Libya — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Libya, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Libya was 1.04% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.77% in 1979. The lowest was -2.62% in 2012 (about -2.5× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -2.12% per year.
Libya ranks 98 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 45%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 1.56%, so Libya sits below it. It peaked in 1979 and has fallen 82% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 35%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 16 of 23 economies; Iran, Islamic Rep. (0.92%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 1036% in 1984. That is 23% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 10th of 216 in 1961 → 25th of 216 in 1970 → 8th of 216 in 1980 → 86th of 216 in 1990 → 89th of 217 in 2000 → 64th of 217 in 2010 → 88th of 217 in 2020 → 98th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.04% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 1.03% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 1.13% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 1.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 1.27% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 1.35% | -0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 1.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 1.62% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 1.6% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 1.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 1.61% | -0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 1.93% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 2.01% | +4.6 pp |
| 2012 | -2.62% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | -2.41% | -4.4 pp |
| 2010 | 2.04% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 2.08% | -0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 2.12% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 2.06% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 2.05% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 2.11% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 2.07% | +0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 1.99% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 1.92% | +0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 1.84% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 1.65% | +0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 1.49% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 1.49% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 1.54% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 1.63% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 1.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 1.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 1.98% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 2.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 2.21% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 2.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 2.45% | -0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 2.58% | -0.2 pp |
| 1987 | 2.76% | -0.2 pp |
| 1986 | 3% | -0.3 pp |
| 1985 | 3.26% | +1.8 pp |
| 1984 | 1.46% | +1.6 pp |
| 1983 | -0.16% | -3.0 pp |
| 1982 | 2.81% | -2.8 pp |
| 1981 | 5.6% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 5.72% | -0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 5.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 5.76% | +0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 5.72% | +0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 5.66% | +0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 5.57% | +0.6 pp |
| 1974 | 4.97% | +1.1 pp |
| 1973 | 3.88% | +0.6 pp |
| 1972 | 3.31% | -0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 3.35% | +0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 3.33% | +0.2 pp |
| 1969 | 3.1% | +0.3 pp |
| 1968 | 2.83% | +0.2 pp |
| 1967 | 2.62% | +0.2 pp |
| 1966 | 2.47% | -0.4 pp |
| 1965 | 2.83% | -0.8 pp |
| 1964 | 3.67% | -0.5 pp |
| 1963 | 4.14% | -0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 4.17% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 4.12% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Libya’s Population growth in 1962?
4.17% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Libya’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -74.6% in total — about 2.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.04%; 2024: 1.03%; 2023: 1.13%; 2022: 1.23%; 2021: 1.27%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.