In Libya there are currently 106 districts, second level administrative subdivisions known in Arabic as baladiyat (singular baladiyah).[1] The number has varied since 2013 between 99[2] and 108.[3] The first level administrative divisions in Libya are currently the governorates (muhafazat), which have yet to be formally deliniated,[4][5] but which were originally tripartite as: Tripolitania in the northwest, Cyrenaica in the east, and Fezzan in the southwest; and later divided into ten governorates.
Prior to 2013 there were twenty-two first level administrative subdivisions known by the term shabiyah (Arabic singular شعبيةšaʿbiyya, plural šaʿbiyyāt) which constituted the districts of Libya. In the 1990s the shabiyat had replaced an 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, Misrata, Benghazi, Derna, (in the north) and the Territory of the Libyan Sahara (in the south).[6] 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.[7]
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.[citation needed]
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.
The term شعبية in Arabic can mean both "popularity" or "That that is of the people" or more simply "pertaining to the people". The second meaning was used by the Libyan government to refer to the districts of Libya, in tandem with the general ideology of the state. Sha'biyat in Libya are the highest administrative level. A lower level, equivalent to a county, exists and divides each Shabiyah into smaller entities.
The term was new and exclusive to Libya, in line with exclusive terms for republic (jamahiriya), ministry (amanah) and embassy (people's-bureau)—all of which are different from what is used throughout Arabic-speaking countries, including even Libya itself before its adoption of the neology.
Districts (Shabiya)
Shabiyah (Arabic: شعبيةšaʿbiyyah, plural: شعبياتšaʿbiyyāt) 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 twenty-two districts (shabiya) replaced the older thirty-two district system.[8][9][10]
The list is as following:
The current twenty-two district system in Libya (since 2007)
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[17]
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.[10]
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,[10] 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.
For 1995 data, [4] and [5] are the two different sources mentioned in the bibliography:[10] "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.
↑ "Baladiyat" (in Arabic). Central Committee for the election of baladiyah councils. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021.
↑ "Baladiyat" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 25 January 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
↑ "اسماء البلديات"[The names of the baladiyat] (in Arabic). اللجنة المركزية لانتخاب المجالس البلدية [The Central Committee for the election of baladiyah councils]. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 13 December 2015.
↑ Vandewalle, Dirk (2015). "Libya's Uncertain Revolution". In Cole, Peter; McQuin, Brian (eds.). The Libyan Revolution and its Aftermath. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. p.35. ISBN978-0-19-025733-0.
Nuqat al Khams is one of the districts of Libya. It is in the northwest of the country, in what had been the historical region of Tripolitania. Its capital is Zuwara. Nuqat al Khams has a northern shoreline on the Mediterranean Sea. To the west, it borders the Medenine Governorate of Tunisia. Domestically, it borders the districts of Zawiya to the east, Jabal al Gharbi to the southeast, and Nalut to the southwest. Nuqat al Khams is a part of the Tripolitania geographical region of Libya.
Yafran or Yifren is one of the districts of Libya (baladiyat). It is located in the northwest part of the country and its capital is Yafran. Between the 2007 reorganization of districts and the 2013 reorganization, most of its territory was part of Jabal al Gharbi District, although the southwestern part was in Nalut District. In 2013, its territory was placed in Nafusa Mountains District. However, by 2015, it had been restored as a district.
Tripolitania, historically known as the Tripoli region, is a historic region and former province of Libya.
Marj is an administrative division of northeastern Libya, lying on the Mediterranean Sea coast. Its administrative seat is the city of Marj, which was formerly known as Barca. Marj is situated on the Cyrenaica Plateau at the western edge of the Jebel Akhdar. In the 2007 administrative reorganization part of the territory formerly in Al Hizam al Akhdar District was transferred to Al Marj. In the north, Marj has a shoreline on the Mediterranean Sea. On land, it borders Jabal al Akhdar in the east, Al Wahat in south and Benghazi in the west.
Butnan sometimes called Tubruq District or Tobruk District from the former name, occasionally Marmarica, is an administrative district (shabiyah) in eastern Libya. Its capital city is Tobruk.
