Libya has a population density of 11.1 people per square mile compared to 1,568 people in Nauru. Libya has 2,565,978 sq ft of land per person vs 18,920 sq ft in Nauru. Libya and Nauru rank 191st and 12th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Libya has 0.09% of the world's population and 1.18% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.0001% of the population and 0.00001% of the land area for Nauru, making the population density in Libya 99.3% lower than in Nauru.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Libya
|
Nauru
|
|
| 2026 | 11.1 | 1,568 |
| 2025 | 11 | 1,558 |
| 2024 | 10.9 | 1,547 |
| 2023 | 10.8 | 1,538 |
| 2022 | 10.6 | 1,528 |
| 2021 | 10.5 | 1,516 |
| 2020 | 10.4 | 1,508 |
| 2019 | 10.2 | 1,501 |
| 2018 | 10.1 | 1,486 |
| 2017 | 9.92 | 1,466 |
| 2016 | 9.76 | 1,444 |
| 2015 | 9.61 | 1,419 |
| 2014 | 9.46 | 1,391 |
| 2013 | 9.28 | 1,362 |
| 2012 | 9.1 | 1,330 |
| 2011 | 9.34 | 1,308 |
| 2010 | 9.56 | 1,301 |
| 2009 | 9.37 | 1,297 |
| 2008 | 9.18 | 1,296 |
| 2007 | 8.99 | 1,298 |
| 2006 | 8.8 | 1,299 |
| 2005 | 8.62 | 1,301 |
| 2004 | 8.44 | 1,303 |
| 2003 | 8.27 | 1,303 |
| 2002 | 8.11 | 1,306 |
| 2001 | 7.95 | 1,312 |
| 2000 | 7.81 | 1,317 |
| 1999 | 7.68 | 1,319 |
| 1998 | 7.57 | 1,321 |
| 1997 | 7.45 | 1,321 |
| 1996 | 7.34 | 1,319 |
| 1995 | 7.22 | 1,316 |
| 1994 | 7.1 | 1,313 |
| 1993 | 6.97 | 1,308 |
| 1992 | 6.83 | 1,298 |
| 1991 | 6.69 | 1,276 |
| 1990 | 6.54 | 1,246 |
| 1989 | 6.39 | 1,216 |
| 1988 | 6.24 | 1,187 |
| 1987 | 6.08 | 1,159 |
| 1986 | 5.91 | 1,132 |
| 1985 | 5.74 | 1,107 |
| 1984 | 5.55 | 1,085 |
| 1983 | 5.47 | 1,064 |
| 1982 | 5.48 | 1,041 |
| 1981 | 5.33 | 1,015 |
| 1980 | 5.04 | 991 |
| 1979 | 4.76 | 967 |
| 1978 | 4.49 | 945 |
| 1977 | 4.24 | 928 |
| 1976 | 4.01 | 915 |
| 1975 | 3.79 | 905 |
| 1974 | 3.58 | 897 |
| 1973 | 3.41 | 889 |
| 1972 | 3.28 | 882 |
| 1971 | 3.17 | 876 |
| 1970 | 3.07 | 869 |
| 1969 | 2.96 | 852 |
| 1968 | 2.87 | 819 |
| 1967 | 2.79 | 794 |
| 1966 | 2.72 | 783 |
| 1965 | 2.66 | 755 |
| 1964 | 2.58 | 714 |
| 1963 | 2.49 | 677 |
| 1962 | 2.39 | 645 |
| 1961 | 2.29 | 618 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/libya/nauru | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Libya increased by 26%, compared to a 20.6% growth in Nauru.
In 2006, Libya ranked 187th by population density and is 191st now. Nauru was 13th in 2006 and ranks 12th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Libya
|
Nauru
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 11.1 ppl/mi² | 1,568 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 191/197 | 12/197 |
| Population |
7559873
|
12125
|
| Land area | 679,362 sq mi | 7.72 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,565,976 sq ft | 18,019 sq ft |
| Rural population | 12.1% | 0% |
| Urban population | 87.9% | 100% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 17.1% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Libya
|
Nauru
|
|
| 2024 | 87.9% | 100% |
| 2023 | 87.9% | 100% |
| 2022 | 87.8% | 100% |
| 2021 | 87.8% | 100% |
| 2020 | 87.8% | 100% |
| 2019 | 87.8% | 100% |
| 2018 | 87.8% | 100% |
| 2017 | 87.8% | 100% |
| 2016 | 87.8% | 100% |
| 2015 | 87.8% | 100% |
| 2014 | 88% | 100% |
| 2013 | 88% | 100% |
| 2012 | 88.1% | 100% |
| 2011 | 88.1% | 100% |
| 2010 | 88.1% | 100% |
| 2009 | 88.1% | 100% |
| 2008 | 88.1% | 100% |
| 2007 | 88.2% | 100% |
| 2006 | 88.2% | 100% |
| 2005 | 88.1% | 100% |
| 2004 | 88% | 100% |
| 2003 | 87.9% | 100% |
| 2002 | 87.6% | 100% |
| 2001 | 87.3% | 100% |
| 2000 | 87% | 100% |
| 1999 | 86.5% | 100% |
| 1998 | 86% | 100% |
| 1997 | 85.5% | 100% |
| 1996 | 84.9% | 100% |
| 1995 | 84.3% | 100% |
| 1994 | 83.6% | 100% |
| 1993 | 82.9% | 100% |
| 1992 | 82.2% | 100% |
| 1991 | 81.4% | 100% |
| 1990 | 80.6% | 100% |
| 1989 | 79.7% | 100% |
| 1988 | 78.9% | 100% |
| 1987 | 78% | 100% |
| 1986 | 77.1% | 100% |
| 1985 | 76.2% | 100% |
| 1984 | 75.3% | 100% |
| 1983 | 74.3% | 100% |
| 1982 | 73.2% | 100% |
| 1981 | 71.9% | 100% |
| 1980 | 70.5% | 100% |
| 1979 | 69% | 100% |
| 1978 | 67.4% | 100% |
| 1977 | 65.6% | 100% |
| 1976 | 63.7% | 100% |
| 1975 | 61.7% | 100% |
| 1974 | 59.6% | 100% |
| 1973 | 57.3% | 100% |
| 1972 | 54.3% | 100% |
| 1971 | 50.4% | 100% |
| 1970 | 45.8% | 100% |
| 1969 | 41% | 100% |
| 1968 | 36.2% | 100% |
| 1967 | 31.8% | 100% |
| 1966 | 28.2% | 100% |
| 1965 | 25.7% | 100% |
| 1964 | 24.6% | 100% |
| 1963 | 24.2% | 100% |
| 1962 | 23.9% | 100% |
| 1961 | 23.5% | 100% |
| 1960 | 23.3% | 100% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/libya/nauru | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 88% to 87.9% in Libya and from 100% to 100% in Nauru.
Densely populated cities
|
Libya
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Tripoli | 1.29M |
| Misrata | 881K |
| Benghazi | 632K |
| Ajdabiya | 416K |
| Al-Khums | 202K |
| Zawiya | 199K |
| Tobruk | 136K |
| Gharyan | 123K |
| Sabratha | 102K |
| Sabha | 99K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/libya/nauru | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2004–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.