Libya has a population density of 11.1 people per square mile compared to 690 people in Nigeria. Libya has 2,565,978 sq ft of land per person vs 42,734 sq ft in Nigeria. Libya and Nigeria rank 191st and 41st 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 2.86% of the population and 0.61% of the land area for Nigeria, making the population density in Libya 98.4% lower than in Nigeria.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Libya
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2026 | 11.1 | 690 |
| 2025 | 11 | 676 |
| 2024 | 10.9 | 662 |
| 2023 | 10.8 | 648 |
| 2022 | 10.6 | 635 |
| 2021 | 10.5 | 621 |
| 2020 | 10.4 | 609 |
| 2019 | 10.2 | 596 |
| 2018 | 10.1 | 583 |
| 2017 | 9.92 | 569 |
| 2016 | 9.76 | 556 |
| 2015 | 9.61 | 542 |
| 2014 | 9.46 | 529 |
| 2013 | 9.28 | 515 |
| 2012 | 9.1 | 501 |
| 2011 | 9.34 | 487 |
| 2010 | 9.56 | 474 |
| 2009 | 9.37 | 461 |
| 2008 | 9.18 | 448 |
| 2007 | 8.99 | 436 |
| 2006 | 8.8 | 424 |
| 2005 | 8.62 | 412 |
| 2004 | 8.44 | 401 |
| 2003 | 8.27 | 390 |
| 2002 | 8.11 | 380 |
| 2001 | 7.95 | 369 |
| 2000 | 7.81 | 359 |
| 1999 | 7.68 | 350 |
| 1998 | 7.57 | 341 |
| 1997 | 7.45 | 332 |
| 1996 | 7.34 | 323 |
| 1995 | 7.22 | 315 |
| 1994 | 7.1 | 307 |
| 1993 | 6.97 | 298.9 |
| 1992 | 6.83 | 291.1 |
| 1991 | 6.69 | 283.6 |
| 1990 | 6.54 | 276.2 |
| 1989 | 6.39 | 268.8 |
| 1988 | 6.24 | 261.7 |
| 1987 | 6.08 | 254.8 |
| 1986 | 5.91 | 248.1 |
| 1985 | 5.74 | 241.4 |
| 1984 | 5.55 | 234.7 |
| 1983 | 5.47 | 228.7 |
| 1982 | 5.48 | 222.9 |
| 1981 | 5.33 | 216.3 |
| 1980 | 5.04 | 209.8 |
| 1979 | 4.76 | 203.3 |
| 1978 | 4.49 | 197.1 |
| 1977 | 4.24 | 191.2 |
| 1976 | 4.01 | 185.6 |
| 1975 | 3.79 | 180.3 |
| 1974 | 3.58 | 175.4 |
| 1973 | 3.41 | 170.9 |
| 1972 | 3.28 | 166.6 |
| 1971 | 3.17 | 162.7 |
| 1970 | 3.07 | 158.9 |
| 1969 | 2.96 | 155.4 |
| 1968 | 2.87 | 151.9 |
| 1967 | 2.79 | 148.7 |
| 1966 | 2.72 | 145.6 |
| 1965 | 2.66 | 142.4 |
| 1964 | 2.58 | 139.4 |
| 1963 | 2.49 | 136.4 |
| 1962 | 2.39 | 133.6 |
| 1961 | 2.29 | 130.8 |
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/nigeria | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Libya increased by 26%, compared to a 62.7% growth in Nigeria.
In 2006, Libya ranked 187th by population density and is 191st now. Nigeria was 53rd in 2006 and ranks 41st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Libya
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 11.1 ppl/mi² | 690 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 191/197 | 41/197 |
| Population |
7559873
|
243824469
|
| Land area | 679,362 sq mi | 351,650 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,565,976 sq ft | 42,133 sq ft |
| Rural population | 12.1% | 37% |
| Urban population | 87.9% | 63% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 17.1% | 13.8% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Libya
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2024 | 87.9% | 63% |
| 2023 | 87.9% | 62.2% |
| 2022 | 87.8% | 61.4% |
| 2021 | 87.8% | 60.6% |
| 2020 | 87.8% | 59.8% |
| 2019 | 87.8% | 59% |
| 2018 | 87.8% | 58.2% |
| 2017 | 87.8% | 57.3% |
| 2016 | 87.8% | 56.5% |
| 2015 | 87.8% | 55.7% |
| 2014 | 88% | 54.9% |
| 2013 | 88% | 54.1% |
| 2012 | 88.1% | 53.3% |
| 2011 | 88.1% | 52.5% |
| 2010 | 88.1% | 51.7% |
| 2009 | 88.1% | 50.9% |
| 2008 | 88.1% | 50.1% |
| 2007 | 88.2% | 49.2% |
| 2006 | 88.2% | 48.4% |
| 2005 | 88.1% | 47.6% |
| 2004 | 88% | 46.7% |
| 2003 | 87.9% | 45.8% |
| 2002 | 87.6% | 45% |
| 2001 | 87.3% | 44.1% |
| 2000 | 87% | 43.3% |
| 1999 | 86.5% | 42.4% |
| 1998 | 86% | 41.6% |
| 1997 | 85.5% | 40.8% |
| 1996 | 84.9% | 40% |
| 1995 | 84.3% | 39.1% |
| 1994 | 83.6% | 38.3% |
| 1993 | 82.9% | 37.5% |
| 1992 | 82.2% | 36.7% |
| 1991 | 81.4% | 36% |
| 1990 | 80.6% | 35.2% |
| 1989 | 79.7% | 34.4% |
| 1988 | 78.9% | 33.6% |
| 1987 | 78% | 32.8% |
| 1986 | 77.1% | 32.1% |
| 1985 | 76.2% | 31.3% |
| 1984 | 75.3% | 30.5% |
| 1983 | 74.3% | 29.7% |
| 1982 | 73.2% | 28.9% |
| 1981 | 71.9% | 28.2% |
| 1980 | 70.5% | 27.4% |
| 1979 | 69% | 26.7% |
| 1978 | 67.4% | 25.9% |
| 1977 | 65.6% | 25.2% |
| 1976 | 63.7% | 24.4% |
| 1975 | 61.7% | 23.7% |
| 1974 | 59.6% | 23% |
| 1973 | 57.3% | 22.3% |
| 1972 | 54.3% | 21.6% |
| 1971 | 50.4% | 20.9% |
| 1970 | 45.8% | 20.2% |
| 1969 | 41% | 19.6% |
| 1968 | 36.2% | 18.9% |
| 1967 | 31.8% | 18.3% |
| 1966 | 28.2% | 17.7% |
| 1965 | 25.7% | 17.1% |
| 1964 | 24.6% | 16.5% |
| 1963 | 24.2% | 15.9% |
| 1962 | 23.9% | 15.4% |
| 1961 | 23.5% | 14.8% |
| 1960 | 23.3% | 14.2% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/libya/nigeria | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 88% to 87.9% in Libya and from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria.
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 |
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lagos | 15.1M |
| Kano | 4.35M |
| Port Harcourt | 3.32M |
| Ibadan | 2.55M |
| Benin | 1.78M |
| Abuja | 1.69M |
| Onitsha | 1.48M |
| Maiduguri | 1.2M |
| Aba | 1.16M |
| Enugu | 1.03M |
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/nigeria | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2004–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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