MigrantoImmigrants in Libya
897.8K foreigners live in Libya — 12% of the country's population
Immigrants in Libya by country
The 3 largest groups make up 58% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Palestine | 322909 |
| Somalia | 117956 |
| Iraq | 77265 |
| Syria | 46987 |
| Sudan | 40329 |
| Saudi Arabia | 40027 |
| Egypt | 23699 |
| Jordan | 23026 |
| Indonesia | 14740 |
| Lebanon | 12486 |
| Kuwait | 12185 |
| USA | 11152 |
| Malaysia | 8936 |
| Russia | 8175 |
| United Kingdom | 8159 |
| Germany | 7931 |
| Italy | 7548 |
| Yemen | 6684 |
| Eritrea | 5815 |
| France | 5670 |
| Morocco | 5527 |
| India | 5462 |
| Philippines | 4976 |
| Comoros | 4846 |
| Algeria | 4049 |
| Tunisia | 3480 |
| China | 3467 |
| Nigeria | 3215 |
| Thailand | 3215 |
| Canada | 3215 |
| UAE | 3130 |
| Greece | 2951 |
| Turkey | 2858 |
| Pakistan | 2775 |
| Uzbekistan | 2243 |
| Ethiopia | 2063 |
| South Sudan | 2004 |
| Netherlands | 1998 |
| Oman | 1909 |
| Djibouti | 1606 |
| Qatar | 1594 |
| Bangladesh | 1410 |
| Senegal | 1263 |
| Japan | 1133 |
| Bahrain | 1091 |
| Switzerland | 1050 |
| Ukraine | 986 |
| Chad | 970 |
| Finland | 936 |
| Kazakhstan | 904 |
| Denmark | 868 |
| Belarus | 857 |
| Austria | 847 |
| Sweden | 842 |
| Australia | 842 |
| Spain | 818 |
| South Korea | 804 |
| El Salvador | 797 |
| Tajikistan | 764 |
| Poland | 764 |
| Belgium | 761 |
| Singapore | 755 |
| South Africa | 729 |
| Ghana | 692 |
| Ivory Coast | 672 |
| Romania | 672 |
| DR Congo | 489 |
| Iran | 464 |
| Republic of Congo | 453 |
| Sri Lanka | 413 |
| Mauritania | 402 |
| Niger | 402 |
| Mali | 381 |
| Hungary | 381 |
| Kenya | 377 |
| Norway | 377 |
| Bosnia | 371 |
| Afghanistan | 359 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 348 |
| Albania | 338 |
| Monaco | 310 |
| Tanzania | 297 |
| Armenia | 285 |
| Brazil | 285 |
| Sierra Leone | 265 |
| Turkmenistan | 265 |
By region of origin
62% of immigrants come from the Middle East
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Key facts
Immigrants in Libya in numbers
Palestinians are the largest group by a wide margin
36% of all immigrants were born in Palestine, while the next group accounts for just 13%.
The share of immigrants from Europe has declined since 1990
23.7% of immigrants came from Europe in 1990, compared with 6% today.
Immigration drives population growth
15% of the population growth of Libya since 1990 came from immigrants.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
3 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: Somalia, Iraq, Eritrea. Somalia climbed from outside the top 20 to #2.
1 in 16 people born in Palestine lives in Libya
322.9K people born in Palestine live in Libya — 6.11% of the population of Palestine.
1 in 8 residents of Libya was born abroad
897.8K of 7.4M residents were born abroad — 12.2% of the population.
Immigrant population in Libya over time
Foreigners living in Libya, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 457075 |
| 1995 | 508041 |
| 2000 | 567436 |
| 2005 | 625412 |
| 2010 | 687192 |
| 2015 | 771146 |
| 2020 | 826537 |
| 2024 | 897751 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Libya, by year
| Year | Palestinians | Somalis | Iraqis | Syrians | Sudanese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 152266 | 3917 | 3879 | 15014 | 38599 |
| 1995 | 179924 | 40088 | 26910 | 17576 | 24407 |
| 2000 | 210540 | 76918 | 50384 | 20428 | 10616 |
| 2005 | 232065 | 84783 | 55536 | 22517 | 11701 |
| 2010 | 254662 | 93040 | 60945 | 24709 | 12842 |
| 2015 | 285146 | 104178 | 68240 | 27666 | 14379 |
| 2020 | 305476 | 111588 | 73093 | 44450 | 15400 |
| 2024 | 322909 | 117956 | 77265 | 46987 | 40329 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Libya
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Libya
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Libya?
Around 897.8K immigrants live in Libya — the world's #65 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Libya are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 12% of the population of Libya — that's 897.8K out of a total population of 7.4M.
Where do most immigrants in Libya come from?
Most immigrants in Libya come from Palestine, Somalia and Iraq — these three countries account for about 58% of all immigrants.
How many Palestinians live in Libya?
Around 322.9K Palestinians live in Libya — about 36% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Libya growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Libya has grown from 771.1K to 897.8K, about 16%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Libya come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Libya. Their children born in Libya are not included.
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Living in Libya
See the full country overview