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There is currently no formal diplomatic relationship between New Zealand and Libya. There have been no official New Zealand visits to Libya in recent times, although during the 1980s the New Zealand Trade Commissioner based in Rome visited Libya occasionally.
Trade with Libya is very modest but stable, and comprised mainly of dairy products and meat. In the year to June 2007 there were exports of NZ$8.75 million, of which $5.692 million was milk and cream. There were no imports from Libya to New Zealand, although this can vary considerably depending on the flow of oil from Libya into New Zealand (for example, from $46 million in 2005 to almost nothing last year).
During the 1980s Libya’s Ambassador in Canberra was accredited to New Zealand. The Libyan People’s Bureau in Canberra was closed in 1987 and since then Libyan interests have been looked after by the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Canberra.
The reopening of the Libyan mission in Canberra, combined with New Zealand’s expanded presence in the Middle East through the new New Zealand mission in Egypt and Libya’s re-emergence onto the wider international stage, has re-opened a number of potential avenues for renewed diplomatic relations which are being explored. As Libya’s economy develops, opportunities for New Zealand exporters may also emerge. Sectors with particular potential which have already been identified are telecommunications and education, as well as further scope for growth in more traditional sectors such as agriculture.top of page
Land Area - 1,759,540 sq km - Population - 6 million (2006 EIU estimate) - Capital City - Tripoli - Religion - Islam - Official Language - Arabic
Political system - Jamahiriya (republic of the masses) - National government - Twenty-six municipal councils which make up the General People’s Congress. Centralise control is maintained in the areas of defence and security, energy, infrastructure, foreign affairs, social security and trade - National legislature - The General People’s Congress, delegates to which are chosen by the Basic People’s Congress - Head of State - Colonel Muammar Qhadafi, appointed supreme leader by the General People’s Congress in March 1990 after taking power in a coup in 1969 - Head of Government - Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmudi - Main political parties - No political parties exist.
GDP - US$47.6 billion (2006 EIU estimate) - Real GDP growth - 6.1% (2006 EIU estimate) – Exports - US$33.6 billion (2006 EIU estimate) - Main exports – Petroleum – Imports - US$12.3 billion (2006 EIU estimate) - Current account balance - US$12.893 million (2006 EIU estimate) – Inflation - 2.7% (2006 EIU estimate) - Gross external debt - US$4.5 billion (2006 EIU estimate).
NZ Exports (FOB) - NZ $8.750 million (for year ended June 2007) - Main Exports - Milk and cream (65%); sheep and curd (17%); meat of bovine animals (5%) - NZ Imports (CIF) - NZ $0 (for year ended June 2007). top of page
The Safetravel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Libya [external link].
