CountriesIndicatorsThis week
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026

Libya

Libya has 7.5 m people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $48 bn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of its potash supply (FAOSTAT, 2024, estimated).

Written automatically from the figures on this page.

Population
7.5 m (2025)
Member of
OPEC, OPEC+ (as of 10 Nov 2026)

Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.

1

Dependencies at a glance

Libya imports all of its potash supply; it exports oil.

Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).
ResourceDependencePositionMain partners
OilExporterExports 81% of what it producesEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, exports 2025Italy, Germany, Spain (buyers)
Natural gasLow net tradeExports 12% of what it produces PreliminaryEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025No partner data from the source
WheatImports mostImports 67% of the wheat it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023No partner data from the source
MaizeImports mostImports all of the maize it uses EstimateFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023No partner data from the source
RiceNot reported by this source–
SoybeansNot reported by this source–
PotashImports mostImports all of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025No partner data from the source
PhosphateImports mostImports all of its phosphate supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025No partner data from the source
ArmsSupplier concentration onlyMain supplier: Türkiye, 13% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025Türkiye
ChipsSupplier concentration onlyNot reported by this sourceUN Comtrade, 2025–

Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).

  • OilExporter

    Exports 81% of what it produces

    Main partners: Italy, Germany, Spain (buyers)

    EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, exports 2025

  • Natural gasLow net trade

    Exports 12% of what it produces Preliminary

    Main partners: No partner data from the source

    EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025

  • WheatImports most

    Imports 67% of the wheat it uses

    Main partners: No partner data from the source

    FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023

  • MaizeImports most

    Imports all of the maize it uses Estimate

    Main partners: No partner data from the source

    FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023

  • Rice

    Not reported by this source

  • Soybeans

    Not reported by this source

  • PotashImports most

    Imports all of its potash supply Estimate

    Main partners: No partner data from the source

    FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025

  • PhosphateImports most

    Imports all of its phosphate supply Estimate

    Main partners: No partner data from the source

    FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025

  • ArmsSupplier concentration only

    Main supplier: Türkiye, 13% of imports

    Main partners: Türkiye

    SIPRI, 2021–2025

  • ChipsSupplier concentration only

    Not reported by this source

    UN Comtrade, 2025

Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRIyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026

Dependencies tool
2

Money and reserves

Libya’s economy produced $48 bn in 2025.

GDP, 2000–2025

$0$20 bn$40 bn$60 bn$80 bn$100 bn200020052010201520202025

Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026

Economic growth13.4%2025 · 2nd of 186 · World Bank
Inflation1.8%2025 · 117th of 169 · World Bank
Unemployment18.8%2025 · 9th of 181 · World Bank
ReservesUS$92.9billion2024 · 29th of 164 · World Bank
Trade138% of GDP2024 · 27th of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment inUS$828million2025 · 106th of 200 · World Bank
3

People

Libya had 7.5 m people in 2025.

Population, 1950–2100

05.0 m10 m15 m195019701990200020102030205020702100Projection
Projection: UN projection, medium variant, after 2023Range between the UN low- and high-fertility scenarios

Source: UN World Population ProspectsUpdated 13 Nov 2026Projection

Libya’s population by age

1950200020502100
MenWomen01020304050607080901000m00m
Millions of people in each five-year age group, men left and women right. Years after 2023 are UN projections (medium variant).

Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection

Births per woman2.352023 · 87th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age27.22023 · 151st of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over5.2%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
4

Climate and hazards

Libya emitted 65.3 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.

Libya’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1990–2024

0 Mt20 Mt40 Mt60 Mt80 Mt1990199520002005201020152024

Source: Our World in Data CO21990–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026

CO2 emissions65Mt2024 · 51st of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person8.8t2024 · 29th of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 17502,490Mt2024 · 63rd of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress4.82023 · 11th of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
5

More figures

Shown only where a source covers Libya.

Refugees

658,477refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
20,963from it, abroad, 2025

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025

Sanctions

93entries on the US, EU and UK lists give it as an address or nationality: US 30, EU 32 and UK 31

Counts entries (people, companies, ships and aircraft), not how strict the measures are.

Source: US CSL; EU sanctions list; UK Sanctions ListUpdated 13 Nov 2026

Chinese loans and grants

US$465millioncommitted by Chinese state lenders, 2000–2021

Source: AidData Chinese development finance2000–2021

Cyber incidents

6publicly known incidents affecting Libya, 2000–2024

Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted. Who they were attributed to

Source: EuRepoC Global Dataset of Cyber Incidents 1.3.2 (4 Mar 2025), CC BY-NC 4.02000–2024

6

All figures

50 measures on this site have a recent figure for Libya.

