Labor force participation rate in Libya
Libya: Labor force participation rate was 47.96 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
47.96
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
163rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
49.4
in 2015
All-time low
45.02
in 2020
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Libya, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Libya is 47.96, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Libya peaked at 49.4 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 45.02, in 2020.
Libya ranks 163rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Libya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 45.55 | — |
| 1991 | 45.56 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 45.58 | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 45.62 | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 45.69 | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 45.78 | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 45.91 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 46.08 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 46.28 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 46.53 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 46.57 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 46.45 | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 46.41 | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 46.45 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 46.53 | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 46.65 | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 46.97 | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 47.46 | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 47.92 | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 48.37 | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 48.8 | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 49.04 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 49.15 | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 49.31 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 49.4 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 49.4 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 49.37 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 49.33 | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 49.27 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 49.2 | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 45.02 | -8.5% |
| 2021 | 45.46 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 48.73 | +7.2% |
| 2023 | 48.51 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 48.27 | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 47.96 | -0.6% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 47.96 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.51, 79% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Libya's 47.96 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 44.99, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 45.86 | 45.55 | 46.53 | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.98 | 46.41 | 48.37 | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.23 | 48.8 | 49.4 | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.32 | 45.02 | 48.73 | 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 in Libya?
- Labor force participation rate in Libya was 47.96 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 49.4 in 2015.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.02 in 2020.
- How does Libya rank for labor force participation rate?
- Libya ranks 163rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate 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 Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).