• December 1951: Libya declares independence from Italy under King Idris. • September 1969: Muammar Gaddafi leads a coup. • 1977: Gaddafi officially passes power to the General People’s Committees. • July 1977: Libyan–Egyptian War. • 1977: The Chadian-Libyan conflict begins. • 1977: Libya’s HDI becomes the highest in Africa as GDP increases due to oil revenues. • 1979: Libya supports Idi Amin in his war with Tanzania. • 1986: An airstrike on Libya in response to the Berlin discotheque bombing fails to kill Gaddafi. • 1987: Libya officially loses the Chadian–Libyan conflict. • 1988: Libya is implicated in the Lockerbie bombing and comes under UN sanctions. • February 2011: A revolt against Gaddafi begins in Benghazi, and the unrest eventually spreads to Tripoli. A National Transitional Council is formed. • March 2011: The UN establishes a no-fly zone over Libya. • August 2011: Rebels enter Tripoli and occupy Green Square. • September–October 2011: On the run, Muammar Gaddafi is captured by a Misratan militia and eventually killed on October 20. • July 2012: Libya holds its first parliamentary elections. • October 2012: Ali Zeidan becomes prime minister following the elections.