Country code Libya, +218 or 00218?
There are two spellings for the Libya area code, namely +218 and 00218. Which area code do you have to use? What is the difference between the two country codes for Libya and what are the different versions for?
The country code of Libya that starts with a “+” (i.e. +218) is the so-called international code (international spelling). It is primarily used in the mobile communications sector. Most cell phones can make an international call to Libya using the +218 area code. This applies to almost every country in the world.
Unfortunately, there are phones (especially older models) that do not support the international spelling. The area code Libya with leading zeros (00218) is then used on these phones. The leading zeros are also referred to as the so-called traffic elimination number. When you call, they indicate that it is an international call.
Problem: Access code and area code 00218
In fact, the 00218 variant is used for calls to Libya, especially in Europe. In other countries of the world, the international code 00218 will not work. Example: In the USA, international calls to Libya begin with 011. An international call here begins with the area code 011218.
Conclusion
For calls from UK to Libya you can always use the country code 00218. In other countries, the two leading zeros must be replaced by a different access code. The international dialing code for Libya (+218) works in all countries in the world. However, it is not supported in all networks and by all telephone devices.
Example of phone calls to Libya
To illustrate the use of the international dialing codes Libya (+218 or 00218) here is another example:
You want to call 456789 with the area code 0123 in Libya. In this case you can use the following numbers (from UK/Europe):
00218 123 456789
If you are using a mobile phone, the following notation also applies worldwide:
+218 123 456789