Urban population in Libya
Libya: Urban population was 6.56 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population in Libya, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
Libya recorded 6.56 million for urban population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Libya peaked at 6.56 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 347,367, in 1960.
Libya ranks 88th of 218 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.
Urban population in Libya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 347,367 | — |
| 1961 | 366,235 | +5.4% |
| 1962 | 386,899 | +5.6% |
| 1963 | 409,157 | +5.8% |
| 1964 | 431,015 | +5.3% |
| 1965 | 463,385 | +7.5% |
| 1966 | 521,660 | +12.6% |
| 1967 | 604,235 | +15.8% |
| 1968 | 706,971 | +17.0% |
| 1969 | 825,521 | +16.8% |
| 1970 | 954,430 | +15.6% |
| 1971 | 1.09 million | +13.7% |
| 1972 | 1.21 million | +11.5% |
| 1973 | 1.33 million | +9.6% |
| 1974 | 1.45 million | +9.2% |
| 1975 | 1.59 million | +9.5% |
| 1976 | 1.73 million | +9.3% |
| 1977 | 1.89 million | +9.0% |
| 1978 | 2.06 million | +8.8% |
| 1979 | 2.23 million | +8.5% |
| 1980 | 2.42 million | +8.2% |
| 1981 | 2.61 million | +7.8% |
| 1982 | 2.73 million | +4.7% |
| 1983 | 2.76 million | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 2.84 million | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 2.97 million | +4.6% |
| 1986 | 3.10 million | +4.3% |
| 1987 | 3.22 million | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 3.34 million | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 3.46 million | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 3.58 million | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 3.70 million | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 3.81 million | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 3.92 million | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 4.03 million | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 4.14 million | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 4.24 million | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 4.33 million | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 4.42 million | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 4.51 million | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 4.61 million | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 4.72 million | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 4.83 million | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 4.94 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 5.05 million | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 5.16 million | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 5.27 million | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 5.38 million | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 5.50 million | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 5.61 million | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 5.73 million | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 5.59 million | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 5.44 million | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 5.55 million | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 5.66 million | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 5.74 million | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 5.82 million | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 5.92 million | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 6.01 million | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 6.10 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 6.19 million | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 6.27 million | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 6.35 million | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 6.42 million | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 6.49 million | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 6.56 million | +1.1% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 6.56 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.10 million, 1.6× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Libya's 6.56 million is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9.90 million, 66% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 506,244 | 347,367 | 825,521 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.55 million | 954,430 | 2.23 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.95 million | 2.42 million | 3.46 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.07 million | 3.58 million | 4.51 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.11 million | 4.61 million | 5.61 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.76 million | 5.44 million | 6.10 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.38 million | 6.19 million | 6.56 million | 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 urban population in Libya?
- Urban population in Libya was 6.56 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 6.56 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 347,367 in 1960.
- How does Libya rank for urban population?
- Libya ranks 88th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.