Libya at its true size
Libya covers 1,759,541 km², number 18 of 235 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 |
| Region | Northern Africa, Africa |
| Status | Independent state |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Codes | LY · LBY · 434 |
Countries of a similar size
How many times does Libya fit into…
- Russia: about 9.7 times
- Canada: about 5.7 times
- United States: about 5.6 times
Neighbours
Questions about Libya
- How big is Libya?
- Libya covers 1,759,541 km², which makes it number 18 of 235 countries and territories 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.