Libya

Code: LY | Region: Africa

Introduction

Background

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Berbers have inhabited central north Africa since ancient times, but Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians, Romans, and Vandals have all settled and ruled the region. In the 7th century, Islam spread through the area. In the mid-16th century, Ottoman rule began; the Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and held it until 1943, when they were defeated in World War II. Libya then came under UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership with a military coup in 1969 and began to espouse a political system that combined socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners -- one over Scotland and another in Northern Africa -- and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically; the sanctions were lifted in 2003 when Libya accepted responsibility for the bombings and agreed to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations. Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned an eight-month civil war that saw the emergence of a National Transitional Council (NTC), UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community, and the toppling of the QADHAFI regime. In 2012, the NTC handed power to an elected parliament, the General National Congress (GNC), which was replaced two years later with the House of Representatives (HoR). In 2015, the UN brokered the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) among a broad array of political parties and social groups, establishing an interim executive body. However, hardliners continued to oppose and hamper the LPA implementation, leaving Libya with eastern and western-based rival governments. In 2018, the international community supported a recalibrated plan that aimed to break the political deadlock with a National Conference in 2019. These plans, however, were derailed when the eastern-based, self-described Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive to seize Tripoli. The LNA offensive collapsed in 2020, and a subsequent UN-sponsored cease-fire helped formalize the pause in fighting between rival camps. In 2021, the UN-facilitated Libyan Political Dialogue Forum selected a new prime minister for an interim government -- the Government of National Unity (GNU) -- and a new presidential council charged with preparing for elections and uniting the country’s state institutions. The HoR approved the GNU and its cabinet the same year, providing Libya with its first unified government since 2014, but the parliament then postponed the planned presidential election to an undetermined date in the future. In 2022, the HoR voted to replace GNU interim Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid DUBAYBAH, with another government led by Fathi BASHAGHA. GNU allegations of an illegitimate HoR vote allowed DUBAYBAH to remain in office and rebuff BASHAGHA's attempts to seat his government in Tripoli. In 2023, the HoR voted to replace BASHAGHA with Osma HAMAD. Special Representative of the UN Security-General for Libya, Abdoulaye BATHILY, is leading international efforts to persuade key Libyan political actors to resolve the core issues impeding elections.

Geography

Location

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Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria

Geographic coordinates

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25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references

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Africa

Area

total

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1,759,540 sq km

land

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1,759,540 sq km

water

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0 sq km

Area - comparative

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about 2.5 times the size of Texas; slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries

total

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4,339 km

border countries

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Algeria 989 km; Chad 1,050 km; Egypt 1,115 km; Niger 342 km; Sudan 382 km; Tunisia 461 km

Coastline

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1,770 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea

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12 nm

exclusive fishing zone

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62 nm

note

note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Climate

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Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain

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mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation

highest point

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Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

lowest point

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Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m

mean elevation

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423 m

Natural resources

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petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use

agricultural land

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8.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

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arable land: 1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

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permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

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permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)

forest

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0.1% (2023 est.)

other

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91.2% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

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4,700 sq km (2012)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage

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Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Major aquifers

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Nubian Aquifer System, North Western Sahara Aquifer System, Murzuk-Djado Basin

Population distribution

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over 90% of the population lives along the Mediterranean coast in and between Tripoli to the west and Al Bayda to the east; the interior remains vastly underpopulated due to the Sahara and its lack of surface water, as shown in this population distribution map

Natural hazards

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hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Geography - note

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note 1: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert note 2: the volcano Waw an Namus lies in south central Libya in the middle of the Sahara; the caldera is an oasis -- the name means "oasis of mosquitoes" -- containing several small lakes that host many species of insects and birds

People and Society

Population

total

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7,361,263 (2024 est.)

male

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3,747,364

female

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3,613,899

note

note: immigrants make up just over 12% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Nationality

noun

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Libyan(s)

adjective

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Libyan

Ethnic groups

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Amazigh and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Egyptian, Greek, Indian, Italian, Maltese, Pakistani, Tunisian, and Turkish)

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

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كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

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Muslim (official; virtually all Sunni) 96.6%, Christian 2.7%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, folk religion <1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)

note

note: non-Sunni Muslims include native Ibadhi Muslims (<1% of the population) and foreign Muslims

Age structure

0-14 years

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32.3% (male 1,211,087/female 1,165,648)

15-64 years

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63.2% (male 2,385,152/female 2,263,780)

65 years and over

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4.6% (2024 est.) (male 151,125/female 184,471)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio

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58.3 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

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51.1 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

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7.2 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

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13.9 (2024 est.)

