|
Country
|
Israel | 
Libya |
|
Leader
|
Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
|
Chairman of the General National Congress: Mohamed Magarief
|
|
Population
|
7,590,758
| 5,613,380
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
81.070 years
| 77.830 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Jerusalem
| Tripoli (Tarabulus)
|
|
Largest city
|
| Jerusalem (population: 714,000) | Tripoli (population: 1,150,990) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.93
| 0.84
|
| GDP per capita |
$31,400 US
| $14,100 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
97.1%
| 82.6%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
6
| 2.6
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
14.2%
| 7.7%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
Sammy Ofer & family ($4.0bn US)
| NA
|
| Unemployment Rate |
5.600%
| 30.000%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished except for special circumstances
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
parliamentary democracy
| Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state
|
|
Independence date
|
14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
| 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)
|
| Religions |
Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)
| Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%
|
| Languages |
Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language
| Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities
|
| Exports |
machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
| crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals
|
| External Debt |
$102,300,000,000 $
| $4,774,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)
| Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar - 1.2112 (2008 est.), 1.2604 (2007), 1.3108 (2006), 1.3084 (2005), 1.305 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
7.300%
| 3.900%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
1
| 0
|
| Location |
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
| Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia
|
| Area |
20,770 km sq
| 1,759,540 km sq
|
| Coastline |
273 km
| 1,770 km
|
| Climate |
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
| Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
|
|
|
|