GDP$48 bn2025100th of 186World Bank
GDP per person$6,4492025107th of 186World Bank
Economic growth13.4%20252nd of 186World Bank
Inflation1.8%2025117th of 169World Bank
Government debt154%20254th of 191IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026
Government budget balance−30.5%2025194th of 195IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026
Current account balance1.1%202569th of 194IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026
Unemployment18.8%20259th of 181World Bank
Reserves, including gold$93 bn202429th of 164World Bank
Trade138%202427th of 172World Bank
Foreign investment in$828 m2025106th of 200World Bank
Population7.5 m2025105th of 216World Bank
Population with UN projections7.3 m2023106th of 237UN WPP 2024
Births per woman2.35202387th of 237UN WPP 2024
Median age27.22023151st of 237UN WPP 2024
Life expectancy69.32023175th of 237UN WPP 2024
Refugees from the country20,963202568th of 206UNHCR
Refugees and others needing protection, by host658,477202522nd of 176UNHCR
Refugees hosted per 1,000 people88.320253rd of 176UNHCR
People displaced inside the country32,791202534th of 38UNHCR
Crude oil production1,363 kb/d202515th of 214EIA
Oil consumption223 kb/d202454th of 212EIA
Natural gas productionPreliminary202438th of 213EIA
Natural gas consumption10.7 bcm202449th of 213EIA
Electricity generated35 TWh202468th of 193Ember
Low-carbon electricity<0.1%2024189th of 193Ember
Electricity from coal0%202482nd of 193Ember
Electricity from wind and solar<0.1%2024177th of 193Ember
Wheat production0.1 Mt202483rd of 123FAOSTAT
Wheat imports0.2 Mt202493rd of 180FAOSTAT
Maize production0.0 Mt2024139th of 169FAOSTAT
Maize imports0.8 Mt202443rd of 196FAOSTAT
Rice imports0.1 Mt202485th of 197FAOSTAT
Soybean imports0.0 Mt2024176th of 179FAOSTAT
Potash fertiliser use0.00 Mt2024136th of 199FAOSTAT
Phosphate fertiliser use0.04 Mt202457th of 199FAOSTAT
CO2 emissions65 Mt202451st of 214Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person8.8 t202429th of 213Global Carbon Budget
CO2 emitted since 17502,490 Mt202463rd of 214Global Carbon Budget
Water stress4.8202311th of 164WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
Water from abroad0%2023125th of 193FAO AQUASTAT
Military spending, share of GDP3.6%202314th of 153World Bank
Military spending$1.6 bn202365th of 153World Bank
Deaths in organised violence2202458th of 62UCDP
Arms imports5 TIV m2024107th of 117SIPRI
People using the internet82%202494th of 182World Bank
ICT service exports$12 m2023145th of 174World Bank
ICT service exports, share of service exports1.9%2023141st of 174World Bank
Sanctions list entries (US, EU, UK)93202634th of 181US CSL
Chinese loans and grants committed$4 m202075th of 130AidData, Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset 3.0

Sources for this page

  • World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Reserves, …
  • IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026Debt, Budget balance, Current account
  • UN World Population ProspectsPopulation (UN), Births per woman, Median age, Life expectancy
  • UNHCR Refugee Data FinderRefugees from, Refugees hosted, Refugees per 1,000, Internally displaced
  • U.S. Energy Information AdministrationOil output, Oil use, Gas output, Gas use, Dependencies at a glance
  • Ember electricity dataElectricity, Low-carbon electricity, Electricity from coal, Electricity from wind and solar
  • FAOSTATWheat production, Wheat imports, Maize production, Maize imports, Rice imports, Soybean imports, …
  • Our World in Data CO2CO2 emissions, CO2 per person, CO2 since 1750
  • WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)Water stress
  • FAO AQUASTATWater from abroad
  • UCDP Georeferenced Event DatasetConflict deaths
  • SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabaseArms imports, Dependencies at a glance
  • US Consolidated Screening ListSanctions list entries, Sanctions
  • AidData Chinese development financeChinese loans and grants
  • EU financial sanctions listSanctions
  • UK Sanctions ListSanctions
  • EuRepoC cyber incidentsCyber incidents

Page last updated 13 Nov 2026How we measure

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