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Libya vs Tunisia
Side-by-side comparison of Libya and Tunisia from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Libya
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 475 years
Tunisia
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 70 years
In short
Tunisia scores 44.7 in the NationsTree Index (110th in the world) and Libya scores 36.8 (140th), a gap of 7.9 points. Their trees are 6.1 m and 7.9 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Tunisia has 66% more people than Libya. Libya is 11 times larger than Tunisia by land area. The economy of Tunisia is 53% larger than that of Libya (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Libya 7.5 million and Tunisia 12.3 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $16,521 in Libya and $15,233 in Tunisia (2025, international dollars). People in Tunisia live on average 5.6 years longer (76.7 vs 71.1 years).
Of 28 indicators reported by both countries, Libya ranks higher in the world on 8 and Tunisia on 20. Libya is clearly stronger in trade. Tunisia is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, main industries and military.
As a nation, Libya is the older of the two (statehood since 1551, 475 years), compared with Tunisia (since 1956). Over the last five years Libya improved faster (direction score 52 vs 17 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Libya and Tunisia.
Libya
77.4%
173rd of 215
Tunisiabetter
100.0%
1st of 215
GDP growthEconomy
Libyabetter
13.4%
3rd of 210
Tunisia
2.5%
131st of 210
Safely managed sanitationInfrastructure & digital
Libya
21.7%
125th of 144
Tunisiabetter
79.8%
51st of 144
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Libya
86%
125th of 193
Tunisiabetter
97%
29th of 193
InflationEconomy
Libyabetter
1.8%
55th of 180
Tunisia
5.2%
140th of 180
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Libya overtook Tunisia in GDP per person (PPP) in 2025, the latest year with data.
Tunisia overtook Libya in GDP (PPP) in 2014 and has stayed ahead since.
Tunisia overtook Libya in life expectancy in 1995 and has stayed ahead since.
Tunisia has been ahead of Libya in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1996.
Tunisia has been ahead of Libya 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
LibyaTunisia 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 | Libya | Tunisia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 1,759,54016th/216 · 2024 | 163,61092nd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 1,759,54016th/216 · 2024 | 155,36092nd/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 7.5 m105th/217 · 2025 | 12.3 m79th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.04%98th/217 · 2025 | 0.58%132nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 4.2209th/216 · 2024 | 79.0124th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 87.9%40th/217 · 2025 | 70.7%87th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 26.8%85th/217 · 2025 | 23.6%107th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 5.2%146th/217 · 2025 | 9.9%101st/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $48.10 bn101st/210 · 2025 | $57.50 bn93rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $123.23 bn95th/199 · 2025 | $188.11 bn81st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $105.30 bn94th/199 · 2025 | $160.75 bn81st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $6,449128th/210 · 2025 | $4,657143rd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $16,521117th/199 · 2025 | $15,233121st/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $7,250110th/201 · 2025 | $4,300139th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 13.4%3rd/210 · 2025 | 2.5%131st/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 1.8%55th/180 · 2025 | 5.2%140th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 18.8%178th/187 · 2025 | 15.1%172nd/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 42.5%2012 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 153.8%186th/189 · 2025 | 81.7%148th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -30.5%191st/192 · 2025 | -5.3%154th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.5%158th/197 · 2025 | 10.3%68th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 73.2%2nd/200 · 2025 | 22.0%114th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 2.8%2017 | 14.8%46th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 26.9%199th/200 · 2025 | 62.7%68th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $34.49 bn78th/182 · 2025 | $26.83 bn87th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $31.72 bn81st/182 · 2025 | $31.51 bn82nd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 71.7%25th/183 · 2025 | 46.7%60th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 65.9%43rd/183 · 2025 | 54.8%64th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 137.7%29th/183 · 2025 | 101.4%61st/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 94.4%2019 | 6.2%67th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 0.6%2019 | 77.3%28th/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 0.1%2019 | 14.7%92nd/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.7%2019 | 1.5%117th/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 0.6%2019 | 7.7%81st/168 · 2023 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 1.1%67th/191 · 2025 | -3.3%119th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.7%115th/196 · 2025 | 2.0%102nd/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 61.0%1st/209 · 2021 | 2.2%93rd/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 56.38%1st/197 · 2021 | 