Population in largest city in Libya
Libya: Population in largest city was 1.20 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.20 million
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
117th
of 153 countries
All-time high
1.20 million
in 2025
All-time low
174,229
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in largest city in Libya, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
In 2025, population in largest city in Libya stood at 1.20 million. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in largest city in Libya peaked at 1.20 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 174,229, in 1960.
Libya ranks 117th of 153 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in largest city in Libya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 174,229 | — |
| 1961 | 183,113 | +5.1% |
| 1962 | 192,464 | +5.1% |
| 1963 | 202,292 | +5.1% |
| 1964 | 212,636 | +5.1% |
| 1965 | 235,174 | +10.6% |
| 1966 | 261,328 | +11.1% |
| 1967 | 290,391 | +11.1% |
| 1968 | 322,733 | +11.1% |
| 1969 | 358,572 | +11.1% |
| 1970 | 398,449 | +11.1% |
| 1971 | 442,762 | +11.1% |
| 1972 | 492,073 | +11.1% |
| 1973 | 546,718 | +11.1% |
| 1974 | 565,014 | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 580,141 | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 595,695 | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 611,622 | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 627,997 | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 644,811 | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 662,099 | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 679,801 | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 698,002 | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 716,690 | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 735,905 | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 755,580 | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 775,810 | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 796,581 | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 817,938 | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 839,807 | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 862,291 | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 885,378 | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 909,116 | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 933,422 | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 958,413 | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 984,073 | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 993,644 | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 1.00 million | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 1.01 million | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 1.01 million | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 1.02 million | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 1.03 million | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 1.04 million | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 1.04 million | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 1.05 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 1.06 million | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 1.07 million | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 1.07 million | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 1.08 million | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 1.09 million | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 1.10 million | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 1.10 million | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 1.11 million | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 1.12 million | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 1.13 million | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 1.13 million | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 1.14 million | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 1.15 million | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.16 million | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.16 million | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 1.17 million | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 1.17 million | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 1.18 million | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 1.18 million | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 1.19 million | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 1.20 million | +0.9% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 1.20 million is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.00 million, 40% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Libya's 1.20 million is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.05 million, 39% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 243,293 | 174,229 | 358,572 | 10 |
| 1970s | 550,528 | 398,449 | 644,811 | 10 |
| 1980s | 747,821 | 662,099 | 839,807 | 10 |
| 1990s | 954,900 | 862,291 | 1.01 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.05 million | 1.02 million | 1.09 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.13 million | 1.10 million | 1.16 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.18 million | 1.17 million | 1.20 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More urban development data for Libya
- Population in the largest city 18.4% (2025)
- Population density 4.15 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 20.01 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1613 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.20 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 0.9183 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 0.6725 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 1.65 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 96.68 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in largest city in Libya?
- Population in largest city in Libya was 1.20 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in largest city recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 1.20 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in largest city recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 174,229 in 1960.
- How does Libya rank for population in largest city?
- Libya ranks 117th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in largest city rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in largest city. 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
Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.