Libya
Shirtsleeves are acceptable business wear in hot weather. Suits and ties are worn for more formal occasions. Appointments are necessary and business cards are useful (printed in English and Arabic), though not widely used. Most business dealings take place with state organizations and English is often understood. It is, however, government policy for official documents to be in Arabic (or translated into Arabic) and for official business to be conducted in Arabic. Business visitors need to be fully prepared for this. Office hours are generally 0700-1400, but these vary greatly.
Crime is a growing problem in Libya. The most common types of crime are auto theft and theft of items left in vehicles. Libya’s beaches are the frequent sites of muggings and purse snatching. Security personnel may at times place foreign visitors under surveillance. Hotel rooms, telephones and fax machines may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms may be searched. Taking photographs of anything that could be perceived as being of military or security interest may result in problems with the authorities. Libya is a cash society and credit card use is extremely limited. Travelers' checks are not accepted and no automatic teller machines (ATMs) are available.
Tripoli and Benghazi have comfortable modern hotels, such as the Grand, Kasr Libya, Libya Palace and Marhaba in Tripoli, and the Kasr al Jazeera and Omar Khayam in Benghazi. There are hotels in Al Bayda, Cyrene (Shahat), Ghadamès, Homs, Sabha, Tobruk and Derna.
Telephone IDD service is available and the country code is 218. Outgoing international code: 00.
Mobile telephones are on the GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Network providers include General Post and Telecommunications Company, El Madar and Orbit.
Internet ISPs include Libya Telecom and Technology (website: www.lttnet.com). There are Internet cafes in Tripoli and some other towns.
Electricity is 150/220 volts AC, 50Hz. All services may be intermittently disrupted by power cuts.
220 volts AC, 40Hz. All services may be intermittently disrupted by power cuts.
D,F
Since alcohol was banned by the Government in 1969, many restaurants have closed, and those remaining are very expensive. Hotel restaurants, although not particularly good, are therefore often the only eating places. Traditional dishes include couscous, a dish based on savoury semolina that can be combined with chicken, lamb or vegetables and is a staple dish in many northern African countries; and ruuz, a rice dish with a variety of spices, meat and vegetables. Most restaurants have table service, and although food is traditionally eaten with the right hand only, knives and forks will generally be available.Tipping:
A tip of 10 to 20 per cent is usually included in hotel and restaurant bills.Nightlife
All nightclubs and bars have been closed. There are several cinemas in major towns, some showing foreign films. There are no theaters or concert halls.