1.55%40th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 4.58%15th/197 · 2021 | 0.49%38th/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 | 0.08%119th/209 · 2021 | 0.21%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 1.0%182nd/206 · 2024 | 17.8%61st/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 97170th/183 · 2022 | 346158th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 760,0002008 | 2.0 m66th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $170.0 m2010 | $1.01 bn73rd/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 0.3%2010 | 9.0%64th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 650,0001997 | 739,00067th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 71.1147th/217 · 2024 | 76.788th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 9.874th/196 · 2024 | 12.185th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.042017 | 1.3298th/174 · 2021 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.548th/145 · 2022 | 1.894th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 86%125th/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | — | 42.1%119th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 97.6%2006 | 90.3%2016 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | — | 11.7%48th/55 · 2021 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 7.6%147th/217 · 2025 | 14.9%98th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.8%66th/193 · 2023 | 8.0%63rd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | — | 86.3%61st/98 · 2023 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 58.5%2003 | 38.1%96th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.721115th/193 · 2023 | 0.746105th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | — | 33.750th/108 · 2021 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | — | 0.7%40th/108 · 2021 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 77.4%173rd/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 65.0%96th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 21.7%125th/144 · 2024 | 79.8%51st/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 82.0%97th/186 · 2024 | 76.5%111th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 1938th/210 · 2022 | 11899th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 4.5144th/208 · 2022 | 15.0101st/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 1.70163rd/164 · 2022 | 2.10142nd/164 · 2018 |
| Rail lines route-km | — | 1,77755th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 1.1 m95th/161 · 2023 | 4.1 m65th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 8.66180th/203 · 2024 | 2.62104th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 3.1%173rd/212 · 2021 | 11.6%138th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 20.0116th/200 · 2023 | 18.9109th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 0.1%207th/214 · 2024 | 4.4%183rd/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 3,32228th/149 · 2024 | 84199th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 21.9194th/205 · 2025 | 46.5132nd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 17.2197th/207 · 2025 | 43.9104th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 31.5196th/207 · 2025 | 52.2124th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 33.4195th/207 · 2025 | 53.4167th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 26.9197th/205 · 2025 | 46.5138th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 31.3177th/205 · 2025 | 45.8135th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | — | 4.797th/145 · 2020 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $1.57 bn71st/156 · 2023 | $1.48 bn73rd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.6%17th/156 · 2023 | 2.5%41st/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 5.5%72nd/154 · 2023 | 7.5%45th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 0166th/170 · 2020 | 48,00070th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.00%166th/168 · 2020 | 1.18%56th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 5.0 m129th/163 · 2024 | 7.0 m117th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 02016 | — |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.75%2019 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 121996 | 22560th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 443105th/197 · 2023 | 5,49356th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Libya or Tunisia?
Tunisia has the larger population: 12.3 m (2025) compared with 7.5 m for Libya (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Libya or Tunisia?
Libya is larger: 1,759,540 km² (2024) compared with 163,610 km² for Tunisia (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Libya or Tunisia?
Tunisia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $188.11 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, Libya or Tunisia?
Libya has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $16,521 intl. (2025) compared with $15,233 intl. for Tunisia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Libya or Tunisia?
Tunisia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 76.7 years (2024) compared with 71.1 years for Libya (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Libya or Tunisia?
Libya spends more on the military: $1.57 bn (2023) compared with $1.48 bn for Tunisia (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Libya or Tunisia?
Tunisia: 44.7 points (110th 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
Bahrain
Jordan
Syria
Kuwait
OmanSources
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). Libya vs Tunisia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/libya-vs-tunisia. Data as of 26 October 2026.