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Bahrain vs Libya
Side-by-side comparison of Bahrain and Libya from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Bahrain
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 55 years
Libya
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 475 years
In short
Bahrain scores 60.6 in the NationsTree Index (56th in the world) and Libya scores 36.8 (140th), a gap of 23.8 points. Their trees are 6.6 m and 6.1 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Libya has 4.7 times the population of Bahrain. Libya is 2,199 times larger than Bahrain by land area. Bahrain and Libya have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Bahrain 1.6 million and Libya 7.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $70,997 in Bahrain and $16,521 in Libya (2025, international dollars). People in Bahrain live on average 10.3 years longer (81.4 vs 71.1 years).
Of 28 indicators reported by both countries, Bahrain ranks higher in the world on 21 and Libya on 7. Bahrain is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, infrastructure & digital and military. Libya is clearly stronger in science & innovation, land & people and trade.
As a nation, Libya is the older of the two (statehood since 1551, 475 years), compared with Bahrain (since 1971). Over the last five years Bahrain improved faster (direction score 55 vs 52 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Bahrain and Libya.
Bahrainbetter
1.1%
7th of 187
Libya
18.8%
178th of 187
Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI)Infrastructure & digital
Bahrainbetter
3.60
29th of 164
Libya
1.70
163rd of 164
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Bahrainbetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Libya
77.4%
173rd of 215
Regulatory qualityInstitutions & safety
Bahrainbetter
72.8
33rd of 205
Libya
26.9
197th of 205
Government effectivenessInstitutions & safety
Bahrainbetter
61.0
70th of 205
Libya
21.9
194th of 205
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Libya overtook Bahrain in GDP (PPP) in 2025, the latest year with data.
Bahrain has been ahead of Libya in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1996.
Bahrain has been ahead of Libya in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Libya has been ahead of Bahrain in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
BahrainLibya All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Bahrain | Libya |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 800181st/216 · 2024 | 1,759,54016th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 800180th/216 · 2024 | 1,759,54016th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 1.6 m152nd/217 · 2025 | 7.5 m105th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.73%118th/217 · 2025 | 1.04%98th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 1,985.86th/216 · 2024 | 4.2209th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 100.0%1st/217 · 2025 | 87.9%40th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 18.4%134th/217 · 2025 | 26.8%85th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 4.0%167th/217 · 2025 | 5.2%146th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $48.97 bn99th/210 · 2025 | $48.10 bn101st/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $113.62 bn97th/199 · 2025 | $123.23 bn95th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $97.09 bn98th/199 · 2025 | $105.30 bn94th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $30,59757th/210 · 2025 | $6,449128th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $70,99729th/199 · 2025 | $16,521117th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $28,79050th/201 · 2025 | $7,250110th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.5%100th/210 · 2025 | 13.4%3rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | -0.1%11th/180 · 2025 | 1.8%55th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 1.1%7th/187 · 2025 | 18.8%178th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 111.6%52nd/55 · 2020 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 144.3%184th/189 · 2025 | 153.8%186th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -13.2%187th/192 · 2025 | -30.5%191st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 0.2%190th/197 · 2025 | 1.5%158th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 41.2%14th/200 · 2025 | 73.2%2nd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 19.9%20th/192 · 2025 | 2.8%2017 |
| Services % of GDP | 54.3%125th/200 · 2025 | 26.9%199th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $41.30 bn69th/182 · 2024 | $34.49 bn78th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $33.04 bn79th/182 · 2024 | $31.72 bn81st/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 87.5%13th/183 · 2024 | 71.7%25th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 70.0%34th/183 · 2024 | 65.9%43rd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 157.5%16th/183 · 2024 | 137.7%29th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%160th/170 · 2024 | 94.4%2019 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 26.0%96th/171 · 2024 | 0.6%2019 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 8.7%123rd/171 · 2024 | 0.1%2019 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 64.8%3rd/171 · 2024 | 0.7%2019 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 0.4%156th/168 · 2023 | 0.6%2019 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 5.0%35th/191 · 2025 | 1.1%67th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.7%116th/196 · 2025 | 1.7%115th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 16.6%33rd/209 · 2021 | 61.0%1st/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 10.94%18th/197 · 2021 | 56.38%1st/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 5.70%12th/197 · 2021 | 4.58%15th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%177th/209 · 2021 | 0.08%119th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 2.6%161st/206 · 2024 | 1.0%182nd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 3182nd/183 · 2022 | 97170th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.9 m71st/194 · 2020 | 760,0002008 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $724.0 m83rd/175 · 2020 | $170.0 m2010 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 2.8%110th/168 · 2020 | 0.3%2010 |
