Libya is slightly bigger by total area compared to Iran: 679,363 sq mi vs 636,372 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Libya is 679,362 sq mi vs 626,451 sq mi for Iran.
- Iran ranks 17/197 by total surface area vs 16/197 for Libya.
- Iran occupies 1.09% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 1.18% for Libya.
- 29% of Iran's area is agricultural land vs 8.72% in Libya.
- Iran has 0.99% of the world's agricultural land area — Libya has 0.32%.
- 6.65% of Iran is covered by forests, compared to 0.12% in Libya.
- 0.27% of the world's forests are in Iran, and 0.005% are in Libya.
Total size and land area comparison
Iran
|
Libya
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
636,372 sq mi |
679,363 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 1.07 |
| Total area rank | 17/197 | 16/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.32% | 0.34% |
| Land area |
626,451 sq mi |
679,362 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 1.08 |
| Land area rank | 17/197 | 16/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 1.09% | 1.18% |
| Population | 91,567,738 | 7,381,023 |
| Population density | 148.9 ppl/mi² | 11.1 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Iran
|
Libya
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
41,654 sq mi |
838 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 6.65% | 0.12% |
| Forest area rank | 52/196 | 154/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.27% | 0.005% |
Agricultural land area
|
181,727 sq mi |
59,267 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 29% | 8.72% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 18/194 | 56/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.99% | 0.32% |
|
Arable land
|
60,614 sq mi |
6,641 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 9.68% | 0.98% |
| Arable land area rank | 21/191 | 87/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
7,301 sq mi |
1,274 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 1.17% | 0.19% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 26/192 | 66/192 |
|
Water area
|
9,921 sq mi |
0.39 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 1.56% | 0.00006% |
| Water area rank | 20/197 | 164/197 |
| Roads length |
138,867 mi |
22,991 mi |
| Land borders length |
3,662 mi |
2,696 mi |
| Coastline length |
1,516 mi |
1,100 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0.9% | 0.6% |
Iran vs Libya size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/iran/libya | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Iran 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.
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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.