Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Libya: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCB, ranked #80 of 195).
Libya — in Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria. Political status: in transition. The country's capital is Tripoli (Tarabulus); it covers 1,759,540 sq km. Independence: 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship). Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions. Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior. Population: 7.4 million (2024 estimate). Population growth: +1.35% per year. Median age: 26.4 years. Life expectancy: 77.7 years (2024 est.). Languages: Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Tamazight (Nafusi, Ghadamis, Suknah, Awjilah, Tamasheq) Religions: …
| Capital | Tripoli (Tarabulus) |
|---|---|
| Population | 7,361,263 (2024 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $90.609 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $12,300 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | -0.6% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 2.1% |
| Unemployment | 18.7% |
| Public debt | 7.5% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Exports | $37.753 billion (2023 est.) |
| Imports | $33.284 billion (2023 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 77.7 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 26.4 |
| Urbanization | 81.6% of total population (2023) |
| Government | in transition |
| Independence | 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship) |
| Languages | Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Tamazight (Nafusi, Ghadamis, Suknah, Awjilah, Tamasheq) |
MCB · 51/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
A neutral quarter in the truest sense: nothing happened that altered the country's course or standing.
The score records absence of momentum honestly — the deeper currents continue, unmoved by the calendar.
Oil, Natural gas, Gypsum.
Abd al-Hamid Dbeibeh — Prime Minister. President, Presidential Council, Mohammed al-MANFI (since 5 February 2021)
Libya maintains 109 embassies and 9 consulates abroad, hosts 49 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York, AU Addis Ababa. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 109 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 9 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 49 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York, AU Addis Ababa |
Source: Consular Affairs Center, Diplomatic and Consular Networks Database and Rankings, March 2026 (Zenodo, CC BY 4.0). https://zenodo.org/records/18917562
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 1770 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 75 (registration prefix 5A) |
| Major seaports | Al Burayqah, Az Zawiya, Banghazi, Mersa Tobruq, Mina Tarabulus (Tripoli) |
| Pipelines | 882 km condensate, 3,743 km gas, 7,005 km oil (2013) |
Al Abraq International Airport (LAQ) — Al Albraq; Benina International Airport (BEN) — Benina; Mitiga International Airport (MJI) — Tripoli; Sirt International Airport / Ghardabiya Airbase (SRX) — Sirt; Ghadames Airport (LTD) — Ghadames; Kufra Airport (AKF) — Kufra; Sabha Airport (SEB) — Sabha.
| LNG export terminals | Marsa el Brega |
|---|---|
| Oil terminals | Az Zawiyah, Ra's Lanuf |
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | transitional government |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCB · 51 Ranked #80 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Libya.
