Bahrain flag

Basic Facts of Bahrain
Official name: Kingdom of Bahrain,
Capital: Manama,
Area 707 sq km, 273 sq mi,
Population: 718,306 (2008 estimate),
Population density: 1,080 persons per sq km, (2008 estimate),2,798 persons per sq mi
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 90 percent,
Share rural 10 percent (2003 estimate)
Largest citie:
Manama, Ar Rifa, al Gharbi, Al Muarraq, Madinat ‘Isa,
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Persian (Farsi), Urdu,
Religious affiliations :
Muslim 60 percent,
Christian 9 percent & Other 6 percent,
Life expectancy:
Total 74.9 years ,
Female 77.5 years,
Male 72.4 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 90 percent,
Female 86.4 percent,
Male 92.6 percent (2005 estimate),
Form of government: Monarchy
Total number of military personnel 11,200 (2004)

Introduction:
Bahrain or Bahrein, officially Kingdom of Bahrain, independent Arab nation in western Asia, part of the region known as the Middle East. Bahrain is made up of 36 islands on the western side of the Persian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia to the east and Qatar to the west. The main island, also known as Bahrain, is home to the country’s capital and largest city, Manama.

Manama, Bahrain

Manama, the capital and largest city of Bahrain, is a modern city whose growth and development has been funded by oil profits.

King Fahd Causeway

The King Fahd Causeway, opened in 1986, links the island nation of Bahrain to Saudi Arabia.

Guest Palace, Bahrain

An emir rules the archipelago country of Bahrain, located in the Persian Gulf. For handling national administrative affairs, the emir appoints a cabinet, headed by a prime minister. For local concerns, the emir selects municipal councils. One of the palaces associated with the emir and his family is pictured here.

Shopping in Bahrain

Most Bahrainis enjoy a high standard of living, especially in cities such as the capital, Manama. Arab dress is common in Bahrain, but Western-style clothing is popular among young people.

Desert Agriculture

Two workers make adjustments to an irrigation system that has transformed barren soil into green fields in Bahrain. The country taps underground aquifers for water to grow fruit and vegetables as well as for drinking and industrial use.

Al-fateh-grand-mosque, Manama

Bahrain World Trade Center, Manama, Bahrain

Oman flag

Basic facts of Oman
Official name: Sultanate of Oman
Capital: Masqaţ
Area: 309,500 sq km, 119,500 sq mi
Population 3,309,440 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 3.19 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 16 persons per sq km, 40 persons per sq mi
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 77 percent (2003 estimate)
Share rural 23 percent (2003 estimate)
Largest citiey: Masqaţ
Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Hindi, other dialects
Religious affiliations: Ibadi Muslim (Islam is the official religion) 75 percent
Other Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 13 percent
Hindu 6 percent
Christian 5 percent
Other 1 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 73.9 years (2008 estimate)
Female 76.3 years (2008 estimate)
Male 71.6 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 78.3 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 70.5 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 84.9 percent (2005 estimate)
Form of government: Monarchy
Total number of military personnel 41,700 (2004)

Introduction:
Oman, nation occupying the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula (see Arabia). Oman is a desert country in which high mountain peaks gaze down on dazzling white sand beaches. It is the principal home of the Ibadis, a minority Islamic sect distinct from both Sunni and Shia Islam (see Islam). For centuries a hub of Indian Ocean trade, Oman was an imperial power from the 17th through the 19th century. Oman is ruled by a monarch called a sultan, and the country’s official name is the Sultanate of Oman.

Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) border Oman to the west. The Arabian Sea (part of the Indian Ocean) lies to the east and the Gulf of Oman to the north. Its northernmost extension, on the Musandam Peninsula (separated from the rest of Oman by the UAE), overlooks the Strait of Hormuz and has a few miles of Persian Gulf coastline. Masqaţ, also known as Muscat, is the capital of Oman and the center of the country’s largest metropolitan area.

Masqat,Oman

Omani capital city of Masqaţ on the Gulf of Oman. The ancient port of Masqaţ and its neighboring city of Maţraḩ form a major trade center, with modern shipping facilities, excellent highways, and an international airport.

Dates: An Ancient Crop

Date palms are the leading crop in Oman and important to Omani culture. The date provides nourishment and is part of many Omani meals. The date palm is used as a source of building materials and is also planted to provide shade. Cultivated more than 5,000 years ago, the hardy date palm is one of the world's oldest crop plants and thrives in Oman's hot, dry climate.

