Area Code 731 – Wadi Atba

Geographic Overview

The +218 731 area code is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the Wadi Atba region in Libya. This area, located in the northwestern part of the country, falls under the administrative jurisdiction of the Al Jabal al Gharbi District. The code serves the town of Wadi Atba and its surrounding rural communities, which are situated in the Nafusa Mountains. This region is known for its agricultural activity and traditional Berber settlements, and it connects to major urban centers such as Gharyan (approximately 60 km to the east) and Tripoli (about 120 km to the north).

Dialing Formats

For callers within Libya, the national trunk prefix is '0'. To call a landline in Wadi Atba, you must dial the trunk prefix, followed by the area code (without the country code), and then the subscriber's 5-digit local number. The complete national format is: 0 731 XX XXX.

For international callers, the format requires the country code +218, followed by the area code (without the leading '0') and the subscriber number. The international dialing format is: +218 731 XX XXX.

Caller Instructions

• Local callers (within Libya): Dial 0 731 XX XXX. For example, to call a number in Wadi Atba, you would dial 0731 XX XXX.
• International callers: Dial your country's exit code (e.g., 00 from most countries, or 011 from the US/Canada), then 218, then 731, and the subscriber number. For example, from the UK, you would dial 00 218 731 XX XXX.

Numbering and Overlay Considerations

Libyan landline numbers are typically 8 digits long when including the area code (excluding the trunk prefix '0'). The subscriber number within the 731 code is 5 digits. As of the latest ITU-T E.164 national numbering plan, there are no overlay codes or area code splits planned for this region. The geographic significance of the code remains intact, and the number is tied to the physical location of the fixed line.

Technical Notes

This code is used for PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) services. Calls to this area are routed via the Libyan fixed-line network, operated by the state-owned telecom company (Libya Telecom & Technology). While VoIP services are available in Libya, they are not assigned geographic codes; therefore, +218 731 numbers are exclusively for fixed-line connections in the Wadi Atba area. When dialing from a mobile phone, the same international format applies.