Population growth rate in Libya
Libya: Population growth rate was 1.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rate in Libya, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, population growth rate in Libya stood at 1.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 18.9% on the previous year and down 53.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in Libya peaked at 5.8% in 1978 and was at its lowest, -7.0%, in 2011.
Libya ranks 111th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth rate in Libya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.1% | — |
| 1951 | 1.3% | +22.1% |
| 1952 | 1.6% | +20.2% |
| 1953 | 1.9% | +19.4% |
| 1954 | 2.2% | +15.5% |
| 1955 | 3.2% | +42.6% |
| 1956 | 3.4% | +7.1% |
| 1957 | 3.6% | +6.3% |
| 1958 | 3.8% | +5.4% |
| 1959 | 4.0% | +4.0% |
| 1960 | 4.1% | +2.9% |
| 1961 | 4.2% | +1.8% |
| 1962 | 4.2% | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 4.1% | -2.2% |
| 1964 | 3.3% | -20.1% |
| 1965 | 2.4% | -26.5% |
| 1966 | 2.5% | +5.3% |
| 1967 | 2.7% | +7.3% |
| 1968 | 3.0% | +8.8% |
| 1969 | 3.2% | +9.9% |
| 1970 | 3.4% | +5.4% |
| 1971 | 3.3% | -4.0% |
| 1972 | 3.3% | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 4.4% | +31.5% |
| 1974 | 5.5% | +25.6% |
| 1975 | 5.6% | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 5.7% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 5.8% | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 5.8% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 5.8% | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 5.7% | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 5.5% | -3.2% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | -96.5% |
| 1983 | -0.5% | -363.9% |
| 1984 | 3.4% | -773.4% |
| 1985 | 3.1% | -7.7% |
| 1986 | 2.9% | -8.5% |
| 1987 | 2.7% | -7.5% |
| 1988 | 2.5% | -5.2% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | -4.9% |
| 1990 | 2.3% | -5.1% |
| 1991 | 2.1% | -5.4% |
| 1992 | 2.0% | -5.1% |
| 1993 | 1.9% | -5.6% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | -6.1% |
| 1995 | 1.7% | -6.8% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | -6.5% |
| 1997 | 1.5% | -4.7% |
| 1998 | 1.5% | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 1.5% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 1.8% | +19.5% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | +3.8% |
| 2003 | 2.0% | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 2.1% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 2.1% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 2.1% | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 2.1% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 2.0% | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 2.0% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | -7.0% | -441.6% |
| 2012 | 1.8% | -126.5% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | +17.3% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | -21.9% |
| 2015 | 1.5% | -9.0% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | +11.1% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | -11.5% |
| 2020 | 1.3% | -5.7% |
| 2021 | 1.2% | -6.5% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 1.0% | -18.9% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 1.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6%, 1.8× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Libya's 1.0% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.6%, 63% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +773.4% | -0.5% | 3.4% |
| 2011 | -441.6% | 2.0% | -7.0% |
| 1983 | -363.9% | 0.2% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | +126.5% | -7.0% | 1.8% |
| 1982 | -96.5% | 5.5% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.6% | 1.1% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.4% | 2.4% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.9% | 3.3% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.8% | -0.5% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.0% | 1.8% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | -7.0% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 4 |
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 population growth rate in Libya?
- Population growth rate in Libya was 1.0% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 5.8% in 1978.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.0% in 2011.
- How does Libya rank for population growth rate?
- Libya ranks 111th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.