Capital

Libyen

name: Tripoli (Tarabulus)

geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: originally founded by the Phoenicians as Oea in the 7th century B.C., the city changed rulers many times over the successive centuries; by the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. the region around the city was referred to as Regio Tripolitana by the Romans, meaning "region of the three cities" - namely Oea (i.e., modern Tripoli), Sabratha (to the west), and Leptis Magna (to the east); over time, the shortened name of "Tripoli" came to refer to just Oea, which derives from the Greek words tria and polis meaning "three cities"

Citizenship

Libyen

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Libya

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: varies from 3 to 5 years

Legal system

Libyen

Libya's post-revolution legal system is in flux and driven by state and non-state entities

Suffrage

Libyen

18 years of age, universal

Area

Libyen

total: 1,759,540 sq km

land: 1,759,540 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Land use

Libyen

agricultural land: 8.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 7.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 0.1% (2018 est.)

other: 91.1% (2018 est.)

Location

Libyen

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria

Age structure

Libyen

0-14 years: 32.81% (male 1,213,850/female 1,166,039)

15-64 years: 62.8% (male 2,340,685/female 2,213,782)

65 years and over: 4.39% (2023 est.) (male 143,737/female 174,480)

Birth rate

Libyen

20.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Libyen

3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Libyen

Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Berber (Nafusi, Ghadamis, Suknah, Awjilah, Tamasheq)

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Libyen

total population: 77.4 years (2023 est.)

male: 75.2 years

female: 79.8 years

Major urban areas - population

Libyen

1.183 million TRIPOLI (capital), 984,000 Misratah, 859,000 Benghazi (2023)

Median age

Libyen

total: 26.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 26.1 years

female: 26.1 years

Net migration rate

Libyen

-2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Libyen

well over 90% of the population lives along the Mediterranean coast in and between Tripoli to the west and Al Bayda to the east; the interior remains vastly underpopulated due to the Sahara and lack of surface water as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

Libyen

1.54% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Libyen

3.04 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Libyen

urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Libyen

NA

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Libyen

-25.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Libyen

-10.57% (2019 est.)

Labor force

Libyen

2.28 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Libyen

note: about one-third of Libyans live at or below the national poverty line

Unemployment rate

Libyen

19.58% (2021 est.)

20.07% (2020 est.)

19.66% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Libyen

4.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

7.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Libyen

28.5% (2017 est.)

25.9% (2016 est.)

Exports

Libyen

$9.537 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$29.326 billion (2019 est.)

$29.964 billion (2018 est.)

Exports - partners

Libyen

Italy 18%, China 16%, Germany 15%, Spain 15%, United Arab Emirates 6%, France 6%, United States 5% (2019)

Imports

Libyen

$14.334 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$25.368 billion (2019 est.)

$18.849 billion (2018 est.)

Imports - partners

Libyen

China 16%, Turkey 14%, Italy 9%, United Arab Emirates 9%, Egypt 5% (2019)

Airports

Libyen

146 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Libyen

total: 332,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Libyen

total: 3,095,400 (2021 est.)

percent of population: 46.2% (2021 est.)

Roadways

Libyen

total: 37,000 km (2010)

paved: 34,000 km (2010)

unpaved: 3,000 km (2010)

Telephones - fixed lines

Libyen

total subscriptions: 1.6 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Libyen

total subscriptions: 2.9 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2021 est.)

Disputes - international

Libyen

Libya-Algeria: dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria

Libya-Chad: various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya; Libyan forces clashed with Chadian rebels in September 2021

Libya-Egypt: none identified

Libya-Niger: the boundary is poorly defined but has never been disputed by either country

Libya-Sudan: none identified

Libya-Tunisia: none identified