MigrantoImmigrants in Libya
897.8K foreign-born residents — the #65 largest immigrant population in the world
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 58% of all immigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| 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
Middle East is the leading region of origin at 62%
552.4K
222.3K
53.6K
53.1K
14.4K
1.1K
842
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in Libya.
Palestine is the leading source of immigration by a wide margin
Palestine accounts for 36% of all immigrants, far ahead of the second-largest source at just 13%.
The share of immigrants from Europe has declined since 1990
The share of immigrants from Europe has shifted from 23.7% to 6% since 1990.
Immigration is a key driver of population growth
15% of the population growth of Libya since 1990 came from new immigrants, reflecting immigration's central demographic role.
Top source countries have shifted significantly since 1990
3 new countries have entered the top 20: Somalia, Iraq, Eritrea — Somalia rose from outside the top 20 to rank #2.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 457075 |
| 1995 | 508041 |
| 2000 | 567436 |
| 2005 | 625412 |
| 2010 | 687192 |
| 2015 | 771146 |
| 2020 | 826537 |
| 2024 | 897751 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | Palestine | Somalia | Iraq | Syria | Sudan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
Libya as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in Libya
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants live in Libya?
Around 897.8K foreign-born residents live in Libya, making it the #65-largest immigrant population in the world.
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 foreign-born residents.
What share 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.
How has immigration to Libya changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the immigrant population in Libya has grown from 771.1K to 897.8K people, a growth of about 16%.
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