Ancient Canals

Ancient canals constructed in the 7th century still provide water for farming in Oman. This photo shows women drawing water from a canal.

Syrian flag

Basic facts of Syria
Official name: Syrian Arab Republic
Capital: Damascus
Area: 185,180 sq km, 71,498 sq mi
Population: 19,747,586 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 2.19 percent (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 50 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 50 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities: Damascus, Ḩalab, Ḩimş, Al Lādhiqīyah, Ḩamāh
Languages: Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian; French widely understood.
Religious affiliations:
Muslim 86 percent
Christian 10 percent
Druze 3 percent
Other 1 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 70.9 years (2008 estimate)
Female 72.3 years (2008 estimate)
Male 69.5 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 78.4 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 66.1 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 90.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Form of government:Republic
Total number of military personnel: 307,600 (2004)

Introduction:
Syria, officially Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah (Syrian Arab Republic), republic in southwestern Asia, bounded on the north by Turkey, on the east by Iraq, on the south by Jordan and Israel, and on the west by Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea. Syria has an area of 185,180 sq km (71,498 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Damascus, also spelled Dimashq.

Damascus, Syria

Damascus is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. The city is believed to have been the capital of an ancient Egyptian city-state and has long been an important trading center. Today, modern buildings such as the State Bank of Syria, shown on the right, stand beside historic squares.

Trade and Culture in Damascus

The Syrian capital of Damascus (Dimashq) is one of the world's oldest cities. Built on an oasis along the Nahr Baradá, the city skirts the Syrian Desert in the country's southwest. For centuries, Damascus has served as a crossroads for Arab traders and is still the last stop for travelers heading east across the desert and the first for those returning. Syria's largest city, Damascus is also the nation's cultural, political, and economic center.

Damascus's Great Mosque

The cupolas of the Umayyad Mosque, or Great Mosque, stand as reminders of the former glory of old Damascus (Dimashq). Built on the ruins of the Christian Church of Saint John the Baptist between 705 and 715, the mosque was restored in the 15th century and again in the 19th century. The mixture of Byzantine and Muslim architectural styles is a reminder that both Christians and Muslims once worshiped under its roof.

Turkey flag

Basic Facts of Turkey
Official name: Republic of Turkey
Capital: Ankara
Area 779,452 sq km, 300,948 sq mi
Population 71,892,807 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate 1.01 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 93 persons per sq km, 242 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 67 percent
Share rural 33 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities: Istanbul , Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Adana
Languages Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic
Religious affiliations:
Muslim (mostly Sunni Muslim) 99 percent
Nonreligious and others 1 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 73.1 years
Female 75.7 years
Male 70.7 years (2008 estimate)
Total number of military personnel 514,850 (2004)

Introduction:
Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, a nation in western Asia and southeastern Europe. The vast majority of Turkey is composed of the Asian territory of Anatolia, or Asia Minor, a large mountainous peninsula. The capital city, Ankara, is located there. The rest of Turkey, called Eastern (or Turkish) Thrace, occupies the far southeastern part of Europe. This region of rolling fertile hills is home to Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city. Asian Turkey and European Turkey are separated by three connected waterways of great strategic importance: the Sea of Marmara and the straits of the Bosporus and the Dardanelles (also called the Turkish Straits). Together, they form the only water route between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea.

Ankara, Turkey

Ankara, in central Turkey, serves as the country’s capital. It is principally a residential city, occupying a site that has been inhabited since at least 2000 bc. This long history influences the community’s character; the city has an old section built around ancient ruins. The new section, seen here, is characterized by modern buildings and landscaped parks.

Suleymaniye Mosque

The Süleymaniye Mosque in İstanbul was built in 1550. The architect, Sinan, based his design on Byzantine churches, in particular the Hagia Sophia. The large central dome above a square opens to smaller spaces vaulted by buttressing half-domes. The four tapering minarets with balconies are characteristic of the architectural style of later Islamic mosques.

Blue Mosque Interior

The Sultan Ahmet Mosque in İstanbul, Turkey, is also called the Blue Mosque because of the blue tilework in the interior. Construction began around 1609.This photo shows the mosque’s intricate blue tilework and its numerous ceiling domes.

Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace in Istanbul was built over several centuries at the tip of a peninsula overlooking the Bosporous, the Sea of Marmara, and the Golden Horn. Successive sultans added buildings, courtyards, gardens, gates, and pavilions to create an enormous complex.

Tajikistan flag

Basic facts of Tajikistan
Official name: Republic of Tajikistan
Capital: Dushanbe
Area: 143,100 sq km, 55,250 sq mi
Population: 7,211,884 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 1.89 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 51 persons per sq km, 131 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 24 percent (2003 estimate)
Share rural 76 percent (2003 estimate)
Largest cities: Dushanbe, Khujand, Kŭlob, Qurghonteppa
Languages: Tajik (official), Dari, Russian, Uzbek
Religious affiliations:
Sunni Muslim 80 percent
Shia 4 percent
Atheist 2 percent
Orthodox (Russian)
Christian 1 percent
Nonreligious 12 percent
Other 1 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 65 years (2008 estimate)
Female 68.2 years (2008 estimate)
Male 62 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 99.5 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 99.2 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 99.7 percent (2005 estimate)
Form of government: Republic
Total number of military personnel: 7,600 (2004)

Introduction:
Tajikistan, landlocked republic in southeastern Central Asia, bordered on the north by Kyrgyzstan, on the north and west by Uzbekistan, on the east by China, and on the south by Afghanistan. Dushanbe is the country’s capital and largest city. Tajikistan contains the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (Badakhshoni Kuhi), an ethnically based political subunit that occupies about 45 percent of the country’s territory.

In Tajik, the official state language, the country is called Jumhurii Tojikiston (Republic of Tajikistan). Tajiks, who speak a form of Persian, constitute a majority of the country’s population. In 1929 Tajikistan became the Tajik (or Tadzhik) Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Tajikistan became independent in 1991. Shortly after independence, a civil war broke out between the Communist-dominated government and opposition groups. The two sides formally signed a peace accord in June 1997.

A mosque of Tajikistan

A majority of Tajikistan’s inhabitants are ethnic Tajiks, who are predominantly Muslim. Under Soviet rule (1921-1991), religion was severely restricted; mosques were closed and religious practice was prohibited outside of state-sanctioned places of worship. Restrictions were eased somewhat in the mid-1980s, but it was not until Tajikistan became independent in 1991 that Muslims were again able to freely practice their religion.

Tajik Muslims

A group of Tajik Muslims celebrate Novrux, the Muslim New Year. Although religious activity was severely restricted under Soviet rule, religion remained important to the Tajiks, most of whom are Muslims. Tradition is reflected in the people’s religious practices as well as in their dress, which includes loose cotton trousers and chapans (robes) for men, and the tuppi, or skullcap, worn by men and women alike.

Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Dushanbe is Tajikistan's capital and largest city. It was erected only a few years ago after city authorities allocated a plot of land to the community. During the years of Soviet control, religious practices in Tajikistan and other Soviet holdings were severely curtailed. Local Adventists had not had a church in which to meet since the 1920s, when the first members of the denomination arrived in the newly established city.

Horse and Riders in Tajikistan

Landlocked Tajikistan lies between Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, and Afghanistan. Most Tajiks of this former Soviet republic live in rural areas near rivers and oases, where they farm and raise horses, cattle, sheep, and yaks. Mountains cover much of Tajikistan, including the rugged Pamirs in the southeast.

Indonesia flag

Basic facts of Indonesia
Official name: Republic of Indonesia
Capital: Jakarta
Area: 1,904,570 sq km, 735,359 sq mi
Population: 237,512,360 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 1.18 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 130 persons per sq km, 337 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 48 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 52 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities: Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan, Palembang
Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (modified form of Malay; official), English, Dutch, Sundanese, Arabic, Chinese, and local dialects, especially Javanese (about 300 languages and dialects are spoken)
Religious affiliations:
Muslim 87 percent
Protestant 6 percent
Roman Catholic 3 percent
Hindu 2 percent
Buddhist 1 percent
Other 1 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 70.5 years (2008 estimate)
Female 73.1 years (2008 estimate)
Male 68 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 89.5 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 85.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 93.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Form of government: Republic
Total number of military personnel: 302,000 (2004)

Introduction:
Republic of Indonesia, island republic of Southeast Asia, constituting most of the Malay Archipelago. Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country after China, India, and the United States. More than half the people live on Java, where Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital and largest city, is located. Although the islands are home to more than 100 ethnic groups, most Indonesians are of mixed Malay origins and practice Islam.

