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Libya: capital, population, area and flag

Libya is a country in Northern Africa (Africa). Its capital is Tripoli. The population is about 7.46M (#104 of 193) and the area is about 1,759,540 km² (#16 of 193).

Key facts

Capital
Tripoli
Region
Africa / Northern Africa
Population
7,458,555 (2025) #104 of 193
Total area
1,759,540 km² (2024) #16 of 193
Population density
4.2 people/km² (2024) #187 of 193
GDP (total)
$48.1B (2025) #99 of 189
GDP per capita
$6,449 (2025) #108 of 189
Life expectancy
71.1 years (2024) #125 of 193
Distance from Japan
10,575 km #82 of 192
Area compared with Japan
about 4.7 times that of Japan
Population compared with Japan
about 1/17 that of Japan
Main languages
Arabic
Currency
Libyan Dinar (LYD)
Calling code
+218
Time zone (capital)
UTC+2
Time difference from Japan (standard time)
7 h behind Japan
Driving side
Right
Capital location
32.89°N 13.19°E

Population of Libya, 1950–2100 (Japanese)
See past estimates, future projections and the population pyramid in the World Population Time Machine.

Map of Libya

Map of Libya

Capital: Tripoli

Libya: in the world’s top 10 for food & farming

Libya ranks among the world’s top 10 for these crops, animals, seafood and farm products (latest FAO data).

Neighbors by land

Top rankings

Libya is in the top 10 for:

Libya in world rankings

How Libya compares with other countries, indicator by indicator. Click an indicator to see the full ranking.

