Agricultural land in Libya
Libya: Agricultural land was 15.59 million hectares in 2011. ▲ Rising
Agricultural land in Libya, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Libya recorded 15.59 million hectares for agricultural land in 2011.
That represents a change of up 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in Libya peaked at 15.67 million hectares in 1996 and was at its lowest, 11.17 million hectares, in 1961.
Libya ranks 24th of 53 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Agricultural land in Libya, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 11.17 million hectares | — |
| 1962 | 11.38 million hectares | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 11.59 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 11.79 million hectares | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 11.99 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1966 | 12.20 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 12.40 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 12.62 million hectares | +1.7% |
| 1969 | 12.82 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1970 | 13.03 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1971 | 13.23 million hectares | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 13.44 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 13.64 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 13.85 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 14.05 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 14.26 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 14.46 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 14.67 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 14.88 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 15.08 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 15.19 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 15.29 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 15.40 million hectares | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 15.41 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 15.43 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 15.44 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 15.44 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 15.44 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 15.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 15.46 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 15.46 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 15.46 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 15.46 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 15.47 million hectares | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 15.52 million hectares | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 15.67 million hectares | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 15.67 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 15.45 million hectares | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 15.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 15.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 15.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 15.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 15.45 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 15.59 million hectares | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 15.59 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 15.59 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 15.59 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 15.59 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 15.59 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 15.59 million hectares | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 15.59 million hectares | +0.0% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 15.59 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.37 million hectares, 1.5× the median. (8 countries reporting)
- Libya's 15.59 million hectares is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 12.83 million hectares, 1.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.00 million hectares | 11.17 million hectares | 12.82 million hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 13.95 million hectares | 13.03 million hectares | 14.88 million hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.36 million hectares | 15.08 million hectares | 15.45 million hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.51 million hectares | 15.45 million hectares | 15.67 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.53 million hectares | 15.45 million hectares | 15.59 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.59 million hectares | 15.59 million hectares | 15.59 million hectares | 2 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More agriculture & rural data for Libya
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -37.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.015 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 96.79 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.835 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1209 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.0% (2019)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.4% (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in Libya?
- Agricultural land in Libya was 15.59 million hectares in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest agricultural land recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 15.67 million hectares in 1996.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.17 million hectares in 1961.
- How does Libya rank for agricultural land?
- Libya ranks 24th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Agricultural land (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Agricultural land refers to the share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.