Libya is an Arab country in northern Africa. It is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The country borders Egypt and Sudan to the east, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west. Tripoli is the capital and largest city of Libya. The vast, arid Sahara covers most of Libya, and the country has few natural resources. But the discovery of oil in 1959 injected huge sums of money into Libya's economy. The government of Libya has used some of this wealth to improve agricultural land and provide services to the population. Almost all of Libya's inhabitants are of mixed Arab and Berber origins and are Muslim. Until the early 1900s, Libya consisted of three separate geographic and historical regions. It became a united and independent country in 1951. Libya's official name is the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Government Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi is the head of state of Libya, but does not have any official title. In 1969, Gaddafi led a military uprising that overthrew the ruling monarchy. The government of Libya is based on popular assemblies. All Libyan citizens aged 18 and over can vote and hold public office. About 1,000 local groups elect a representative to the General People's Congress (GPC), which officially runs the national government. The General People's Congress meets annually to review legislation and select members of the General People's Committee, which develops national policy. Libya is divided into 24 political units called bal...