Libya

22nd February 2023 By: Sane Dhlamini - Creamer Media Senior Contributing Editor and Researcher

Libya

Capital city:  Tripoli (Tarabulus)1

Region: North Africa

Languages:  Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Berber (Nafusi, Ghadamis, Suknah, Awjilah, Tamasheq)1

Economic profile
 

Monetary unit: Libyan dinar

Economically active population in thousands: 2 460 (2020)

GDP per capita in dollars:

4 970 (2020)

6 226 (2019)

4 623 (2018)

Real GDP growth rate in per cent:

-60.3 (2020)

9.9 (2019)

17.9 (2018)


GDP composition by sector in per cent (2017):

Agriculture: 1.3%

Industry: 52.3%

Services: 46.4%

Inflation (average annual growth rates in per cent – 2020): 1.4

Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, aluminum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement

Gross fixed capital formation – annual growth rate in per cent (2020): -54.9

Exports of goods and services - annual growth rate in per cent (2020): -60.5


Import commodities: refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, cigarettes, jewellery (2019)

International reserves (in million dollars – 2020):  1 924

Foreign direct investment (in million dollars – 2020): n/a

Budget:

Government revenue (estimated percentage of GDP – 2020): 18.1


Government expenditure and net lending (estimated percentage of GDP – 2020): 72.6

Fiscal balance (estimated percentage of GDP - 2020): -54.5

Corruption perception (score out of 100; 100 being least corrupt – 2021):  17

Social profile

Population (in thousands – 2020): 6 900.0

Population growth (average annual growth rate in per cent – 2018): 3%
Life expectancy at birth (in years – 2015): 72.0
School enrolment primary (total gross enrolment ratio in per cent – 2015/19): n/a

School enrolment secondary (total gross enrolment ratio in per cent – 2015/19): n/a


School enrolment tertiary (total gross enrolment in thousands – 2015): 374.7

Energy:

Total electricity generation (in GWh in 2019): 39 503

Sources:

African Statistical Coordination Committee. African Statistical Year Book 2020

CIA Factbook – https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/1Central Intelligence Agency. World Factbook: Economy.

Transparency International. Corruption Perceptions Index 2020