Since its independence in 1951, Libya has been classified as a developing country. The nation has experienced a high rate of urbanization, accompanied by significant improvements in various aspects of life. This process has led to the dominance of a few major cities, particularly Tripoli and Benghazi. In a country with multiple large urban centers that attract internal migrants, individuals often have more than one option for their final urban destination. However, this urban primacy has placed substantial pressure on the main cities, encouraging population inflows even before the necessary infrastructure and urban planning frameworks were in place to support expansion and accommodate growing populations. Due to rapid population inflows into Tripoli—occurring before the necessary urban infrastructure and planning frameworks were established—the city has witnessed the emergence and continuous expansion of unplanned, informally developed residential areas, commonly referred to as informal settlements. These areas began to proliferate in the late 1980s and have persisted to the present day, accommodating large and demographically diverse populations. This phenomenon has generated numerous negative socioeconomic and spatial impacts on Tripoli and its surrounding regions, evolving into a chronic urban challenge. In response, successive governmental initiatives have been launched to address and mitigate the issue through urban planning schemes, housing policies, and residential development strategies—most notably the “Second Generation Housing Project.” Despite these efforts, the outcomes have been limited. Key constraints include significant delays in on-the-ground implementation, the expiration of planning timeframes without timely follow-up strategies, and the persistent, if not accelerating, growth of informal settlements. Often, policy responses have been introduced too late to effectively curb the expanding crisis. This paper aims to identify the underlying factors that have contributed to the emergence and spread of informal settlements in Tripoli and to propose actionable recommendations for creating a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainably managed urban environment. Ultimately, the study contributes to the broader discourse on urban development in developing countries and offers valuable insights for other regions facing comparable challenges. The findings call for urgent, root-cause-oriented interventions and suggest practical measures to reduce the adverse effects of urban informality............... Keywords: ...............Informal construction- Population growth- Urban planning- Informal settlements- GIS