Which has higher surface area, Libya or Sub-Saharan Africa?

Sub-Saharan Africa, at 24.34 million sq. km against 1.76 million sq. km in Libya as of 2023.

What is the difference in surface area between Libya and Sub-Saharan Africa?

22.58 million sq. km, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Libya and Sub-Saharan Africa?

63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.

Where does this data come from?

FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as Surface area (sq. km). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Libya vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Surface area

Libya

1.76 million sq. km

in 2023

Sub-Saharan Africa

24.34 million sq. km

in 2023

Libya rank

16th

Sub-Saharan Africa rank

16th

Surface area over time

Libya
Sub-Saharan Africa

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 24.34 million sq. km against 1.76 million sq. km in Libya, a difference of 22.58 million sq. km.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 13.8 times Libya's.

Across all 63 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa has been ahead every year.

Libya ranks 16th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 16th of 215 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Libya	Sub-Saharan Africa	Difference	Ahead
1960s	1.76 million sq. km	24.27 million sq. km	22.51 million sq. km	Sub-Saharan Africa
1970s	1.76 million sq. km	24.27 million sq. km	22.51 million sq. km	Sub-Saharan Africa
1980s	1.76 million sq. km	24.27 million sq. km	22.51 million sq. km	Sub-Saharan Africa
1990s	1.76 million sq. km	24.27 million sq. km	22.51 million sq. km	Sub-Saharan Africa
2000s	1.76 million sq. km	24.29 million sq. km	22.54 million sq. km	Sub-Saharan Africa
2010s	1.76 million sq. km	24.32 million sq. km	22.56 million sq. km	Sub-Saharan Africa
2020s	1.76 million sq. km	24.34 million sq. km	22.58 million sq. km	Sub-Saharan Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher surface area, Libya or Sub-Saharan Africa?: Sub-Saharan Africa, at 24.34 million sq. km against 1.76 million sq. km in Libya as of 2023.
What is the difference in surface area between Libya and Sub-Saharan Africa?: 22.58 million sq. km, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Libya and Sub-Saharan Africa?: 63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
How do Libya and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for surface area?: Libya ranks 16th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 16th of 215 countries.
Where does this data come from?: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as Surface area (sq. km). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Surface area (sq. km)
Unit: sq. km
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 263 places, 16,395 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways.