Libya Today with Cartoons
Today’s Libya has over 5 million citizens, most of them of Arab descent. The cities of Libya are fairly modern, but away from the cities, tribalism is still the rule. The people of Libya adhere to Muslim traditions.
Although Arabic is the official language of Libya, English is spoken in the cities and tourist areas. Older Libyans will often speak Italian, as well. However, all signs and public information is written in Arabic, so it is wise for travelers to learn a few key words and phrases in Arabic before coming to Libya.
For many years, cultural activities were curtailed, but recently, there has been a revival of the arts in Libya. The country is seeing the opening of private art galleries and a growing interest in painting. Traditional folk culture thrives throughout the country. Musical and dance troupes perform at local festivals. In fact, traditional music is so popular in Libya that most of Libyan television is devoted to traditional Libyan music performances.
Compared to other Middle Eastern countries, Libya is expensive for tourists. This is likely because travelers can only come to the country on organized tours, and those tours often use the most expensive facilities. Travelers must carry cash because no credit cards are accepted in Libya and checks are virtually impossible to cash. Also, unlike other Arab countries, bargaining at the open-air markets is not acceptable.
Alcohol is not served anywhere in Libya. Since this ban has been instituted, most of the restaurants have closed down. There are no night clubs in Libya.
Now that the United Nations has lifted sanctions against Libya, there is air travel into the country via European and African airline companies. Within Libya, there is air travel between all of the major cities. There is no railroad travel in Libya since the rails were dismantled in 1965.
Travelers should exercise caution when deciding to visit Libya. Security within Libya is generally good, but tensions are high overall in the Middle East. Travelers should avoid any political demonstrations and should avoid the borders of Chad and the Sudan.
