Libya's northern cities are the chief manufacturing centers. Agriculture accounts for about 7 percent of the total value of economic production in Libya, but about 18 percent of Libya's people are farmers. Only about 5 percent of the land is agriculturally useful, and Libya must import most of the food it needs. The country's chief crops include tomatoes, wheat, olives, potatoes, dates, citrus fruits, and barley. Farmers and herders also raise such livestock as cattle, sheep, and chickens.
Families own most of the farmland in Libya.
Mechanized farm machinery is used on large farms, but traditional tools are often used on small family farms. The export of oil and petroleum products accounts for almost the total value of Libyan exports. Food, machinery, textiles, and transportation equipment are major imports. The value of Libya's exports is higher than that of its imports. Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom are Libya's main sources of imports.