Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Libya
Libya: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 46.5% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Latest (2014)
46.5%
Change on year
up 13.9%
World rank
73rd
of 193 countries
All-time high
50.2%
in 1960
All-time low
10.5%
in 2000
Years of data
55
1960–2014
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Libya, 1960–2014
Source: Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Libya recorded 46.5% for value of imported goods as a share of gdp in 2014.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.9% on the previous year and up 88.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Libya peaked at 50.2% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 10.5%, in 2000.
That places Libya 73rd out of 193 countries with data for 2014, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Libya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 50.2% | — |
| 1961 | 40.0% | -20.3% |
| 1962 | 39.7% | -0.7% |
| 1963 | 30.8% | -22.6% |
| 1964 | 25.1% | -18.4% |
| 1965 | 23.5% | -6.4% |
| 1966 | 21.8% | -7.2% |
| 1967 | 21.9% | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 19.4% | -11.6% |
| 1969 | 18.5% | -4.3% |
| 1970 | 15.0% | -19.0% |
| 1971 | 16.6% | +10.2% |
| 1972 | 20.9% | +26.0% |
| 1973 | 24.3% | +16.4% |
| 1974 | 24.9% | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 32.4% | +30.5% |
| 1976 | 25.5% | -21.3% |
| 1977 | 25.2% | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 29.5% | +16.9% |
| 1979 | 27.7% | -6.1% |
| 1980 | 25.9% | -6.7% |
| 1981 | 46.8% | +81.1% |
| 1982 | 28.0% | -40.2% |
| 1983 | 26.0% | -7.3% |
| 1984 | 26.8% | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 20.0% | -25.3% |
| 1986 | 19.8% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 19.2% | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 27.4% | +42.4% |
| 1989 | 22.1% | -19.3% |
| 1990 | 19.6% | -11.3% |
| 1991 | 17.2% | -12.3% |
| 1992 | 15.2% | -11.3% |
| 1993 | 18.1% | +18.8% |
| 1994 | 15.1% | -16.6% |
| 1995 | 20.1% | +33.3% |
| 1996 | 20.0% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 18.0% | -10.1% |
| 1998 | 20.5% | +14.0% |
| 1999 | 11.8% | -42.5% |
| 2000 | 10.5% | -11.2% |
| 2001 | 12.9% | +23.4% |
| 2002 | 27.0% | +108.8% |
| 2003 | 23.5% | -13.2% |
| 2004 | 24.7% | +5.3% |
| 2005 | 18.5% | -24.9% |
| 2006 | 18.7% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 19.4% | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 22.7% | +17.3% |
| 2009 | 34.3% | +51.0% |
| 2010 | 30.4% | -11.4% |
| 2011 | 24.3% | -20.1% |
| 2012 | 27.0% | +11.0% |
| 2013 | 40.8% | +51.5% |
| 2014 | 46.5% | +13.9% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 46.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 41.9%, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Libya's 46.5% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 40.6%, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 29.1% | 18.5% | 50.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 24.2% | 15.0% | 32.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.2% | 19.2% | 46.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.6% | 11.8% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 21.2% | 10.5% | 34.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.8% | 24.3% | 46.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Libya
- 70 Bosnia and Herzegovina 48.3% compare
- 71 Barbados 48.2% compare
- 72 Mongolia 48.1% compare
- 74 Solomon Islands 45.6% compare
- 75 Cape Verde 45.1% compare
- 76 Lebanon 44.8% compare
More economy & growth data for Libya
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.3 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -56.51 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0012 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -7.66 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 794.70 million BoP, current US$ (2023)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 13.21 % change on previous year (2023)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0181 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 108.78 BoP, current US$ per person (2023)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 12.66 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Libya?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Libya was 46.5% in 2014, according to Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 50.2% in 1960.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.5% in 2000.
- How does Libya rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Libya ranks 73rd out of 193 countries with data for 2014.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 88.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimates correspond to merchandise import-to-GDP ratios for countries and regions. All ratios are taken at current prices. See source for more details.