An authoritarian state controlled since 1969 by Mu'ammar al-Gadhafi, the North African country of Libya is the fourth largest state in Africa. Known as the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the country became politically and economically isolated from the rest of the world during the latter half of the 20th century, as its controversial leader crafted hostile foreign policies and supported terrorism.The Sahara Desert covers most of Libya, which is a nation with no permanent rivers or streams. Yet just beneath the land's surface lie huge reserves of oil, which have provided vast wealth for Libya's almost 6 million people. In recent years, Gadhafi has moderated his policies in an attempt to reintegrate Libya into the global community.