Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ in Libya
Libya: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ was 48.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Libya, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Libya stood at 48.0%.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Libya peaked at 49.4% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 45.0%, in 2020.
That places Libya 164th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ in Libya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 45.5% | — |
| 1991 | 45.6% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 45.6% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 45.6% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 45.7% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 45.8% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 45.9% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 46.1% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 46.3% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 46.5% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 46.6% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 46.4% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 46.4% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 46.4% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 46.5% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 46.6% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 47.0% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 47.5% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 47.9% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 48.4% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 48.8% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 49.0% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 49.2% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 49.3% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 49.4% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 49.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 49.4% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 49.2% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 45.0% | -8.5% |
| 2021 | 45.5% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 48.7% | +7.2% |
| 2023 | 48.5% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 48.3% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 48.0% | -0.6% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 48.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 79% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Libya's 48.0% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 45.0%, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 45.9% | 45.5% | 46.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.0% | 46.4% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.2% | 48.8% | 49.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.3% | 45.0% | 48.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More work & labour data for Libya
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1881 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1642 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.213 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.54 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4664 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 7,184 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 939.57 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,815 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,969 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,784 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Libya?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Libya was 48.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 49.4% in 2015.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.0% in 2020.
- How does Libya rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Libya ranks 164th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.