
Population growth in Libya
From 1960 to 2020 the population of Libya increased from 1.45 m to 6.87 m people. This is a growth by 374.4 percent in 60 years. The highest increase in Libya was recorded in 1972 with 4.46%. The smallest increase in 2013 with 0.55%.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 156.0 percent.
The average age in Libya fell by 0.45 years from 2012 to 2020 from 26.25 to 25.80 years (median value).
Around 81% of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 1.7% annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Libya
Population development in Libya since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants)Year | Population Libya | Change | Birthrate | Deathrate | Population World | Change | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | 1.50 M | 3.43 % | 50.3 ‰ | 22.5 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
1962 | 1.55 M | 3.52 % | 50.3 ‰ | 21.0 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
1963 | 1.61 M | 3.63 % | 50.5 ‰ | 19.7 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
1964 | 1.67 M | 3.77 % | 50.7 ‰ | 18.4 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
1965 | 1.73 M | 3.93 % | 51.0 ‰ | 17.3 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
1966 | 1.80 M | 4.06 % | 51.2 ‰ | 16.4 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
1967 | 1.88 M | 4.17 % | 51.4 ‰ | 15.5 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
1968 | 1.96 M | 4.26 % | 51.5 ‰ | 14.7 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
1969 | 2.04 M | 4.33 % | 51.3 ‰ | 13.9 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
1970 | 2.13 M | 4.39 % | 51.0 ‰ | 13.1 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
1971 | 2.23 M | 4.43 % | 50.5 ‰ | 12.4 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
1972 | 2.33 M | 4.46 % | 49.7 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
1973 | 2.43 M | 4.44 % | 48.9 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
1974 | 2.54 M | 4.37 % | 47.9 ‰ | 10.4 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
1975 | 2.65 M | 4.27 % | 46.8 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
1976 | 2.75 M | 4.14 % | 45.7 ‰ | 9.2 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
1977 | 2.87 M | 4.03 % | 44.4 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
1978 | 2.98 M | 3.96 % | 43.0 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
1979 | 3.10 M | 3.95 % | 41.7 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
1980 | 3.22 M | 3.96 % | 40.3 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
1981 | 3.35 M | 3.99 % | 39.0 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
1982 | 3.48 M | 3.96 % | 37.8 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
1983 | 3.61 M | 3.86 % | 36.7 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
1984 | 3.75 M | 3.65 % | 35.6 ‰ | 6.1 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
1985 | 3.87 M | 3.39 % | 34.6 ‰ | 5.9 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
1986 | 3.99 M | 3.12 % | 33.7 ‰ | 5.8 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
1987 | 4.11 M | 2.88 % | 32.7 ‰ | 5.6 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
1988 | 4.22 M | 2.69 % | 31.6 ‰ | 5.4 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
1989 | 4.33 M | 2.57 % | 30.5 ‰ | 5.3 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
1990 | 4.44 M | 2.49 % | 29.4 ‰ | 5.2 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
1991 | 4.54 M | 2.42 % | 28.2 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
1992 | 4.65 M | 2.35 % | 27.1 ‰ | 4.9 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
1993 | 4.76 M | 2.24 % | 26.1 ‰ | 4.8 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
1994 | 4.85 M | 2.10 % | 25.2 ‰ | 4.8 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
1995 | 4.95 M | 1.93 % | 24.3 ‰ | 4.7 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
1996 | 5.04 M | 1.77 % | 23.6 ‰ | 4.7 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
1997 | 5.12 M | 1.62 % | 23.0 ‰ | 4.7 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
1998 | 5.20 M | 1.54 % | 22.4 ‰ | 4.7 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
1999 | 5.28 M | 1.52 % | 22.0 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
2000 | 5.36 M | 1.55 % | 21.6 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
2001 | 5.44 M | 1.59 % | 21.4 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
2002 | 5.53 M | 1.61 % | 21.2 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
2003 | 5.62 M | 1.62 % | 21.2 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
2004 | 5.71 M | 1.59 % | 21.3 ‰ | 4.5 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
2005 | 5.80 M | 1.55 % | 21.4 ‰ | 4.5 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
2006 | 5.89 M | 1.52 % | 21.5 ‰ | 4.5 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
2007 | 5.97 M | 1.49 % | 21.7 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
2008 | 6.06 M | 1.41 % | 21.8 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
2009 | 6.13 M | 1.24 % | 21.9 ‰ | 4.7 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
2010 | 6.20 M | 1.04 % | 21.9 ‰ | 4.8 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
2011 | 6.25 M | 0.80 % | 21.8 ‰ | 4.9 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
2012 | 6.29 M | 0.61 % | 21.6 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
2013 | 6.32 M | 0.55 % | 21.3 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
2014 | 6.36 M | 0.66 % | 20.9 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 6.42 M | 0.88 % | 20.5 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,348 M | 1.18 % | |
2016 | 6.49 M | 1.15 % | 19.9 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,434 M | 1.17 % | |
2017 | 6.58 M | 1.36 % | 19.4 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,519 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 6.68 M | 1.49 % | 18.8 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,602 M | 1.11 % | |
2019 | 6.78 M | 1.48 % | 18.3 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,683 M | 1.06 % | |
2020 | 6.87 M | 1.38 % | 7,762 M | 1.02 % |

Birth- and deathrate in Libya
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. The example of the year 2019 in the graph: The population in Libya increased by about 98,900 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 5.1 per 1000 people (~ 34,100 deaths) and the birth rate was 18.3 per 1000 people (~ 122,000 births). As a result, around 11,000 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 32,422 in Libya. The number of births was 131,450 annually.
The development of births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1000 inhabitants.
Birthrate Deathrate