Libya
At a glance
- Official language
- Arabic
- Currency
- Libyan dinar (LYD)
- Government
- Republic
- Legislature
- House of Representatives
- Demonym
- Libyan
- Time zones
- Eastern European Time, UTC+02:00
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +218
- Internet TLD
- .ly
- ISO 3166
- LY
- Established
- 1551
- Highest point
- Bikku Bitti (2,267 m (7,438 ft))
- National anthem
- Libya, Libya, Libya
Facts via Wikidata.
Economy and developmentUpper middle income
Ranks are among sovereign countries with data; ★ marks a top-5% finish. Sources: World Bank Open Data and Our World in Data (UNDP, UN, V-Dem; CC BY 4.0). Each figure is the most recent year available.
Alliances & Organisations5 full memberships
Full memberDashed border = Candidate / ApplicantItalic = Dialogue / Observer
Leadership History15 leaders · click to expand
Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh✦ Current
2021–PresentPrime Minister
Aguila Saleh Issa✦ Current
2014–PresentPresident
Mohamed al-Menfi
2021–2014President
Fayez al-Sarraj
2016–2021Prime Minister
Fayez al-Sarraj
2016–2021President
Aguila Saleh Issa
2014–2021President
Abdullah al-Thani
2014–2021Prime Minister
Nouri Abusahmain
2013–2016President
Ali Zeidan
2012–2014Prime Minister
Mohammed Magariaf
2012–2013President
Abdurrahim El-Keib
2011–2012Prime Minister
Mahmoud Jibril
2011–2011Prime Minister
Mustafa Abdul Jalil
2011–2012President
Muammar Gaddafi
1969–2011President
👑 Idris I
1951–1969King
| Name | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh✦ Current | Prime Minister | 2021–Present |
| Aguila Saleh Issa✦ Current | President | 2014–Present |
| Mohamed al-Menfi | President | 2021–2014 |
| Fayez al-Sarraj | Prime Minister | 2016–2021 |
| Fayez al-Sarraj | President | 2016–2021 |
| Aguila Saleh Issa | President | 2014–2021 |
| Abdullah al-Thani | Prime Minister | 2014–2021 |
| Nouri Abusahmain | President | 2013–2016 |
| Ali Zeidan | Prime Minister | 2012–2014 |
| Mohammed Magariaf | President | 2012–2013 |
| Abdurrahim El-Keib | Prime Minister | 2011–2012 |
| Mahmoud Jibril | Prime Minister | 2011–2011 |
| Mustafa Abdul Jalil | President | 2011–2012 |
| Muammar Gaddafi | President | 1969–2011 |
| 👑 Idris I | King | 1951–1969 |
Power over timeThe Power Atlas →
The powerline is the headline share of world power, running from the state’s first ranked year (benchmark estimates with wide error bars before 1816). Latent power is material mass a state could mobilise (population, manpower, heavy industry). Recognised power is what the system actually treats it as (military spending, productive economy, reach, and status such as a Security Council seat or nuclear arsenal). When latent runs above recognised, a power is rising or under-rated; when recognised runs higher, it is punching above its weight or coasting on prestige. Material sub-indices run 1816 through 2016.
Conflicts since 19455 interstate wars · click to expand
| Conflict | Years | Against | Combat deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 military intervention in Libya | 2011 | NATO,Qatar,Sweden,United Arab Emirates | 72–403 |
| Uganda–Tanzania War | 1978–1979 | Tanzania,Mozambique | 4,135–4,323 |
| Chadian–Libyan War | 1978–1987 | Chad,France | 8,500+ |
| Egyptian–Libyan War | 1977 | Egypt | 500+ |
| Six-Day War● | 1967 | Israel | 12,336–19,264 |
Bold = principal belligerent. Source: Wikipedia, “List of interstate wars since 1945.”
National Teams
Libya on the international stage. Click a card for the full record.
Libya metro footprint
3 of 4 metrosPolygons shaded by composite tier. Hover for rank, click to open the metro page. Boundaries derived from Overture Maps administrative divisions; metros without source coverage are omitted.
4 tracked metros
| Rank | Metro | State | Population | Score | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #853 | Tripoli★ Capital▲ Largest | Libya | 2.2M | 2.1 | Emerging Metro |
| #1535 | Benghazi | Libya | 807K | 0.8 | Local Metro |
| #2331 | Sabha | Libya | 153K | 0.3 | Local Metro |
| #2910 | Misratah | Libya | 664K | 0.2 | Local Metro |