixxBenghazi
درنةDerna DistrictxxDernaxDerna
فزانFezzan (or Fazzan)4Sabha
غدامسGhadames DistrictxxGhadames
غريانGharyan DistrictxGharyanxGharyan
غاتGhat District (from 1988 Ubari)xxGhat
مرادةMarada Administrative RegionARAdministrative Region
مصراتةMisrata District (includes 1988 Bani Walid District and Zlitan District) xxMisrata4xMisrata
مزدةMizda DistrictxMizda
مرزقMurzuq District (Marzug in 1995)xxMurzaq5xMurzuk
النقازةNaggaza4
نالوتNalut DistrictxxNaloutNalut
سبهاSabha DistrictxxSabha5xSabha
صبراته و صرمانSabratha wa Sorman DistrictxSabratha & Sorman
سوف الجينSawfajjin District4xBani Walid
سرتSirte District (Khalij Sirte in 1995)xxSirte5xSirte
تاجوراء والنواحي الأربعTajura wa Arba‘ DistrictxTajura
طرابلسTripoli DistrictxxTripolixxTripoli
ترهونة و مسلاتهTarhuna wa Msalata District (from 1988 Tarhuna District)xTarhuna & MsalataTarhunaTarhuna
وادي الحياةWadi al Hayaa District (1995 Wadi al Hait?, from 1988 Ubari)xxWadi al Hait?5b
وادي الشاطئWadi al Shatii District (Shati' in 1988)xxWadi al ShaatiShati'Adiri[12] or Brak[13]
يفرنYafran District (Yifren)xYefrinxYafran
زليتنZlitan DistrictxZliten

For 1995 data, [4] and [5] are the two different sources mentioned in the bibliography:[5] "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

Notes
  1. Pan, Chia-Lin (1949) "The Population of Libya" Population Studies, 3(1): pp. 100–125, p. 104
  2. "Map of Libya 1943–1951" Zentrale für Unterrichtsmedien
  3. شعبيات الجماهيرية العظمى – Sha'biyat of Great Jamahiriya Archived December 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, accessed 10 May 2009, in Arabic
  4. "Libya population statistics" (in English and Arabic). Geohive. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
  5. "Districts of Libya". Statoids.com. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  6. Libyan General Information Authority Archived 2011-02-24 at the Wayback Machine accessed 22 July 2009
  7. "الشعبيات بالجماهيرية" ("Districts of Libya") Website of the General People's Committee of Libya, from WebArchive dated 30 August 2006
  8. "Districts of Libya:Alqtron Tjrhi" Website of the General People's Committee of Libya, in Arabic, from Web Archive dated 30 August 2006
  9. "Districts of Libya:Mradq" Website of the General People's Committee of Libya, in Arabic, from Web Archive dated 30 August 2006
  10. "Districts of Libya:Aljgbob" Website of the General People's Committee of Libya, in Arabic, from Web Archive dated 30 August 2006
  11. "Libya" 2006 Statesman's Yearbook
  12. "Districts of Libya". statoids.com. Retrieved 27 October 2009. and German wikipedia
  13. Spanish, Italian, Polish and Portuguese wikipedias
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