Economy - overview:
Libya's economy, almost entirely dependent on oil and gas exports, struggled during the period 2014-16 as the country plunged into civil war and world oil prices dropped to seven-year lows. In early 2015, armed conflict between rival forces for control of the country’s largest oil terminals caused a decline in Libyan crude oil production, which never recovered to more than one-third of the average pre-Revolution highs of 1.6 million barrels per day. The Central Bank of Libya continued to pay government salaries to a majority of the Libyan workforce and to fund subsidies for fuel and food, resulting in an estimated budget deficit of about 17% of GDP in 2017. The economy recovered handsomely in 2017 as conflict subsided.Libya’s economic transition away from QADHAFI’s notionally socialist model has completely stalled as political chaos persists and security continues to deteriorate. Libya’s leaders have hindered economic development by failing to use its financial resources to invest in national infrastructure. The country suffers from widespread power outages in its largest cities, caused by shortages of fuel for power generation. Living conditions, including access to clean drinking water, medical services, and safe housing, have all declined as the civil war has forced more people to become internally displaced, further straining local resources.Extremists affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attacked Libyan oilfields in the first half of 2015; ISIL has a presence in many cities across Libya including near oil infrastructure, threatening future government revenues from oil and gas.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: Budget: Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: Exchange rates:
$63.14 billion (2017 est.)
$40.72 billion (2016 est.)
$41.96 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 107
$33.31 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
55.1% (2017 est.)
-3% (2016 est.)
-10.3% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$9,800 (2017 est.)
$6,400 (2016 est.)
$6,600 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 142
1.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
-11% of GDP (2016 est.)
-8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption: 76.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 19.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 2.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 1.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 39.7%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -39.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
agriculture: 1.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 63.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 34.9% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle
petroleum, petrochemicals, aluminum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement
76.5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
1.114 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture: 17%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 23%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 59% (2004 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
30% (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
NA%
note: about one-third of Libyans live at or below the national poverty line
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%: NA%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $16.33 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $22.32 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
49% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-18% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
5.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
7.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
calendar year
32.8% (2017 est.)
27.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 224
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
9.52% (31 December 2010)
3% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 26
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
7.3% (31 December 2017 est.)
6% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$76.35 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$62.57 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$77.89 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$63.76 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$16.82 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$14.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
$591 million (2017 est.)
-$4.575 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$19.72 billion (2017 est.)
$11.99 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals
Italy 24.2%, Egypt 21.1%, Spain 9.5%, France 7.8%, Croatia 5%, Netherlands 5%, China 4.3% (2016)
$12.66 billion (2017 est.)
$11.01 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products
China 14.4%, South Korea 13.3%, Turkey 10.4%, Italy 5.9% (2016)
$69.35 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$66.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
$2.927 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$3.116 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
$19.07 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$18.96 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]
$22.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$22.19 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]
Libyan dinars (LYD) per US dollar -
1.413 (2017 est.)
1.3904 (2016 est.)
1.3904 (2015 est.)
1.379 (2014 est.)
1.2724 (2013 est.)