World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Labour · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · Upper-middle income

Libya: the labour market

Labour force is 2.6m (2025), 121st of 187 in the world and 17th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Participation rate is 48.0% (2025), 164th of 187 in the world and 10th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Women's participation is 33.0% (2025), 163rd of 187 in the world and 8th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa.

Labour force2.6m2025 · world 121/187 · region 17/23Participation rate48.0%2025 · world 164/187 · region 10/23Women's participation33.0%2025 · world 163/187 · region 8/23Employment rate39.0%2025 · world 168/187 · region 12/23
Labour force
Libya
01.0m2.0m3.0m1995200020052010201520202025Libya2.6m
Participation rate
LibyaMiddle East, North Africa, A…Upper-middle incomeWorld
40%50%60%70%80%1995200020052010201520202025Libya48.0%Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanUpper-middle incomeWorld
12 indicators

Labour: Libya in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total2.6m2025121/18717/231.7m2.2m2.2m+18%since 2015264m1.5bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+48.0%2025164/18710/2346.6%48.8%45.0%−1.4 ppsince 201547.4%62.7%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+33.0%2025163/1878/2330.4%34.1%31.0%−1.1 ppsince 201519.7%53.4%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)39.0%2025168/18712/2337.6%39.4%36.2%−0.7 ppsince 201543.7%59.5%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)18.8%202510/1873/2319.3%19.3%19.7%−0.9 ppsince 20157.8%5.2%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)25.2%202510/1876/2325.9%25.4%25.6%−0.7 ppsince 201512.1%5.1%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)50.1%20254/1872/2346.7%49.6%53.6%−1.5 ppsince 201518.7%15.6%13.4%
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment74.1%202575/18712/2376.8%77.3%72.8%+1.0 ppsince 201561.0%61.3%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)21.6%2025115/18711/2318.4%18.0%23.2%−1.1 ppsince 201536.1%34.8%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment10.0%2025109/1879/2313.8%11.5%11.0%−1.6 ppsince 201521.7%19.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment18.6%2025100/18718/2322.4%22.3%18.2%±0.0 ppsince 201526.6%27.7%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment71.4%202556/1878/2363.8%66.2%70.9%+1.5 ppsince 201551.7%52.4%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Libya and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Libya. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorLibyaEgyptSudanAlgeriaNigerChad
Labour force2.6m202536.1m202510.9m202213.6m202512.0m20256.7m2025
Participation rate48.0%202544.6%202537.5%202240.8%202579.7%202559.4%2025
Women's participation33.0%202518.5%202514.5%202214.1%202572.8%202547.3%2025
Employment rate39.0%202541.5%202534.7%202236.0%202579.4%202558.8%2025
Unemployment18.8%20256.8%20257.5%202211.6%20250.4%20251.1%2025
Female unemployment25.2%202515.3%202514.0%202220.6%20250.3%20250.7%2025
Youth unemployment50.1%202518.3%202512.0%202229.4%20250.5%20251.5%2025
Wage workers74.1%202573.0%202553.5%202269.8%202510.5%20258.4%2025
Vulnerable employment21.6%202523.9%202539.7%202225.6%202583.7%202590.2%2025
Egypt: labourSudan: labourAlgeria: labourNiger: labourChad: labour
Labour in Middle East & North Africaall 23 economies rankedLabour: upper-middle-income countries59 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesLibya: all key statisticscountry profile