Libya is 1.74 times bigger by total area compared to Egypt: 679,363 sq mi vs 390,121 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Libya is 679,362 sq mi vs 384,345 sq mi for Egypt — a 1.77 times difference in territory size.
- Egypt ranks 29/197 by total surface area vs 16/197 for Libya.
- Egypt occupies 0.67% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 1.18% for Libya.
- 4.08% of Egypt's area is agricultural land vs 8.72% in Libya.
- Egypt has 0.09% of the world's agricultural land area — Libya has 0.32%.
- 0.05% of Egypt is covered by forests, compared to 0.12% in Libya.
- 0.001% of the world's forests are in Egypt, and 0.005% are in Libya.
Total size and land area comparison
Egypt
|
Libya
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
390,121 sq mi |
679,363 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 1.74 |
| Total area rank | 29/197 | 16/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.2% | 0.34% |
| Land area |
384,345 sq mi |
679,362 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 1.77 |
| Land area rank | 29/197 | 16/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.67% | 1.18% |
| Population | 116,538,258 | 7,381,023 |
| Population density | 313 ppl/mi² | 11.1 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Egypt
|
Libya
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
173.7 sq mi |
838 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 0.05% | 0.12% |
| Forest area rank | 165/196 | 154/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.001% | 0.005% |
Agricultural land area
|
15,668 sq mi |
59,267 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 4.08% | 8.72% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 94/194 | 56/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.09% | 0.32% |
|
Arable land
|
11,981 sq mi |
6,641 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 3.12% | 0.98% |
| Arable land area rank | 66/191 | 87/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
3,687 sq mi |
1,274 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.96% | 0.19% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 38/192 | 66/192 |
|
Water area
|
5,775 sq mi |
0.39 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 1.48% | 0.00006% |
| Water area rank | 35/197 | 164/197 |
| Roads length |
202,101 mi |
22,991 mi |
| Land borders length |
1,623 mi |
2,696 mi |
| Coastline length |
1,522 mi |
1,100 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 4.6% | 0.6% |
Egypt vs Libya size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/egypt/libya | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Egypt and Libya but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
Compare countries by 7 more topics
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 (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
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.