Subdivisions of Libya

Prior to the Italian invasion of 1911, the area of Libya was administered as three separate provinces ("Vilayets") of the Ottoman Empire: Tripolitania, Fezzan, and Cyrenaica.

At first, Italy continued the tripartite administration, but soon consolidated the area into a single province/governorate administered as the "Libyan Colony". Indeed, until about 1931 -when the last of the native resistance to the Italians was subdued- the area was divided into three historical regions (Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan/"Territorio Sahara").

Then, in 1937, Italian governor Italo Balbo created the political entity called Libya. His Italian Libya was re-divided into four provinces and one territory: Tripoli, Misurata, Benghazi, Derna, (in the coastal north) and the "Southern Military Territory" ({{langx|it|Territorio Militare del Sud}}) (in the Saharan south).Pan, Chia-Lin (1949) "The Population of Libya" Population Studies, 3(1): pp. 100-125, p. 104

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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histatlas/northafrica/libya19431951.gif|title="Map of Libya 1943-1951" Zentrale für Unterrichtsmedien}}

After independence, Libya was divided into three governorates (muhafazat), matching the three provinces of before, but in 1963 it was divided into ten governorates.

{{main|Provinces of Libya}}

The Provinces of Libya existed during the last period of colonial Italian Libya through post-independence Libya. The country was divided into provinces from 1934 in the colonial era to 1963 when the Governorates system was instituted.

{{main|Governorates of Libya}}

The Governorates of Libya (muhafazah) were an administrative division of Libya from 1963 until 1983. Initially there were 46 governorates-districts, called baladiyah, that were reduced to 25 in 1987.

File:Libia regions with numbers.svg

{{main|Baladiyat of Libya}}

In 1983, a new system was introduced dividing the country into forty-six districts (baladiyat also sometimes translated as municipalities). In 1987 this number was reduced to twenty-five.

In Libya there are currently 106 districts, second level administrative subdivisions known as baladiyat (singular baladiyah).{{Cite web|title=Baladiyat |language=ar |publisher=Central Committee for the election of baladiyah councils |url=https://ccmce.ly/index.php/ar/municipalities |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228224836/https://ccmce.ly/index.php/ar/municipalities |archive-date=28 December 2021 |url-status=live }} The number has varied since 2013 between 99 and 108.{{Cite web|title=Baladiyat |language=ar |url=https://ccmce.ly/index.php/ar/municipalities |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125051042/https://ccmce.ly/index.php/ar/municipalities |archive-date=25 January 2021 |url-status=unfit }}

{{main|Districts of Libya}}

On 2 August 1995, Libya reorganized into thirteen districts (sha`biyat - singular sha`biyah, also translated as municipalities or popularates). In 1998 this was increased to twenty-six districts (sha`biyat). In 2001 it was increased to thirty-two districts plus three administrative regions. Finally in 2007 the number was reduced to twenty-two districts.{{cite web |url=http://gpco.gov.ly/online/shabyat.php |title=اللجنة الشعبية العامة |access-date=2009-05-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207003234/http://gpco.gov.ly/online/shabyat.php |archive-date=2009-02-07 }} شعبيات الجماهيرية العظمى{{spaced ndash}}Sha'biyat of Great Jamahiriya, accessed July 6, 2007

{{main|Basic People's Congress (administrative division)}}

Under Gaddafi Libyan districts were further subdivided into Basic People's Congresses {{langx|ar|مؤتمر شعبي أساسي}} (Mu'tamar shaʿbi asāsi ). Geographically they corresponded approximately to the level of a township or borough. In desert areas they often had an extensive land area with very low population, and were generally centered on, and named for, an oasis.

• Districts of Libya
• Governorates of Libya
• Provinces of Libya
• Basic People's Congress

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{{Libya topics}}

{{Regions of Libya}}

{{Africa topic|Subdivisions of}}

Libya

Libya