THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: Berbers have inhabited central north Africa since ancient times, but Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians, Romans, and Vandals have all settled and ruled the region. In the 7th century, Islam spread through the area. In the mid-16th century, Ottoman rule began; the Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and held it until 1943, when they were defeated in World War II. Libya then came under UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership with a military coup in 1969 and began to espouse a political system that combined socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners -- one over Scotland and another in Northern Africa -- and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically; the sanctions were lifted in 2003 when Libya accepted responsibility for the bombings and agreed to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations. Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned an eight-month civil war that saw the emergence of a National Transitional Council (NTC), UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community, and the toppling of the QADHAFI regime. In 2012, the NTC handed power to an elected parliament, the General National Congress (GNC), which was replaced two years later with the House of Representatives (HoR). In 2015, the UN brokered the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) among a broad array of political parties and social groups, establishing an interim executive body. However, hardliners continued to oppose and hamper the LPA implementation, leaving Libya with eastern and western-based rival governments. In 2018, the international community supported a recalibrated plan that aimed to break the political deadlock with a National Conference in 2019. These plans, however, were derailed when the eastern-based, self-described Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive to seize Tripoli. The LNA offensive collapsed in 2020, and a subsequent UN-sponsored cease-fire helped formalize the pause in fighting between rival camps. In 2021, the UN-facilitated Libyan Political Dialogue Forum selected a new prime minister for an interim government -- the Government of National Unity (GNU) -- and a new presidential council charged with preparing for elections and uniting the country’s state institutions. The HoR approved the GNU and its cabinet the same year, providing Libya with its first unified government since 2014, but the parliament then postponed the planned presidential election to an undetermined date in the future. In 2022, the HoR voted to replace GNU interim Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid DUBAYBAH, with another government led by Fathi BASHAGHA. GNU allegations of an illegitimate HoR vote allowed DUBAYBAH to remain in office and rebuff BASHAGHA's attempts to seat his government in Tripoli. In 2023, the HoR voted to replace BASHAGHA with Osma HAMAD. Special Representative of the UN Security-General for Libya, Abdoulaye BATHILY, is leading international efforts to persuade key Libyan political actors to resolve the core issues impeding elections.

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria
Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1,759,540 sq km
land: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries: total: 4,339 km
border countries: Algeria 989 km; Chad 1,050 km; Egypt 1,115 km; Niger 342 km; Sudan 382 km; Tunisia 461 km
Coastline: 1,770 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation: highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
mean elevation: 423 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use: agricultural land: 8.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 0.1% (2023 est.)
other: 91.2% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (2012)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Major aquifers: Nubian Aquifer System, North Western Sahara Aquifer System, Murzuk-Djado Basin
Population distribution: 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 its lack of surface water, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Geography - note: note 1: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesertnote 2: the volcano Waw an Namus lies in south central Libya in the middle of the Sahara; the caldera is an oasis -- the name means "oasis of mosquitoes" -- containing several small lakes that host many species of insects and birds

Population: total: 7,361,263 (2024 est.)
male: 3,747,364
female: 3,613,899
Nationality: noun: Libyan(s)
adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups: Amazigh and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Egyptian, Greek, Indian, Italian, Maltese, Pakistani, Tunisian, and Turkish)
Languages: Languages: Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Tamazight (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.
Religions: Muslim (official; virtually all Sunni) 96.6%, Christian 2.7%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, folk religion <1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.3% (male 1,211,087/female 1,165,648)
15-64 years: 63.2% (male 2,385,152/female 2,263,780)
65 years and over: 4.6% (2024 est.) (male 151,125/female 184,471)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 58.3 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 51.1 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 7.2 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 13.9 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 26.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 26.3 years
female: 26.2 years
Population growth rate: 1.35% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 19.83 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: 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 its lack of surface water, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.183 million TRIPOLI (capital), 984,000 Misratah, 859,000 Benghazi (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 59 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 10.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 12.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.7 years (2024 est.)
male: 75.5 years
female: 80 years
Total fertility rate: 2.96 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.44 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: total: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: 5.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 2.04 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Hospital bed density: 3.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: total: total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 32.5% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.3% (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: desertification; limited natural freshwater resources; water pollution; threats to coastal ecosystem from sewage, oil byproducts, and industrial waste
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Law of the Sea
Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Land use: agricultural land: 8.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 0.1% (2023 est.)
other: 91.2% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 81.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 46.479 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 700 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 29.542 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 16.936 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 29.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 1,357.4 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 63.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 77.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 3.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.148 million tons (2024 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 700 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 280 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 4.85 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 700 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: State of Libya
conventional short form: Libya
local long form: Dawlat Libiya
local short form: Libiya
etymology: the name probably derives from the Libu, a North African tribe first mentioned in texts from the 13th century B.C.; the ancient Greeks and Romans used the name for the entire North African coast west of Egypt
Government type: in transition
Capital: 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: the name derives from the Greek words tri and polis, meaning "three cities;" the modern-day city was founded in the 14th century to replace the three ancient cities of Pallantium, Tegea, and Mantineia
Administrative divisions: 22 governorates (muhafazah, singular - muhafazat); Al Butnan, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jabal al Gharbi, Al Jafarah, Al Jufrah, Al Kufrah, Al Marj, Al Marqab, Al Wahat, An Nuqat al Khams, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi (Benghazi), Darnah, Ghat, Misratah, Murzuq, Nalut, Sabha, Surt, Tarabulus (Tripoli), Wadi al Hayat, Wadi ash Shati
Legal system: Libya's post-revolution system is in flux and driven by state and non-state entities
Constitution: history: previous 1951, 1977, 2011 (interim)
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: 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
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President, Presidential Council, Mohammed al-MANFI (since 5 February 2021)
head of government: GNU Interim Prime Minister Abd-al-Hamid DUBAYBAH (since 5 February 2021)
election/appointment process: first direct presidential election was not held as planned
most recent election date: scheduled for 24 December 2021 but not held
expected date of next election: no new date has been set for elections
Legislative branch: legislative structure: unicameral
chamber name: House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwaab)
number of seats: 200 (all directly elected)
electoral system: other systems
scope of elections: full renewal
most recent election date: 6/25/2014
percentage of women in chamber: 16.5%
expected date of next election: December 2026
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Libya's judicial system consists of a supreme court, central high courts (in Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sabha), and a series of lower courts
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Fadil S M OMAR (since 17 July 2023)
chancery: 1460 Dahlia Street NW, Washington, DC 20012
telephone: [1] (202) 944-9601
FAX: [1] (202) 944-9606
email address and website: info@embassyoflibyadc.comhttps://www.embassyoflibyadc.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Jeremy BERNDT (since 14 October 2023)
embassy: US Embassy Tripoli operations suspended in 2014
mailing address: 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850
telephone: [216] 71-107-000
email address and website: Webmaster_Libya@state.govhttps://ly.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BDEAC, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, LCBC, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNSMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Independence: 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 23 October (2011)
Flag: description: three horizontal bands of red (top), black (double-width), and green, with a white crescent and star centered on the black stripemeaning: the colors represent the three major regions of the country: red stands for Fezzan, black for Cyrenaica, and green for Tripolitania; the crescent and star represent Islamhistory: the National Transitional Council reintroduced this flag design from the former Kingdom of Libya (1951-69) in 2011 to replace the all-green banner of the QADHAFI regime
National symbol(s): star and crescent, hawk
National color(s): red, black, green
National anthem(s): title: "Libya, Libya, Libya"
lyrics/music: Al Bashir AL AREBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB
history: adopted 1951, but replaced in 1969 when QADHAFI came to power; readopted 2011 with some modification to the lyrics; also known as "Ya Beladi" (O My Country)
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Archaeological Site of Cyrene; Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna, Archaeological Site of Sabratha; Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus; Old Town of Ghadamès