Several of Indonesia’s islands hosted powerful trading kingdoms between the 5th and 16th centuries ad. The Dutch took control of the islands in the early 1600s and for three centuries profited from Indonesia’s economy, largely at the expense of the local population. Dutch authority over the islands peaked in the early 20th century. But growing Indonesian nationalism led to a declaration of independence in 1945, and the Dutch finally transferred sovereignty in 1949. The country enjoyed tremendous economic growth in the 1980s and much of the 1990s, partly due to Indonesia’s abundant natural resources and increases in the manufacturing and services sectors. As a result, Indonesia’s middle class grew considerably, but poverty remained widespread. Indonesia plunged into an economic crisis in 1997 that led to significant political changes, including the resignation of President Suharto, who had been in office for more than 30 years. Democratic elections held in 1999 installed a new government.

Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta, the capital and largest city of Indonesia, lies on the northwestern coast of the island of Java. Jakarta is the country’s leading economic center and seaport. While most of the buildings in the Upper City (pictured) are modern, in the rest of the city single-story structures made of wood and sometimes bamboo mats are the most common dwellings.

Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta, Indonesia

With space to accommodate tens of thousands of worshipers, the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, is one of Southeast Asia’s largest. Indonesia has the largest Islamic community in the world.

Merdeka Square, Jakarta

Merdeka Square provides the focal point of central Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. Towering in the center of the square, the Monumen Nasional (National Monument), commonly known as Monas, commemorates Indonesia’s independence from the Netherlands in 1949. The presidential palace, the National Museum, and the Istiqlal Mosque surround the square.

Tsunami Aftermath in Indonesia

In December 2004 a magnitude 9.0 undersea earthquake triggered a tsunami (massive waves) that spread out over the Indian Ocean, hitting coastal communities in 12 countries. The Indonesian island of Sumatra was the hardest-hit location as the closest land to the epicenter of the quake. In the aftermath, the death toll in Sumatra exceeded 90,000.

Bosnia and Herzegovina flag

Basic facts of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Official name: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Capital: Sarajevo
Area: 51,129 sq km, 19,741 sq mi
Population: 4,590,310 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 0.67 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 90 persons per sq km, 233 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 45 percent (2005 estimat)
Share rural 55 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities, with population:
Sarajevo 579,000,Tuzla 133,861 Zenica 128,495 (2003 estimate)
Languages: Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian (official)
Religious affiliations:
Muslim: 40 percent,
Orthodox Christian: 31 percent
Roman Catholic: 15 percent
Protestant: 4 percent
Other or nonreligious: 10 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 78.3 years
Female: 82.2 years
Male 74.7 years (2008 estimate)
Form of government: Multiparty republic
Total number of military personnel: 24,672 (2004)

Sarajevo's Place in History

Sarajevo, the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as its economic and cultural center, has long been a witness to war. Situated in a valley on the Miljacka River near Mount Trebevi, the city was invaded by the Turks in the 15th century and burned to the ground in 1697 by Prince Eugene of Savoie. In 1914 the assassination in Sarajevo of Archduke Francis Ferdinand sparked World War I. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 and 1992, Sarajevo was heavily damaged, and thousands of its residents were killed in the fighting among Serbian, Croatian, and Bosniak military forces.

Mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Ottomans conquered most of Bosnia in 1463 and by 1483 controlled most of Herzegovina as well. The two territories, then separated, remained provinces of the Ottoman Empire for the next 400 years. Here, a mosque built by the Ottomans stands near Mostar. Mostar was severely damaged as a result of the civil war that began in 1992 in Bosnia and Herzegovina and lasted until December 1995.

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is known for its many mosques, which were built when Ottomans ruled the city, between the 1400s and 1878. This photo was taken before Bosnia’s civil war (1992-1995), which destroyed much of Sarajevo’s distinctive architecture.

Muslim Women in Sarajevo

The population of Bosnia was largely Christian until the Ottoman Empire introduced Islam here in the 15th century. Many Bosnians converted to Islam during the period of Turkish rule in the region, which lasted for more than 400 years. Marriages among Bosnian Muslims (also known as Bosniaks) are encouraged, although more interfaith unions take place in the cities. The Islamic community in Bosnia and Herzegovina has its center at Sarajevo, where mosques, a bazaar, and Turkish baths are part of the urban fabric.

