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Jordan vs Libya
Side-by-side comparison of Jordan and Libya from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Jordan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 80 years
Libya
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 475 years
In short
Jordan scores 58.6 in the NationsTree Index (59th in the world) and Libya scores 36.8 (140th), a gap of 21.8 points. Their trees are 7.4 m and 6.1 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Jordan has 54% more people than Libya. Libya is 20 times larger than Jordan by land area. The economy of Jordan is 18% larger than that of Libya (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Jordan 11.5 million and Libya 7.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $16,521 in Libya and $12,632 in Jordan (2025, international dollars). People in Jordan live on average 6.9 years longer (78.0 vs 71.1 years).
Of 28 indicators reported by both countries, Jordan ranks higher in the world on 20 and Libya on 8. Jordan is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, military and infrastructure & digital. Libya is clearly stronger in natural resources and trade.
As a nation, Libya is the older of the two (statehood since 1551, 475 years), compared with Jordan (since 1946). Over the last five years Jordan improved faster (direction score 91 vs 52 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Jordan and Libya.
Jordanbetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Libya
77.4%
173rd of 215
Regulatory qualityInstitutions & safety
Jordanbetter
61.2
70th of 205
Libya
26.9
197th of 205
Control of corruptionInstitutions & safety
Jordanbetter
54.2
76th of 207
Libya
17.2
197th of 207
Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI)Infrastructure & digital
Jordanbetter
2.72
68th of 164
Libya
1.70
163rd of 164
GDP growthEconomy
Jordan
2.8%
121st of 210
Libyabetter
13.4%
3rd of 210
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Jordan overtook Libya in GDP (PPP) in 2020 and has stayed ahead since.
Jordan overtook Libya in the NationsTree Index in 2007 and has stayed ahead since.
Jordan overtook Libya in population in 1998 and has stayed ahead since.
Libya has been ahead of Jordan in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Jordan has been ahead of Libya in life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
JordanLibya 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 | Jordan | Libya |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 89,318113th/216 · 2024 | 1,759,54016th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 88,794111th/216 · 2024 | 1,759,54016th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 11.5 m83rd/217 · 2025 | 7.5 m105th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.28%191st/217 · 2025 | 1.04%98th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 130.186th/216 · 2024 | 4.2209th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 93.2%24th/217 · 2025 | 87.9%40th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 30.2%70th/217 · 2025 | 26.8%85th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 4.8%155th/217 · 2025 | 5.2%146th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $61.61 bn90th/210 · 2025 | $48.10 bn101st/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $145.53 bn91st/199 · 2025 | $123.23 bn95th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $124.36 bn91st/199 · 2025 | $105.30 bn94th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $5,348136th/210 · 2025 | $6,449128th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $12,632130th/199 · 2025 | $16,521117th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $5,260127th/201 · 2025 | $7,250110th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 2.8%121st/210 · 2025 | 13.4%3rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 1.8%53rd/180 · 2025 | 1.8%55th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 16.5%175th/187 · 2025 | 18.8%178th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 93.6%46th/55 · 2023 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 83.6%150th/189 · 2025 | 153.8%186th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -6.2%165th/192 · 2025 | -30.5%191st/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 5.6%102nd/197 · 2025 | 1.5%158th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 27.4%67th/200 · 2025 | 73.2%2nd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 17.4%33rd/192 · 2025 | 2.8%2017 |
| Services % of GDP | 56.8%111th/200 · 2025 | 26.9%199th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $9.28 bn2007 | $34.49 bn78th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $15.70 bn2007 | $31.72 bn81st/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 54.2%2007 | 71.7%25th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 91.8%2007 | 65.9%43rd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 146.0%2007 | 137.7%29th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.3%130th/170 · 2024 | 94.4%2019 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 72.1%39th/171 · 2024 | 0.6%2019 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 17.6%82nd/171 · 2024 | 0.1%2019 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 8.5%44th/171 · 2024 | 0.7%2019 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 2.1%130th/168 · 2023 | 0.6%2019 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -5.6%145th/191 · 2025 | 1.1%67th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.3%65th/196 · 2025 | 1.7%115th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.1%160th/209 · 2021 | 61.0%1st/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.01%100th/197 · 2021 | 56.38%1st/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.04%68th/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 | 0.02%140th/209 · 2021 | 0.08%119th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 2.3%165th/206 · 2024 | 1.0%182nd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 61176th/183 · 2022 | 97170th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.2 m88th/194 · 2020 | 760,0002008 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.75 bn56th/175 · 2020 | $170.0 m2010 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 16.7%39th/168 · 2020 | 0.3%2010 |
