Libyans
Libyans
a nation and the basic population of Libya, numbering about 1.7 million (1970 estimate). They speak Arabic, and most believers are Sunni Moslems (about 30 percent belong to the Sanussi sect). The Libyan nation was formed through the mixing of Arab tribes, which conquered the area between the seventh and 11th centuries, and the native Berbers, who adopted the Arabic language, religion, and customs. The Libyans who live along the coast practice agriculture, raising olives, citrus fruits, and date palms. In the southern and central regions the chief occupation is nomadic and seminomadic stock breeding. Some Libyans are employed in the petroleum industry.