Economic overview: upper middle-income, fossil fuel-based North African economy; 31% economic contraction due to COVID-19 and 2020 oil blockade; reduced government spending; central bank had to devalue currency; public wages are over 60% of expenditures
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $90.609 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $91.161 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $82.756 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: -0.6% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 10.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -8.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $12,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $12,500 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $11,500 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $46.636 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.1% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 2.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 4.5% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.7% (2024 est.)
industry: 68.3% (2024 est.)
services: 34.3% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 32.7% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 36.7% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 14.8% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 74.8% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -59.1% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: potatoes, onions, watermelons, tomatoes, dates, olives, milk, chicken, wheat, vegetables (2023)
Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, aluminum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
Industrial production growth rate: -5.8% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 2.585 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 18.7% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 18.8% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 19.3% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 49.5% (2024 est.)
male: 41.5% (2024 est.)
female: 68.8% (2024 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 0% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $28.005 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $37.475 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 7.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2023: $1.865 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $9.607 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: $5.675 billion (2021 est.)
Exports: Exports 2023: $37.753 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $39.831 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $32.38 billion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners: Italy 23%, Germany 15%, Spain 9%, France 7%, China 6% (2023)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, gold, scrap iron (2023)
Imports: Imports 2023: $33.284 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $27.872 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $25.406 billion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners: China 17%, Turkey 15%, Italy 8%, UAE 8%, Egypt 8% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, tobacco, garments, cars (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $92.894 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $92.427 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $86.683 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 4.832 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 4.813 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 4.813 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 4.514 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 1.389 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 70% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 100%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 10.519 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 28.826 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 800 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 7.081 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: imports: 4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 1.245 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 207,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 48.363 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas: production: 11.16 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 8.633 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 2.527 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 1.505 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 100.844 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1.218 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 13.9 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 205 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media: state-funded and private TV stations; some provinces operate local TV stations; pan-Arab satellite TV stations are available; state-funded radio (2019)
Internet country code: .ly
Internet users: percent of population: 89% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 326,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2022 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 5A
Airports: 75 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 96 (2023)
by type: general cargo 2, oil tanker 13, other 81
Ports: total ports: 14 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 2
small: 3
very small: 9
ports with oil terminals: 10
key ports: Al Burayqah, Az Zawiya, Banghazi, Mersa Tobruq, Mina Tarabulus (Tripoli)

Military and security forces: the Libyan Armed Forces of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) have various ground, air, and naval/coast guard forces, which include a mix of nominally integrated and semi-regular units, tribal armed groups and militias, civilian volunteers, and foreign military contractors; the GNU's armed forces are nominally under the control of the Ministry of Defense; the GNU also has various internal security forces under both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior (2025)
Military expenditures: not available
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimates not available
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: both the forces aligned with the GNU and the LNA are largely equipped with weapons of Russian or Soviet origin; in recent years, Türkiye has the been the primary supplier of arms to the GNU, while the LNA has received quantities from Russia and the United Arab Emirates (2025)
Military service age and obligation: not available
Military - note: the western-based forces aligned with the GNU and the eastern-based LNA forces are separated by a fortified line of control just west of the coastal city of Sirte; Turkey has provided support to the GNU forces, including military trainers, ammunition, weapons, and aerial drones; Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt have been the main supporters of the LNA (2025)

Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Sharia groups; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Libya (ISIS-L); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 277,010 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 139,305 (2024 est.)
Trafficking in persons: tier rating: Special Case; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/libya/

Libya