IndicatorValueYearRank
Geography & nature
Total area1,759,540 km²2024#16 of 193
Number of land borders6#20 of 193 tied
Latitude of the capital32.9°#70 of 193
Distance from Japan10,575 km#82 of 192
Forest area (share of land)0.1%2024#189 of 193
Arable land (share of land)1.0%2024#171 of 190
Protected land (share of land)0.1%2025#188 of 192
Agricultural land (share of land)8.7%2024#171 of 192
Average annual rainfall56 mm2022#179 of 180
Freshwater resources per person97 m³2022#168 of 181
Forest area2,053 km²2025#153 of 193
Marine protected areas (share of territorial waters)0.6%2025#105 of 153 tied
People & population
Population7,458,5552025#104 of 193
Population density4.2 people/km²2024#187 of 193
Population growth rate1.04%2025#94 of 193
Urban population (share of people)87.9%2025#26 of 193
Life expectancy71.1 years2024#125 of 193
Fertility rate2.30 births per woman2024#81 of 193
Infant mortality rate7.9 per 1,000 births2024#125 of 192
Birth rate16.5 per 1,000 people2024#89 of 193 tied
Share of people aged 65 and over5.2%2025#123 of 193
Share of children aged 0–1426.8%2025#84 of 193
Life expectancy of women72.7 years2024#130 of 193
Life expectancy of men69.6 years2024#110 of 193
Maternal mortality ratio59 per 100,000 births2023#88 of 192 tied
City dwellers living in the largest city (share)18.4%2025#118 of 149
Death rate (per 1,000 people)6.5 per 1,000 people2024#123 of 193
Under-5 mortality (per 1,000 births)9.8 per 1,000 births2024#120 of 192 tied
Population aged 15–64 (share of population)68.0%2025#42 of 193
Economy
GDP (total)$48.1B2025#99 of 189
GDP per capita$6,4492025#108 of 189
GDP per capita (PPP)$16,5212025#104 of 185
Economic growth rate13.4%2025#2 of 188
Inflation rate1.8%2025#127 of 179
Unemployment rate18.8%2025#9 of 178
Exports (share of GDP)71.7%2025#21 of 168
Imports (share of GDP)65.9%2025#37 of 168
Agriculture (share of GDP)1.5%2025#154 of 184
Industry (share of GDP)73.2%2025#2 of 185
Services (share of GDP)26.9%2025#184 of 185
Military spending (share of GDP)3.6%2023#17 of 155
Goods exports (total)$30.1B2025#71 of 190
Women in the labor force (share of women)33.0%2025#155 of 178
Youth unemployment rate50.1%2025#4 of 178
Cereal production164,800 t2024#134 of 177
Cereal yield (per hectare of farmland)660 kg/ha2024#167 of 175
Fish and seafood production (catch + farmed)33,109 t2024#120 of 193
Fish catch (from sea, rivers and lakes)33,099 t2024#115 of 193
Aquaculture (farmed fish and seafood)10 t2024#168 of 193 tied
Livestock production growth (2014–16 = 100)120.3 (2014–16 average = 100)2024#63 of 187
Fertilizer use (per hectare of arable land)35 kg/ha2024#125 of 187
Employment in agriculture (share of jobs)10.0%2025#109 of 178
High-technology exports (share of manufactured exports)0.6%2019#151 of 168
Foreign direct investment, inflows (share of GDP)1.7%2025#105 of 187
Development aid received (share of national income)0.8%2023#93 of 132
Labor force (number of people)2,616,9292025#120 of 178
Reserves of foreign currency and gold$105B2025#29 of 169
Daily life & technology
Internet users (share of people)82.0%2024#93 of 186
Mobile phone subscriptions193.0 per 100 people2022#5 of 193
Access to electricity (share of people)77.4%2024#151 of 193
Health spending (share of GDP)7.8%2023#65 of 192
Hospital beds3.5 per 1,000 people2022#50 of 157
Doctors2.04 per 1,000 people2017#85 of 188
Women in parliament (share of seats)16.5%2025#142 of 192
Fixed broadband subscriptions4.5 per 100 people2022#129 of 192
Air passengers carried1,094,5792023#93 of 152
Safe sanitation (share of people)21.7%2024#118 of 136
Undernourishment (share of people)18.7%2024#29 of 165
Clean cooking fuels (share of people)95.0%2024#86 of 192 tied
Road traffic deaths21.3 per 100,000 people2019#62 of 183
Measles vaccination (share of children)89.0%2024#103 of 192 tied
Nurses and midwives (per 1,000 people)6.38 per 1,000 people2017#53 of 190
Tuberculosis cases (per 100,000 people)63 per 100,000 people2024#78 of 191 tied
Health spending per person$4702023#97 of 192
Container port traffic (TEU)465,168 TEU2023#89 of 150
Environment
Renewable electricity (share of power)0.0%2021#184 of 187
CO₂ emissions per person8.7 t CO₂e per person2024#21 of 186
CO₂ emissions (total)64.0 Mt CO₂e2024#51 of 186
Air pollution (PM2.5)20.0 µg/m³2023#84 of 192
Energy use per person3,322 kg oil eq. per person2024#27 of 146
Renewable energy (share of final energy use)3.1%2021#164 of 191
Electricity consumption per person5,156 kWh per person2024#42 of 146
Electricity from nuclear power (share of total)0.0%2021#33 of 190 tied
Electricity from hydropower (share of total)0.0%2021#150 of 190 tied
Greenhouse gas emissions (total)98.2 Mt CO₂e2024#57 of 186
Freshwater withdrawal (share of internal resources)817.1%2022#6 of 175
Food & farming
Wheat: production90,000 t2024#83 of 120
Maize (corn): production3,800 t2024#138 of 160
Barley: production65,000 t2024#65 of 100 tied
Millet: production6,000 t2024#54 of 73
Potatoes: production369,147 t2024#76 of 150
Groundnuts (peanuts): production12,701 t2024#63 of 108
Dry beans: production1,218 t2024#93 of 105
Chickpeas: production36 t2024#44 of 47
Dry peas: production6,014 t2024#53 of 95
Tomatoes: production226,332 t2024#68 of 164
Onions: production187,498 t2024#60 of 139
Cabbages: production4,851 t2024#112 of 143
Carrots (with turnips): production34,629 t2024#70 of 129
Cucumbers (with gherkins): production4,791 t2024#96 of 130
Cauliflower (with broccoli): production7,787 t2024#56 of 95
Eggplants (aubergines): production2,436 t2024#67 of 94
Green chilies and sweet peppers: production27,739 t2024#66 of 124
Garlic: production4,917 t2024#59 of 102
Oranges: production52,576 t2024#58 of 112
Tangerines (mandarins): production10,259 t2024#53 of 70
Lemons (with limes): production24,049 t2024#47 of 101
Apples: production5,814 t2024#81 of 92
Grapes: production30,583 t2024#61 of 91
Watermelons: production233,010 t2024#35 of 119
Peaches (with nectarines): production14,307 t2024#51 of 79
Dates: production187,039 t2024#11 of 36
Olives: production128,893 t2024#18 of 40
Melons (cantaloupes and others): production26,590 t2024#53 of 95
Pears: production1,466 t2024#72 of 85
Plums (with sloes): production56,744 t2024#25 of 87
Apricots: production26,837 t2024#26 of 65
Almonds: production36,677 t2024#15 of 48
Tobacco: production1,226 t2024#81 of 117
Beef (cattle meat): production6,219 t2024#139 of 181
Chicken meat: production131,499 t2024#81 of 183
Cow’s milk: production141,084 t2024#124 of 178
Hen eggs: production75,038 t2024#68 of 167
Honey: production787 t2024#93 of 122
Sheep meat (mutton and lamb): production28,924 t2024#51 of 172
Goat meat: production12,218 t2024#54 of 164
Goat’s milk: production20,961 t2024#59 of 108
Gilthead seabream: production130 t2024#22 of 31
Albacore: production110 t2024#40 of 60
Atlantic bluefin tuna: production2,474 t2024#10 of 32
Swordfish: production120 t2024#42 of 76
Shrimps and prawns: production520 t2024#78 of 114
Squids, cuttlefish and octopuses: production1,770 t2024#49 of 102
Tunas, bonitos and billfishes: production3,029 t2024#77 of 133
Tilapias and other cichlids: production10 t2024#97 of 119 tied
Herrings, sardines and anchovies: production5,590 t2024#68 of 108
Cods, hakes and haddocks: production750 t2024#44 of 65
Flatfishes (flounders, halibuts, soles): production130 t2024#67 of 91
Sharks and rays: production4,795 t2024#28 of 127
Cattle: number of animals208,931 animals2024#140 of 183
Chickens: number of animals38,034,000 birds2024#77 of 181
Sheep: number of animals7,491,773 animals2024#42 of 173
Goats: number of animals2,726,038 animals2024#53 of 180
Horses: number of animals46,676 animals2024#69 of 143
Camels: number of animals63,956 animals2024#30 of 46
Donkeys: number of animals1,610 animals2024#91 of 104

Questions about Libya

What is the capital of Libya?

The capital of Libya is Tripoli.

What is the population of Libya?

Libya has a population of about 7.46M (2025), #104 of 193 among countries.

How big is Libya?

Libya covers about 1,759,540 km², #16 of 193 among countries.

Which continent is Libya in?

Libya is in Africa, in the region of Northern Africa.

What currency and languages are used in Libya?

The currency is the Libyan Dinar. Main languages: Arabic.

How does Libya compare with Japan in size and population?

The area of Libya is about 4.7 times that of Japan, and its population is about 1/17 that of Japan.

How far is Libya from Japan?

The capital, Tripoli, is about 10,575 km from Tokyo, the capital of Japan, in a straight line.

What is the time difference between Libya and Japan?

The capital, Tripoli, is on UTC+2 in standard time: 7 h behind Japan.

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