Median age

total

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26.4 years (2025 est.)

male

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26.3 years

female

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26.2 years

Population growth rate

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1.35% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

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19.83 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

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3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

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-2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

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Urbanization

urban population

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81.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization

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1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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1.183 million TRIPOLI (capital), 984,000 Misratah, 859,000 Benghazi (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth

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1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years

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1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

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1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

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0.82 male(s)/female

total population

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1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

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59 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total

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10.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male

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12.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female

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9.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population

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77.7 years (2024 est.)

male

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75.5 years

female

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80 years

Total fertility rate

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2.96 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

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1.44 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total

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total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

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total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

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5.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

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2.04 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

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3.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

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total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

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total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

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32.5% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total

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0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer

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0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

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0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

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0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

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0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

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4.3% (2022 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

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desertification; limited natural freshwater resources; water pollution; threats to coastal ecosystem from sewage, oil byproducts, and industrial waste

International environmental agreements

party to

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Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

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Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Law of the Sea

Climate

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Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Land use

agricultural land

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8.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

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arable land: 1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

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permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

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permanent pasture: 7.6% (2023 est.)

forest

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0.1% (2023 est.)

other

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91.2% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

urban population

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81.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization

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1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

total emissions

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46.479 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

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700 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

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29.542 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

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16.936 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

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29.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Methane emissions

energy

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1,357.4 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture

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63.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

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77.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other

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3.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

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2.148 million tons (2024 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal

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700 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

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280 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural

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4.85 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

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700 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Government

Country name

conventional long form

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State of Libya

conventional short form

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Libya

local long form

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Dawlat Libiya

local short form

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Libiya

etymology

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the name probably derives from the Libu, a North African tribe first mentioned in texts from the 13th century B.C.; the ancient Greeks and Romans used the name for the entire North African coast west of Egypt

Government type

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in transition

Capital

name

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Tripoli (Tarabulus)

geographic coordinates

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32 53 N, 13 10 E

time difference

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UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology

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the name derives from the Greek words tri and polis, meaning "three cities;" the modern-day city was founded in the 14th century to replace the three ancient cities of Pallantium, Tegea, and Mantineia

Administrative divisions

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22 governorates (muhafazah, singular - muhafazat); Al Butnan, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jabal al Gharbi, Al Jafarah, Al Jufrah, Al Kufrah, Al Marj, Al Marqab, Al Wahat, An Nuqat al Khams, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi (Benghazi), Darnah, Ghat, Misratah, Murzuq, Nalut, Sabha, Surt, Tarabulus (Tripoli), Wadi al Hayat, Wadi ash Shati

Legal system

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Libya's post-revolution system is in flux and driven by state and non-state entities

Constitution

history

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previous 1951, 1977, 2011 (interim)

note

note: a draft constitution was approved in 2017, but it is not yet ratified

International law organization participation

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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

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citizenship by descent only

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at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Libya

dual citizenship recognized

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residency requirement for naturalization

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varies from 3 to 5 years

Suffrage

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18 years of age, universal

Executive branch

chief of state

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President, Presidential Council, Mohammed al-MANFI (since 5 February 2021)

head of government

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GNU Interim Prime Minister Abd-al-Hamid DUBAYBAH (since 5 February 2021)

election/appointment process

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first direct presidential election was not held as planned

most recent election date

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scheduled for 24 December 2021 but not held

expected date of next election

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no new date has been set for elections

Legislative branch

legislative structure

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unicameral

chamber name

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House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwaab)

number of seats

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200 (all directly elected)

electoral system

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other systems

scope of elections

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full renewal

most recent election date

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6/25/2014

percentage of women in chamber

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16.5%

expected date of next election

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December 2026

note

note: 32 seats are reserved for women

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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Libya's judicial system consists of a supreme court, central high courts (in Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sabha), and a series of lower courts

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

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Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Fadil S M OMAR (since 17 July 2023)

chancery

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1460 Dahlia Street NW, Washington, DC 20012

telephone

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[1] (202) 944-9601

FAX

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[1] (202) 944-9606

email address and website

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info@embassyoflibyadc.com https://www.embassyoflibyadc.org/

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

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Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Jeremy BERNDT (since 14 October 2023)

embassy

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US Embassy Tripoli operations suspended in 2014

mailing address

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8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC  20521-8850

telephone

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[216] 71-107-000

email address and website

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Webmaster_Libya@state.gov https://ly.usembassy.gov/

note

note: the US Embassy in Tripoli closed in July 2014 due to Libyan civil unrest; embassy staff and operations currently are located at US Embassy Tunis, Tunisia

International organization participation

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ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BDEAC, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, LCBC, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNSMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Independence

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24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)

National holiday

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Liberation Day, 23 October (2011)

Flag

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description: three horizontal bands of red (top), black (double-width), and green, with a white crescent and star centered on the black stripe meaning: the colors represent the three major regions of the country: red stands for Fezzan, black for Cyrenaica, and green for Tripolitania; the crescent and star represent Islam history: the National Transitional Council reintroduced this flag design from the former Kingdom of Libya (1951-69) in 2011 to replace the all-green banner of the QADHAFI regime

National symbol(s)

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star and crescent, hawk

National color(s)

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red, black, green

National anthem(s)

title

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"Libya, Libya, Libya"

lyrics/music

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Al Bashir AL AREBI/Mohamad Abdel WAHAB

history

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adopted 1951, but replaced in 1969 when QADHAFI came to power; readopted 2011 with some modification to the lyrics; also known as "Ya Beladi" (O My Country)

