Annual precipitation in Libya
Libya: Annual precipitation was 16.52 millimeters in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
16.52 millimeters
Change on year
down 12.5%
World rank
191st
of 192 countries
All-time high
54.7 millimeters
in 1976
All-time low
10.94 millimeters
in 2021
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Annual precipitation in Libya, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millimeters.
Analysis
Libya recorded 16.52 millimeters for annual precipitation in 2025.
That represents a change of down 12.5% on the previous year and down 38.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual precipitation in Libya peaked at 54.7 millimeters in 1976 and was at its lowest, 10.94 millimeters, in 2021.
Libya ranks 191st of 192 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 86 years of available data.
Annual precipitation in Libya, year by year
| Year | millimeters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 16.22 millimeters | — |
| 1941 | 14.23 millimeters | -12.3% |
| 1942 | 37.44 millimeters | +163.1% |
| 1943 | 45.73 millimeters | +22.2% |
| 1944 | 18.89 millimeters | -58.7% |
| 1945 | 24.91 millimeters | +31.9% |
| 1946 | 14.54 millimeters | -41.6% |
| 1947 | 24.94 millimeters | +71.5% |
| 1948 | 18.53 millimeters | -25.7% |
| 1949 | 22.17 millimeters | +19.7% |
| 1950 | 20.39 millimeters | -8.0% |
| 1951 | 22.23 millimeters | +9.0% |
| 1952 | 16.19 millimeters | -27.2% |
| 1953 | 30.8 millimeters | +90.2% |
| 1954 | 20.71 millimeters | -32.7% |
| 1955 | 13.09 millimeters | -36.8% |
| 1956 | 24.75 millimeters | +89.1% |
| 1957 | 42.43 millimeters | +71.4% |
| 1958 | 15.11 millimeters | -64.4% |
| 1959 | 13.23 millimeters | -12.5% |
| 1960 | 20.21 millimeters | +52.8% |
| 1961 | 22.08 millimeters | +9.3% |
| 1962 | 29.96 millimeters | +35.7% |
| 1963 | 29.99 millimeters | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 21.82 millimeters | -27.3% |
| 1965 | 23.26 millimeters | +6.6% |
| 1966 | 37.2 millimeters | +59.9% |
| 1967 | 27.48 millimeters | -26.1% |
| 1968 | 22.36 millimeters | -18.6% |
| 1969 | 45.1 millimeters | +101.7% |
| 1970 | 14.75 millimeters | -67.3% |
| 1971 | 22.91 millimeters | +55.3% |
| 1972 | 49.79 millimeters | +117.3% |
| 1973 | 17.21 millimeters | -65.4% |
| 1974 | 29.34 millimeters | +70.4% |
| 1975 | 21.8 millimeters | -25.7% |
| 1976 | 54.7 millimeters | +150.9% |
| 1977 | 14.51 millimeters | -73.5% |
| 1978 | 29.64 millimeters | +104.3% |
| 1979 | 20.86 millimeters | -29.6% |
| 1980 | 23.22 millimeters | +11.3% |
| 1981 | 16.11 millimeters | -30.6% |
| 1982 | 31.32 millimeters | +94.4% |
| 1983 | 19.52 millimeters | -37.7% |
| 1984 | 25.32 millimeters | +29.7% |
| 1985 | 38.18 millimeters | +50.8% |
| 1986 | 30.48 millimeters | -20.2% |
| 1987 | 20.01 millimeters | -34.4% |
| 1988 | 34.44 millimeters | +72.1% |
| 1989 | 17.15 millimeters | -50.2% |
| 1990 | 27.19 millimeters | +58.5% |
| 1991 | 40.53 millimeters | +49.1% |
| 1992 | 22.1 millimeters | -45.5% |
| 1993 | 27.64 millimeters | +25.1% |
| 1994 | 28.84 millimeters | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 25.8 millimeters | -10.5% |
| 1996 | 25.44 millimeters | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 21.16 millimeters | -16.9% |
| 1998 | 19.88 millimeters | -6.0% |
| 1999 | 22.65 millimeters | +13.9% |
| 2000 | 23.4 millimeters | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 12.38 millimeters | -47.1% |
| 2002 | 21.13 millimeters | +70.7% |
| 2003 | 21.54 millimeters | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 20.03 millimeters | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 29.92 millimeters | +49.4% |
| 2006 | 28.79 millimeters | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 22.14 millimeters | -23.1% |
| 2008 | 28.73 millimeters | +29.8% |
| 2009 | 15.11 millimeters | -47.4% |
| 2010 | 13.6 millimeters | -10.0% |
| 2011 | 31.01 millimeters | +127.9% |
| 2012 | 20.58 millimeters | -33.6% |
| 2013 | 18.6 millimeters | -9.6% |
| 2014 | 18.2 millimeters | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 26.91 millimeters | +47.9% |
| 2016 | 13 millimeters | -51.7% |
| 2017 | 29.43 millimeters | +126.4% |
| 2018 | 24.21 millimeters | -17.7% |
| 2019 | 27.34 millimeters | +12.9% |
| 2020 | 21.93 millimeters | -19.8% |
| 2021 | 10.94 millimeters | -50.1% |
| 2022 | 15.38 millimeters | +40.6% |
| 2023 | 16.77 millimeters | +9.0% |
| 2024 | 18.88 millimeters | +12.6% |
| 2025 | 16.52 millimeters | -12.5% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 16.52 millimeters is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,018 millimeters, 2% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Libya's 16.52 millimeters is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 115.13 millimeters, 14% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 23.76 millimeters | 14.23 millimeters | 45.73 millimeters | 10 |
| 1950s | 21.89 millimeters | 13.09 millimeters | 42.43 millimeters | 10 |
| 1960s | 27.95 millimeters | 20.21 millimeters | 45.1 millimeters | 10 |
| 1970s | 27.55 millimeters | 14.51 millimeters | 54.7 millimeters | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.57 millimeters | 16.11 millimeters | 38.18 millimeters | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.12 millimeters | 19.88 millimeters | 40.53 millimeters | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.32 millimeters | 12.38 millimeters | 29.92 millimeters | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.29 millimeters | 13 millimeters | 31.01 millimeters | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.74 millimeters | 10.94 millimeters | 21.93 millimeters | 6 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More climate change data for Libya
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 76.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,350 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,621 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,729 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.12 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 97.48 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 455.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 452.01 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3.59 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 1.71 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual precipitation in Libya?
- Annual precipitation in Libya was 16.52 millimeters in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual precipitation recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 54.7 millimeters in 1976.
- What is the lowest annual precipitation recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.94 millimeters in 2021.
- How does Libya rank for annual precipitation?
- Libya ranks 191st out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual precipitation rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual precipitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total annual precipitation—rain and snow—calculated as the sum of daily averages, reported as the depth of water falling to Earth's surface, excluding fog and dew.