Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Libya
Libya: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 18.8% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
18.8%
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
10th
of 186 countries
All-time high
19.8%
in 2021
All-time low
18.6%
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Libya, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Libya recorded 18.8% for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in 2025.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Libya peaked at 19.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 18.6%, in 1991.
That places Libya 10th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Libya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 18.6% | — |
| 1992 | 18.8% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 19.0% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 19.3% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 19.3% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 19.2% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 19.2% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 19.2% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 19.2% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 19.3% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 19.2% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 19.3% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 19.1% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 18.9% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 18.7% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 18.8% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 18.8% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 19.0% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 19.3% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 19.3% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 19.5% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 19.0% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 19.3% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 19.3% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 19.7% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 19.6% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 19.1% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 18.9% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 19.1% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 19.7% | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 19.8% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 19.2% | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 18.7% | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 19.1% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 18.8% | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.1% | 18.6% | 19.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 19.0% | 18.7% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.3% | 18.9% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.2% | 18.7% | 19.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More education data for Libya
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 327,920 (2005)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -3.17 % change on previous year (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 22,246 (2006)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -2.47 % change on previous year (2002)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 375,028 (2003)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 4.42 % change on previous year (2003)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 22,627 (1983)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 20,069 (1983)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 192,721 (2003)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.39 % change on previous year (2003)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Libya?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Libya was 18.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 19.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.6% in 1991.
- How does Libya rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Libya ranks 10th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.