Stuff you need backpacking around Libya

Arabic is the main language though some more localised languages such as Berber and Touareg are used in many small town. English is somewhat widely understood in the major cities. Libya's Italian colonial past and access to Italian television in the 1980s makes that language relatively well understood. However this is no where near the level of, for example, French in Tunisia or Morocco. Many Italian terms are used in daily speech for modern words such as "semafaro" (traffic light) and "benzina" (gasoline).

In Tripoli, it is surprisingly hard to find a traditional Libyan restaurant. Most serve western-style cuisine, with a few Moroccan and Lebanese restaurants thrown in. This is a shame as there are some wonderful Libyan dishes should you be fortunate enough to be invited to a Libyan dinner party or wedding (but be prepared to be over fed). A favourite cafe for the local expatriate community is the fish restaurant in the Souq. Here, you can enjoy a great seafood couscous for a few dollars, a speciality is the stuffed calamar Another good seafood place is the Hofra Market. On the beach road to Mateiga Airport, only about five kilometres along the beach from Green Square, this fish market is grimy looking but don't be fooled: the fish are fresh and there is a huge variety. You can buy your fish (or seafood) and take it to the adjacent cafes where it will be cooked to your order and served with huge amounts of bread and salad. The tourist will pay more here than the locals (unless you are an experienced haggler!) but it is worth the $15 spent. Also recommend Al-Saraya. Food OK but it's attraction is it's position right in Green Square. Another good seafood restaurant is Al-Morgan next to the Algeirs Mosque near 1st-September Street. Don't miss Al-Sakhra restaurant , excellent food with live entertainment and a rustic atmosphere,located on Gargaresh road . A relatively recent arrival in Tripoli are the flash-looking big fast-food outlets. These are not the multinationals but a close copy! They are springing up in areas such as Gargaresh Road (a big shopping strip in the western suburbs of Tripoli)

The most common drink in Libya is tea. Green tea and "red" tea are served almost everywhere from small cups, usually sweetened. Mint is sometmes mixed in with the tea, especially after meals. Coffee is traditionally served Turkish style: strong, from small cups, no cream. Most coffee shops in the larger cities have espresso machines and will make espresso, capuccino and such. Quality varies so ask locals for the best around. Alcohol is officially banned in Libya though some rumors are heard that the government plans to introduce alcohol sales in some resorts planned for mass western tourism in the future. In reality alcohol is very readily available through a local black market (anything from whiskey to beer to wine). It should be noted that penalties for unlawful purchase can be quite stiff and travellers should always exercise appropriate common sense with respect to local laws and, more importantly, local sensitivities and traditions.

Economy

The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contribute about 95% of export earnings, about one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. Substantial revenues from the energy sector coupled with a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan officials in the past four years have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction in December 2003. Almost all US unilateral sanctions against Libya were removed in April 2004, helping Libya attract more foreign direct investment, mostly in the energy sector. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps - including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based economy. The exchange rate in 2005 was about 1.30 Libyan dinars per US dollar.