| Outbound trips departures | 406,00082nd/107 · 2020 | 650,0001997 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 78.071st/217 · 2024 | 71.1147th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 12.989th/196 · 2024 | 9.874th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.8562nd/174 · 2022 | 2.042017 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.4103rd/145 · 2023 | 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 | 79.5%73rd/153 · 2023 | — |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 91.8%93rd/173 · 2024 | 97.6%2006 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 73.2%2010 | — |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 7.3%157th/217 · 2025 | 7.6%147th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.7%70th/193 · 2023 | 7.8%66th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 94.4%40th/98 · 2024 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 35.9%101st/150 · 2024 | 58.5%2003 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.754100th/193 · 2023 | 0.721115th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 33.72010 | — |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.1%2010 | — |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 77.4%173rd/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 89.0%63rd/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 80.1%49th/144 · 2024 | 21.7%125th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 95.6%24th/186 · 2024 | 82.0%97th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 70182nd/210 · 2024 | 1938th/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 7.0133rd/208 · 2024 | 4.5144th/208 · 2022 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.7268th/164 · 2018 | 1.70163rd/164 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 3.7 m69th/161 · 2023 | 1.1 m95th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 2.0992nd/203 · 2024 | 8.66180th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 11.5%139th/212 · 2021 | 3.1%173rd/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 32.6161st/200 · 2023 | 20.0116th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 0.8%200th/214 · 2024 | 0.1%207th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 780105th/149 · 2024 | 3,32228th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 54.699th/205 · 2025 | 21.9194th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 54.276th/207 · 2025 | 17.2197th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 61.890th/207 · 2025 | 31.5196th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 60.1137th/207 · 2025 | 33.4195th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 61.270th/205 · 2025 | 26.9197th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 44.0139th/205 · 2025 | 31.3177th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.042nd/145 · 2023 | — |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $2.56 bn62nd/156 · 2025 | $1.57 bn71st/156 · 2023 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 4.6%12th/156 · 2025 | 3.6%17th/156 · 2023 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 13.5%20th/154 · 2025 | 5.5%72nd/154 · 2023 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 116,00050th/170 · 2020 | 0166th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 3.98%10th/168 · 2020 | 0.00%166th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 34.0 m71st/163 · 2024 | 5.0 m129th/163 · 2024 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 226.0 m16th/65 · 2024 | 02016 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.70%2016 | — |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1496th/137 · 2024 | 121996 |
| Scientific articles articles | 5,41957th/197 · 2023 | 443105th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Jordan or Libya?
Jordan has the larger population: 11.5 m (2025) compared with 7.5 m for Libya (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Jordan or Libya?
Libya is larger: 1,759,540 km² (2024) compared with 89,318 km² for Jordan (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Jordan or Libya?
Jordan has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $145.53 bn intl. (2025) compared with $123.23 bn intl. for Libya (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Jordan or Libya?
Libya has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $16,521 intl. (2025) compared with $12,632 intl. for Jordan (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Jordan or Libya?
Jordan has the higher life expectancy at birth: 78.0 years (2024) compared with 71.1 years for Libya (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Jordan or Libya?
Jordan spends more on the military: $2.56 bn (2025) compared with $1.57 bn for Libya (2023). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Jordan or Libya?
Jordan: 58.6 points (59th 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.
Bahrain
Oman
Syria
Tunisia
AfghanistanSources
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). Jordan vs Libya — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/jordan-vs-libya. Data as of 26 October 2026.