Population growth in Libya
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Libya increased from 1.45 million to 6.74 million people. This is a growth of 365.0 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Libya was recorded in 1972 with 4.46 percent. The biggest decrease in 2015 with -2.67 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Libya fell by 0.45 years from 2012 to 2021 from 26.25 to 25.80 years (median value).
Around 81 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 1.6 percent 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 Libya | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 % | 21.9 ‰ | 5.4 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 6.19 M | -2.67 % | 21.2 ‰ | 5.4 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 6.28 M | 1.45 % | 20.6 ‰ | 5.5 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 6.38 M | 1.53 % | 19.9 ‰ | 5.3 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 6.48 M | 1.56 % | 19.3 ‰ | 5.2 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 6.57 M | 1.41 % | 18.7 ‰ | 5.5 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 6.65 M | 1.29 % | 18.3 ‰ | 5.6 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 6.74 M | 1.22 % | 17.8 ‰ | 6.0 ‰ | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Libya
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2021 in the graph: The population in Libya increased by about 81,300 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 6.0 per 1,000 people (~ 40,000 deaths) and the birth rate was 17.8 per 1,000 people (~ 119,000 births). As a result, around 2,300 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 34,719 in Libya. The number of births was 128,759 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life 2023 in country comparison
Times for sunrise and sunset in New Zealand