LIBYA

The State of Libya, formerly The  Socialist Peoples Arab Jamahiriya, is a country in North Africa, who's capital is Tripoli. The Italians took over occupation from the Ottoman Turks in 1911 until they were defeated in 1943 when the UN took control and independence was achieved in 1951. after a coup in 1969, Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi took power and introduced his system of " the third universal theory" - a mixture of Socialism and Islam. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated Libya after the downing of Pan AM flight 103 over Lockerbie, in Scotland.The sanctions were lifted in 2003. In February 2011, after successful revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, a civil war started which saw the end of the Qadhafi regime. In july 2012 Libyans voted in a general Election to elect their first government since the Fall of the Qadhafi regime.

Monetary units:
1 Pound = 100 piastres (1951 -1971)
1 Dinar = 1000 Dirhams (1971 onwards)

These are two really colourful notes from the 2002 issue. The first is the half (1/2) Dinar note with an oil refinery on the front centre and an irrigation system on the reverse. The second one is a quarter (1/4) Dinar, this time with ruins on the front and a walled fortress on the reverse.

One huge co-incidence is that today (17th February 2013) Libya is due to release her new set of notes. this is the 2nd anniversary of the start of the civil war. A Sneak preview can be seen here at Banknote News .