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites

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5 (all cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales

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Archaeological Site of Cyrene; Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna, Archaeological Site of Sabratha; Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus; Old Town of Ghadamès

Economy

Economic overview

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upper middle-income, fossil fuel-based North African economy; 31% economic contraction due to COVID-19 and 2020 oil blockade; reduced government spending; central bank had to devalue currency; public wages are over 60% of expenditures

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

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$90.609 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

text

$91.161 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

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$82.756 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024

text

-0.6% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

text

10.2% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

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-8.3% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024

text

$12,300 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

text

$12,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

text

$11,500 (2022 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

text

$46.636 billion (2024 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

text

2.1% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

text

2.4% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

text

4.5% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

text

1.7% (2024 est.)

industry

text

68.3% (2024 est.)

services

text

34.3% (2024 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

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32.7% (2024 est.)

government consumption

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36.7% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

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14.8% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

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0% (2024 est.)

exports of goods and services

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74.8% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

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-59.1% (2024 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

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potatoes, onions, watermelons, tomatoes, dates, olives, milk, chicken, wheat, vegetables (2023)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

text

-5.8% (2024 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force

text

2.585 million (2024 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024

text

18.7% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

text

18.8% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

text

19.3% (2022 est.)

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total

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49.5% (2024 est.)

male

text

41.5% (2024 est.)

female

text

68.8% (2024 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Remittances

Remittances 2023

text

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2022

text

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2021

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0% of GDP (2021 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues

text

$28.005 billion (2019 est.)

expenditures

text

$37.475 billion (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

text

7.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2023

text

$1.865 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2022

text

$9.607 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2021

text

$5.675 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports

Exports 2023

text

$37.753 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2022

text

$39.831 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2021

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$32.38 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - partners

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Italy 23%, Germany 15%, Spain 9%, France 7%, China 6% (2023)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports - commodities

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crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, gold, scrap iron (2023)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

Imports 2023

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$33.284 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2022

text

$27.872 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2021

text

$25.406 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - partners

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China 17%, Turkey 15%, Italy 8%, UAE 8%, Egypt 8% (2023)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports - commodities

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refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, tobacco, garments, cars (2023)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

text

$92.894 billion (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

text

$92.427 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

text

$86.683 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Exchange rates

Currency

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Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

text

4.832 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

text

4.813 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

text

4.813 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

text

4.514 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

text

1.389 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population

text

70% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

text

100%

Electricity

installed generating capacity

text

10.519 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption

text

28.826 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

text

800 million kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

text

7.081 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

text

100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

imports

text

4,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production

text

1.245 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

text

207,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

text

48.363 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production

text

11.16 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption

text

8.633 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

text

2.527 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

text

1.505 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

text

100.844 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions

text

1.218 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

17 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions

text

13.9 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

205 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

text

state-funded and private TV stations; some provinces operate local TV stations; pan-Arab satellite TV stations are available; state-funded radio (2019)

Internet country code

text

.ly

Internet users

percent of population

text

89% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total

text

326,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

text

5 (2022 est.)

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

text

Airports

text

75 (2025)

Merchant marine

total

text

96 (2023)

by type

text

general cargo 2, oil tanker 13, other 81

Ports

total ports

text

14 (2024)

large

text

medium

text

small

text

very small

text

ports with oil terminals

text

key ports

text

Al Burayqah, Az Zawiya, Banghazi, Mersa Tobruq, Mina Tarabulus (Tripoli)

Military and Security

Military and security forces

text

the Libyan Armed Forces of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) have various ground, air, and naval/coast guard forces, which include a mix of nominally integrated and semi-regular units, tribal armed groups and militias, civilian volunteers, and foreign military contractors; the GNU's armed forces are nominally under the control of the Ministry of Defense; the GNU also has various internal security forces under both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior (2025)

note

note: the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA; aka Libyan Arab Armed Forces, LAAF) under Khalifa HAFTER also includes various ground, air, and naval/coast guard forces comprised of semi-regular military personnel, militias, other armed groups, and foreign military contractors; some of the armed units nominally under the LNA operate under their own command structures and engage in their own operations

Military expenditures

text

not available

Military and security service personnel strengths

text

estimates not available

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

text

both the forces aligned with the GNU and the LNA are largely equipped with weapons of Russian or Soviet origin; in recent years, Türkiye has the been the primary supplier of arms to the GNU, while the LNA has received quantities from Russia and the United Arab Emirates (2025)

note

note: Libya is under a UN-imposed arms embargo

Military service age and obligation

text

not available

Military - note

text

the western-based forces aligned with the GNU and the eastern-based LNA forces are separated by a fortified line of control just west of the coastal city of Sirte; Turkey has provided support to the GNU forces, including military trainers, ammunition, weapons, and aerial drones; Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt have been the main supporters of the LNA (2025)

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

text

Ansar al-Sharia groups; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - Libya (ISIS-L); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun); al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

text

277,010 (2024 est.)

IDPs

text

139,305 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

text

Special Case; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/libya/