Libya
Africa Β· Capital: Tripoli
How it is run: Libya is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Libya is home to 7.5 million people in Northern Africa, where people speak Arabic.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
7.5 million people
That is about 921 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
1,759,540 kmΒ²
One of the world's large countries: flying across it takes hours.
ποΈ How crowded
Only about 4.2 people per square kilometre β lots of wide open space between towns.
π Size in its region
35th most people in Africa
4th largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
Arabic
π° Money
Libyan dinar (Ω.Ψ―)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
71.1 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$6,449
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
87.9% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
26.8% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+218
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.ly
π§ People here are called
Libyan
π·οΈ Name at home
ΩΩΨ¨ΩΨ§
Also written: State of Libya, Dawlat Libya.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Libya touches 6 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Libia
French
Libye
Arabic
ΩΩΨ¨ΩΨ§
Chinese
ε©ζ―δΊ
Japanese
γͺγγ’
Russian
ΠΠΈΠ²ΠΈΡ
Portuguese
LΓbia
German
Libyen
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 31.8Γ as many people as Libya.
- Libya covers roughly 16,758 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Libya lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 3,729 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Libya is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
π·οΈ Official name
State of Libya
ποΈ Capital
Tripoli
π Region
Africa Β· Northern Africa
π€ Country code
LY
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Libya π
π§ Where on the map
25.0Β° N, 17.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+1 β when it is noon in London it is about 13:00 in Tripoli.
- The capital of Libya is Tripoli β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Libya is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Libya is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Libya sits in Northern Africa, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- Libya sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Libya has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Libya can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Libya spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Libya?
Tripoli
Which money do people spend in Libya?
Libyan dinar (Ω.Ψ―)
How many countries share a land border with Libya?
6 β Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia.
Roughly how many people live in Libya?
7.5 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.