Share of population living in urbanized areas in Libya
Libya: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 83.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
83.2%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
46th
of 202 countries
All-time high
83.2%
in 2025
All-time low
0.2%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Libya, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urbanized areas in Libya is 83.2%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Libya peaked at 83.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1000.
That places Libya 46th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Libya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.2% | — |
| 1100 | 0.3% | +33.3% |
| 1200 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 1300 | 0.6% | +33.3% |
| 1400 | 0.8% | +33.3% |
| 1500 | 1.0% | +33.3% |
| 1600 | 1.3% | +33.3% |
| 1700 | 1.8% | +33.3% |
| 1710 | 2.0% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 2.2% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 2.4% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 2.6% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 2.9% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 3.2% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 3.5% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 3.8% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 4.2% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 4.6% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 5.0% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 5.5% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 6.0% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 6.6% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 7.2% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 7.9% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 8.6% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 9.5% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 10.4% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 11.3% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 12.4% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 13.6% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 14.9% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 16.3% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 17.9% | +9.5% |
| 1951 | 18.3% | +2.5% |
| 1952 | 18.9% | +2.9% |
| 1953 | 19.5% | +3.3% |
| 1954 | 20.2% | +3.6% |
| 1955 | 21.0% | +3.9% |
| 1956 | 21.8% | +4.0% |
| 1957 | 22.7% | +4.0% |
| 1958 | 23.6% | +4.0% |
| 1959 | 24.5% | +3.9% |
| 1960 | 25.4% | +3.7% |
| 1961 | 26.3% | +3.5% |
| 1962 | 27.2% | +3.3% |
| 1963 | 28.1% | +3.2% |
| 1964 | 29.0% | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 31.5% | +8.9% |
| 1966 | 34.4% | +9.0% |
| 1967 | 37.3% | +8.6% |
| 1968 | 40.3% | +8.1% |
| 1969 | 43.4% | +7.6% |
| 1970 | 46.4% | +7.1% |
| 1971 | 50.1% | +7.9% |
| 1972 | 53.9% | +7.6% |
| 1973 | 57.8% | +7.2% |
| 1974 | 60.3% | +4.4% |
| 1975 | 62.8% | +4.1% |
| 1976 | 64.0% | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 65.3% | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 66.6% | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 68.2% | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 70.1% | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 71.3% | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 72.8% | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 74.3% | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 75.6% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 75.5% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 76.0% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 76.3% | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 76.3% | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 76.3% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 76.2% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 76.4% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 76.5% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 76.6% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 76.8% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 76.9% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 77.1% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 77.2% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 77.5% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 77.7% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 78.1% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 78.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 78.1% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 78.1% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 78.1% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 78.1% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 78.1% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 78.1% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 78.1% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 78.1% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 78.1% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 78.4% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 78.8% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 79.2% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 79.5% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 79.9% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 80.3% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 80.6% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 81.0% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 81.4% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 81.7% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 82.0% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 82.3% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 82.6% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 82.9% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 83.2% | +0.4% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 83.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 69.2%, 1.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Libya's 83.2% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 72.8%, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in Libya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +33.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 1200 | +33.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| 1300 | +33.3% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| 1400 | +33.3% | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| 1500 | +33.3% | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| 1600 | +33.3% | 1.0% | 1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1500s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1710s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1720s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1740s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1750s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
| 1760s | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 1 |
| 1770s | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1 |
| 1780s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1790s | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 1 |
| 1800s | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 1 |
| 1810s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1820s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 1830s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1840s | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.6% | 1 |
| 1850s | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1 |
| 1860s | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 1 |
| 1870s | 8.6% | 8.6% | 8.6% | 1 |
| 1880s | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 1 |
| 1890s | 10.4% | 10.4% | 10.4% | 1 |
| 1900s | 11.3% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 1 |
| 1910s | 12.4% | 12.4% | 12.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 13.6% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 1 |
| 1930s | 14.9% | 14.9% | 14.9% | 1 |
| 1940s | 16.3% | 16.3% | 16.3% | 1 |
| 1950s | 20.8% | 17.9% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 32.3% | 25.4% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 59.5% | 46.4% | 68.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 74.5% | 70.1% | 76.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 76.9% | 76.2% | 77.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.1% | 78.1% | 78.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.7% | 78.1% | 81.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.4% | 81.7% | 83.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More population data for Libya
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1882 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.49 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1882 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3412 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 8,540 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.9554 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2302 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 5.56 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 455,012 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Libya?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Libya was 83.2% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 83.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1000.
- How does Libya rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Libya ranks 46th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.