Hizam al Akhdar was one of the 32 districts (shabiyat) of Libya, prior to the 2007 administrative reorganization. The former capital city was Abyar. The territory of Hizam al Akhdar was transferred to the newly enlarged Marj District.
The governorates of Libya (muhafazah) were a tenfold top-level administrative division of Libya from 1963 until 1983.
Subdivisions of Libya have varied significantly over the last two centuries. Initially Libya under Ottoman and Italian control was organized into three to four provinces, then into three governorates (muhafazah) and after World War II into twenty-five districts (baladiyah). Successively into thirty-two districts (shabiyat) with three administrative regions, and then into twenty-two districts (shabiyat). In 2012 the ruling General National Congress divided the country into governorates (muhafazat) and districts (baladiyat). While the districts have been created, the governorates have not.
The Provinces of Libya were prescribed in 1934, during the last period of colonial Italian Libya, and continued through post-independence Libya until 1963 when the Governorates system was instituted.
Quba or Qoba was one of the 32 districts of Libya. In 2007 it became part of the Derna District. The population of the former district was approximately 93,000.
Al Wahat or The Oases, occasionally spelt Al Wahad or Al Wahah is one of the districts of Libya. Its capital and largest city is Ajdabiya. The district is home to much of Libya's petroleum extraction economic activity.
Tajura wa Arbaʽ was one of the districts of Libya from 2001 to 2007. It consisted of eleven Basic People's Congresses, similar to townships, and its capital was Tajura. In the 2007 administrative reorganization the territory formerly in Tajura Wa Al Nawahi Al Arbaʽ was transferred to the Tripoli District.
Jafara or Al Jfara is one of the districts of Libya, in the historical region of Tripolitania. Its capital and largest city is 'Aziziya. Jafara borders Tripoli in northeast, Jabal al Gharbi in south and Zawiya in the west.
Abyar (al-Abyā) is a town in the Marj District, Libya, roughly 50 km to the east of the city of Benghazi and 42 km southwest of the city of Marj., its estimated population was 32,563.
Jalu Municipality was one of the municipalities (baladiyah) of Libya from 1983 to 1987. It lay in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital was Jalu. From 2001 to 2007 the area was part of Ajdabiya District. As of 2007 it was subsumed within the enlarged Al Wahat District.
Bin Jawad District, was one of the districts (baladiyah) of Libya from 1983 to 1987. It lay in the northern part of the country bordering the Gulf of Sidra. Its capital was Bin Jawad. Under Italy it was in Misrata Province. Before being made a baladiyah in 1983, it was part of the governorate system. In 1987 the area was incorporated into Sirte District and has remained there since.
Jabal al Gharbi or The Western Mountain is one of the districts of Libya. It is named after the Nafusa Mountains. It was formed in 2007 from the former districts of Yafran, Gharyan and Mizda. From 1995 to 1998 Jabal al Gharbi also existed as a Baladiyah. Jabal al Gharbi borders Sirte and Misrata to the east, Murqub to the northeast, Jafara and Zawiya to the north, Nuqat al Khams to the northwest, Nalut to the west, Tripoli to the north, Wadi al Shatii to the south and Jufra to the southeast.
The Baladiyah (singular), or baladiyat (plural), is the intended second-level administration subdivision of Libya being reintroduced in 2012 by the General National Congress with Law 59 on the system of local administration, dividing the country into governorates (muhafazat) and districts (baladiyat), with baladiyah having local councils. As the proposed governorates have not been created, the 22 distrists continue to serve as the primary administrative divisions of Libya.
Tripolitania province is one of the three traditional Provinces of Libya. It was a formal province from 1934 until 1963, when it was subdivided into the Governorates of Libya. Its capital was the city of Tripoli. Between 1911 and 1934 it had been the separately governed colony of Italian Tripolitania.
Fezzan province is one of the three traditional Provinces of Libya. It was a formal province from 1934 until 1963, when it was subdivided into the Governorates of Libya. Its capital was the city of Sabha.
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