The article describes the socio-geographical situation in 2002. The following is a description of the process and reforms designed to give impetus to economic growth and integrate the Libyan economy into the world economy. The ambiguity of the political and socio-economic situation in the country in 2002—2010 is clearly shown. The authors demonstrate how, against the background of external stability, there remained permanent factors of a destructive nature. The article presents in detail that, on the one hand, Libya received high incomes from energy exports, which made it possible to implement a strong social policy and maintain a relatively high standard of living for the population. A solution to the problems of youth employment is given by attracting labor migrants from other countries to low-paid jobs. The authors also describe how Gaddafi maintained power by making extensive use of financial and military preferences, playing on inter-tribal contradictions and preventing the emergence of opposition. In addition, negative factors existing in the country are presented. Libya remained virtually divided into three regions, Tripolitania, Fezzan and Cyrenaica having rather tense relations with each other. It is especially true about relations between Tripolitania and Cyrenaica. The tribes of Cyrenaica were disadvantaged politically and economically. At the same time, the country's largest oil fields were located in the eastern part of the country. The article examines the formation in Cyrenaica of the radical Islamist organization LIFG, which declared its goal to eliminate Gaddafi and establish an Islamic state in Libya. Conclusions about the political and socioeconomic situation in Libya in the pre-war period are presented.
For citation: Abidulin A.M., Dronov M.V. Political and Socio-Economic Situation in Libya in the Pre-War Period 2002—2010, Ivanovo State University Bulletin, Series: Humanities, 2024, iss. 4, pp. 98—106.