A Bosnian Muslim woman weeps among coffins of Srebrenica victims during funeral ceremony at Memorial center of Potocari near Srebrenica, 120 kms northeast of Sarajevo. The 307 bodies were excavated from mass-graves in Eastern Bosnia and were identified as Muslims killed by Bosnian-Serb forces in the Srebrenica area. - AP

Mostar, Bosnia, and Herzegovina

Located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the city of Mostar lies on the Neretva River, at the center of a plateau surrounded by high, barren mountains. In 1566 Ottoman architect Mimar Hairedin designed the city’s historic stone arch bridge, seen in the distance. In 1993 the bridge was destroyed by Bosnian Croats in a conflict that left the city divided between Croats and Bosnia.

Genocide of Bosnia

Up to 7,500 men, and boys over 13 years old, were killed. They were trucked or marched to their places of death. Up to 3,000, many in the act of trying to escape, were shot or decapitated in the fields. (Mladic had sent out his written order to 'block, crush and destroy the straggling parts of the Muslim group'; it was carried out.) 1,500 were locked in a warehouse and sprayed with machine gun fire and grenades. Others died in their thousands on farms, football fields, school playgrounds. The whole action was carried out with military efficiency. (It is said that the transport drivers were each forced to kill one man, to deter them from testifying against the Serb troops later.)

Thousands of the bodies were buried in mass graves. US aerial reconnaissance film shows the signs of a mass grave being covered by earth-moving equipment. Later many bodies were dug up and moved to more secret burial places.

War Crimes Suspects

An undated poster identifies some of the war crimes suspects indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The ICTY was established in The Hague, Netherlands, in 1993 to indict, try, and sentence suspects accused of crimes against humanity in the former Yugoslavia.

Senegal flag

Basic facts of Senegal
Official name: Republic of Senegal
Capital: Dakar
Area: 196,722 sq km, 75,955 sq mi
Population growth rate: 2.58 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 67 persons per sq km, 173 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 51 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 49 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities: Dakar, Thiès, Kaolack, Ziguinchor, Saint-Louis
Languages: French (official), Wolof, Serer, Diola, Mandinka, other indigenous languages
Religious affiliations:
Muslim 87 percent
Indigenous beliefs 6 percent
Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 5 percent
Other 2 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 57.1 years (2008 estimate)
Female 58.5 years (2008 estimate)
Male 55.7 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 42.1 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 32.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 51.7 percent (2005 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 42.1 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 32.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 51.7 percent (2005 estimate)
Form of government: Multiparty republic
Total number of military personnel: 13,620 (2004)

Introduction:
Senegal, republic in western Africa, bounded on the north by Mauritania, on the east by Mali, on the south by Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The Gambia, a small, narrow country, forms an enclave in southern Senegal, extending inland along the Gambia River. The republic’s total area is 196,722 sq km (75,955 sq mi). Dakar is the capital and largest city.

Dakar Harbor, Senegal

Dakar, the capital and largest city of Senegal, was founded by the French in the mid-19th century in part because of its strategic position along the trade routes between Europe and ports in South Africa and South America. Today, Dakar has one of the best-equipped ports in West Africa and serves as a shipping center for Senegal, Mauritania, and The Gambia.

Libyan flag

Basic facts of Libya
Official name: Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Capital: Tripoli
Area 1,757,000 sq km 678,400 sq mi
Population 6,173,579 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate 2.22 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 3.5 persons per sq km, 9.1 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate) Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 87 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 13 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities: Tripoli, Banghazi, Mişratah
Languages Arabic (official), Berber; Italian and English are widely understood in major cities
Religious affiliations:
Sunni Muslim 96 percent
Orthodox Christian 2 percent
Roman Catholic 1 percent
Other 1 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 77.1 years (2008 estimate)
Female 79.4 years (2008 estimate)
Male 74.8 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 84.2 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 74.3 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 93.4 percent (2005 estimate)
Form of government: Socialist state with military dictatorship
Total number of military personnel 76,000 (2004)

Introduction:
Libya, country in northern Africa that borders the Mediterranean Sea. Libya is one of the largest countries in Africa. Despite its size Libya is thinly settled. The Sahara, the vast desert of northern Africa, covers much of the country. Nearly all of Libya’s inhabitants live near the coast. Tripoli, located on the Mediterranean coast, is the capital and largest city.