| Outbound trips departures | 3.0 m38th/107 · 2019 | 650,0001997 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 81.441st/217 · 2024 | 71.1147th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 8.865th/196 · 2024 | 9.874th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.74112th/174 · 2020 | 2.042017 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.893rd/145 · 2022 | 3.548th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 96%48th/193 · 2024 | 86%125th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 82.6%68th/153 · 2024 | — |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 98.8%65th/173 · 2024 | 97.6%2006 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 5.2%195th/217 · 2025 | 7.6%147th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 4.0%155th/193 · 2023 | 7.8%66th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 97.8%22nd/98 · 2024 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 58.4%63rd/150 · 2024 | 58.5%2003 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.89938th/193 · 2023 | 0.721115th/193 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 77.4%173rd/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 98.9%32nd/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 93.4%28th/144 · 2024 | 21.7%125th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 100.0%1st/186 · 2024 | 82.0%97th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 16025th/210 · 2024 | 1938th/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 17.097th/208 · 2024 | 4.5144th/208 · 2022 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.6029th/164 · 2022 | 1.70163rd/164 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 5.7 m56th/161 · 2023 | 1.1 m95th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 23.90201st/203 · 2024 | 8.66180th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 0.0%207th/212 · 2021 | 3.1%173rd/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 56.6192nd/200 · 2023 | 20.0116th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 4.9%181st/214 · 2024 | 0.1%207th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 9,5115th/149 · 2024 | 3,32228th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 61.070th/205 · 2025 | 21.9194th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 53.779th/207 · 2025 | 17.2197th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 61.691st/207 · 2025 | 31.5196th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 59.8139th/207 · 2025 | 33.4195th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 72.833rd/205 · 2025 | 26.9197th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 30.7181st/205 · 2025 | 31.3177th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.24th/145 · 2022 | — |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $1.47 bn75th/156 · 2025 | $1.57 bn71st/156 · 2023 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.1%29th/156 · 2025 | 3.6%17th/156 · 2023 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 10.8%25th/154 · 2025 | 5.5%72nd/154 · 2023 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 19,000108th/170 · 2020 | 0166th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 2.33%22nd/168 · 2020 | 0.00%166th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 30.0 m78th/163 · 2025 | 5.0 m129th/163 · 2024 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 2.0 m2001 | 02016 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.19%87th/110 · 2024 | — |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 6113th/137 · 2024 | 121996 |
| Scientific articles articles | 71890th/197 · 2023 | 443105th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Bahrain or Libya?
Libya has the larger population: 7.5 m (2025) compared with 1.6 m for Bahrain (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Bahrain or Libya?
Libya is larger: 1,759,540 km² (2024) compared with 800 km² for Bahrain (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Bahrain or Libya?
Libya has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $123.23 bn intl. (2025) compared with $113.62 bn intl. for Bahrain (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Bahrain or Libya?
Bahrain has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $70,997 intl. (2025) compared with $16,521 intl. for Libya (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Bahrain or Libya?
Bahrain has the higher life expectancy at birth: 81.4 years (2024) compared with 71.1 years for Libya (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Bahrain or Libya?
Libya spends more on the military: $1.57 bn (2023) compared with $1.47 bn for Bahrain (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Bahrain or Libya?
Bahrain: 60.6 points (56th in the world); Libya: 36.8 points (140th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Afghanistan
Jordan
Lebanon
Syria
TunisiaSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Bahrain vs Libya — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/bahrain-vs-libya. Data as of 26 October 2026.