Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Libya
Libya: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 3.65 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.65 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
204th
of 215 countries
All-time high
3.65 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
0.2081 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Libya, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Libya recorded 3.65 people per square kilometre for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 15.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Libya peaked at 3.65 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.2081 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
Libya ranks 204th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Libya, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.2081 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.2199 people per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1963 | 0.2325 people per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1964 | 0.245 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1965 | 0.2634 people per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1966 | 0.2965 people per square kilometre | +12.6% |
| 1967 | 0.3434 people per square kilometre | +15.8% |
| 1968 | 0.4018 people per square kilometre | +17.0% |
| 1969 | 0.4692 people per square kilometre | +16.8% |
| 1970 | 0.5424 people per square kilometre | +15.6% |
| 1971 | 0.6168 people per square kilometre | +13.7% |
| 1972 | 0.6876 people per square kilometre | +11.5% |
| 1973 | 0.7538 people per square kilometre | +9.6% |
| 1974 | 0.8235 people per square kilometre | +9.2% |
| 1975 | 0.9017 people per square kilometre | +9.5% |
| 1976 | 0.9852 people per square kilometre | +9.3% |
| 1977 | 1.07 people per square kilometre | +9.0% |
| 1978 | 1.17 people per square kilometre | +8.8% |
| 1979 | 1.27 people per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 1980 | 1.37 people per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 1981 | 1.48 people per square kilometre | +7.8% |
| 1982 | 1.55 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1983 | 1.57 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 1.62 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 1.69 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1986 | 1.76 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1987 | 1.83 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 1.9 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 1.97 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 2.04 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 2.1 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 2.17 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 2.23 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 2.29 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 2.35 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 2.41 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 2.46 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 2.51 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 2.57 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 2.62 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 2.68 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 2.74 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 2.81 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 2.87 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 2.93 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 3 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 3.06 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 3.12 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 3.19 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 3.25 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 3.18 people per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 3.09 people per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 3.15 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 3.21 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 3.26 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 3.31 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 3.36 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 3.42 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 3.47 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 3.52 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 3.56 people per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 3.61 people per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 3.65 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 3.65 people per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 48.45 people per square kilometre, 8% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Libya's 3.65 people per square kilometre is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 72.54 people per square kilometre, 5% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2977 people per square kilometre | 0.2081 people per square kilometre | 0.4692 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.8823 people per square kilometre | 0.5424 people per square kilometre | 1.27 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.67 people per square kilometre | 1.37 people per square kilometre | 1.97 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.31 people per square kilometre | 2.04 people per square kilometre | 2.57 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9 people per square kilometre | 2.62 people per square kilometre | 3.19 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.27 people per square kilometre | 3.09 people per square kilometre | 3.47 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.58 people per square kilometre | 3.52 people per square kilometre | 3.65 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Libya
- 201 South Sudan 3.83 people per square kilometre compare
- 202 Canada 3.69 people per square kilometre compare
- 203 Niger 3.67 people per square kilometre compare
- 205 Iceland 3.62 people per square kilometre compare
- 206 Central African Republic 3.61 people per square kilometre compare
- 207 Papua New Guinea 3.45 people per square kilometre compare
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 number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Libya?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Libya was 3.65 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 3.65 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2081 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Libya rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Libya ranks 204th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.