Most of Libya’s people are descended from a mixture of Berbers, the country’s original inhabitants, and Arabs, who arrived in the 7th century ad. Small numbers of Berbers still live in the extreme south of the country. The great majority of the people are Muslims, and Islam is the official state religion. Arabic is the official language.

Libya was a poor country until the discovery of oil in the 1950s. Since then its large reserves of petroleum have made Libya one of the wealthiest countries in Africa. Many of its people, however, still live by farming and grazing livestock, despite the extremely limited amount of good farmland.

The site of ancient Phoenician, Roman, and Arab settlements, Libya was colonized by Italy in the early 20th century. The country became an independent monarchy in 1951, and in 1969 young army officer Muammar al-Qaddafi seized power. Qaddafi proceeded to create a new Libya based on his theories of socialism and Arab nationalism. He renamed the country the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. The word Jamahiriya was coined by Qaddafi, who defines it as a state run by all its people. Most outsiders viewed Libya as a military dictatorship, however.

Tripoli, Libya

Tripoli, a city located along the Mediterranean Sea in northwestern Libya, serves as the country’s capital, chief seaport, and economic center. It probably was founded in the 7th century bc, and has both old and new quarters.

Mosque in Tripoli

An arched passageway leads into a mosque in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, a city on the Mediterranean Sea. Most people in Libya are followers of Islam, the country’s official religion. All laws passed by the Libyan legislature, which convenes in Tripoli, must agree with Islamic law.

Libyan Desert

Libya is one of the largest countries in Africa, encompassing 1,757,000 sq km (678,400 sq mi) of territory. The land is barren and receives little precipitation. Camels serve as a valuable means of transportation in the region because of their ability to subsist without water for several days.

Muammar al-Gaddafi

Libyan ruler Muammar al-Qaddafi came to power in 1969 after leading a military coup that ousted the Libyan king. An outspoken critic of the West, he openly supported revolutionaries and terrorist organizations for years. Starting in the late 1990s, however, Qaddafi began to seek closer ties with Western powers and with other African nations.

Chad flag

Basic Facts of Chad
Official name: Republic of Chad
Capital: N’Djamena
Area: 1,284,000 sq km, 495,755 sq mi
Population: 10,111,337 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 2.19 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 8 persons per sq km, 21 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 26 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 74 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities: N’Djamena, Moundou, Sarh, Abeche.
Languages: French (official), Arabic (official); more than 100 different languages and dialects are spoken.
Religious affiliations:
Muslim 59 percent
Indigenous beliefs 17 percent
Roman Catholic 10 percent
Protestant 7 percent
Other 7 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 47.4 years (2008 estimate)
Female 48.5 years (2008 estimate)
Male 46.4 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 53.6 percent (2000)
Female 40.8 percent (2000)
Male 66.9 percent (2000)
Total number of military personnel: 30,350 (2004)

Introduction:
Chad, republic in north central Africa. Chad is bounded on the north by Libya; on the east by Sudan; on the south by the Central African Republic; and on the west by Cameroon, Nigeria, and Niger. The landlocked country has an area of 1,284,000 sq km (495,755 sq mi). N’Djamena is the capital and largest city.
Chad’s terrain is dominated by the low-lying Chad Basin (elevation about 250 m/820 ft), which rises gradually to mountains and plateaus on the north, east, and south. In the east heights of more than 900 m (more than 3,000 ft) are attained in the Ennedi and Ouaddaï plateaus. The greatest elevations are reached in the Tibesti massif in the north, with a maximum height of 3,415 m (11,204 ft) at Emi Koussi. The northern half of the republic lies in the Sahara. The only important rivers, the Logone and Chari (Shari), are located in the southwest and flow into Lake Chad. The lake doubles in size during the rainy season.

Ndjamena,Chad

The capital and largest city of Chad; located in the southwestern on the Shari river.

Salt Mining in Lake Chad

Residents of Chad mine natron, a form of sodium carbonate used to make soap, glass, paper, and medicines. Lake Chad provides an abundant supply of natron, the main mineral resource of Chad.