Libya at its true size
Libya covers 1,759,541 km², number 16 of 194 countries by area. Home to 7,458,555 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 1,759,541 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 7,458,555 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 4.2 per km² |
| Capital | Tripoli |
| Local time in Tripoli | |
| Time zone | UTC+2 IANA |
| Currency | Libyan dinar (LYD) Wikidata |
| Languages | Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic |
| Traffic | On the right |
| Region | Northern Africa, Africa |
| Status | Independent state |
| Member of | OPEC |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Calling code | +218 |
| Codes | LY · LBY · 434 |
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Where Libya ranks
Among the independent states, in 39 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#105 of 1947.5 million people#35 of 54 in Africa
- Population density#187 of 1944.2 people per km²#53 of 54 in Africa
- Urban population#26 of 19288% urban#2 of 54 in Africa
- Fertility rate#80 of 1922.30 births per woman#48 of 54 in Africa
- Population growth#94 of 192+1.04% a year#50 of 54 in Africa
- Birth rate#88 of 19216.5 births per 1,000 people#49 of 54 in Africa
- Death rate#122 of 1926.5 deaths per 1,000 people#33 of 54 in Africa
- Children under 15#83 of 19226.8% under 15#48 of 54 in Africa
- People over 65#120 of 1925.2% aged 65 and over#9 of 54 in Africa
- Net migration#73 of 1920.0 per 1,000 people#13 of 54 in Africa
- Refugees abroad#39 of 1902.30 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#17 of 54 in Africa
Health & education
Economy
- GNI per capita#95 of 185$7,250 a person#5 of 52 in Africa
- Internet users#91 of 18482% online#3 of 52 in Africa
- GDP per capita (PPP)#104 of 184$16,521 a person#7 of 52 in Africa
- GDP growth#2 of 187+13.4% a year#1 of 52 in Africa
- Inflation#124 of 176+1.8% a year#35 of 50 in Africa
- Unemployment#9 of 17818.8% of the labour force#9 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in agriculture#109 of 17810.0% of jobs#48 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in industry#97 of 17818.6% of jobs#15 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in services#48 of 17871.4% of jobs#4 of 53 in Africa
- Foreign investment#105 of 1841.7% of GDP#34 of 52 in Africa
- Exports#21 of 16871.7% of GDP#3 of 49 in Africa
- Military spending#17 of 1553.6% of GDP#3 of 50 in Africa
- Mobile subscriptions#4 of 191193 subscriptions per 100 people#1 of 54 in Africa
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#21 of 1858.66 tonnes a person#1 of 53 in Africa
- Forest area#187 of 1920% forest#53 of 54 in Africa
- Renewable energy#163 of 1903.1% renewable#52 of 54 in Africa
- Access to electricity#150 of 19277.4% with electricity#16 of 54 in Africa
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#84 of 19120.0 µg/m³#37 of 54 in Africa
- Protected land#187 of 1910.1% of the land protected#52 of 54 in Africa
- Arable land#171 of 1901.0% of the land arable#49 of 54 in Africa
- Water stress#4 of 176817.1% of its available fresh water#1 of 53 in Africa
- Precipitation#179 of 18056 mm a year#53 of 54 in Africa
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of Libya’s area, lit up on the map →
How many times does Libya fit into…
- Russia: about 9.7 times
- Canada: about 5.7 times
- United States: about 5.6 times
The land itself
Rivers, summits and lakes Libya shares with the rest of the world. Turn on “Rivers & lakes” and “Physical names” in the atlas to see them on the map.
Summits
- Bikku Bitti2,267 m
- Jabal Arkanu1,934 m
Rivers are listed by the published length of their whole course, not the part inside Libya. Figures from Wikidata, features from Natural Earth.
Neighbours
Questions about Libya
- How big is Libya?
- Libya covers 1,759,541 km², which makes it number 16 of 194 countries by area. About 7,458,555 people live there (2025), 4.2 per km².
- Is Libya bigger than Iran?
- Libya is 7% larger than Iran. Libya: 1,759,541 km²; Iran: 1,648,195 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Libya?
- Libya lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Which countries border Libya?
- Libya shares a land border with Algeria, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Egypt, Tunisia.