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Country comparison

Libya vs South Africa

Libya and South Africa side by side across 199 indicators — each row links to the full 54-country ranking, with sources and the API call behind every figure.

GDP$52.45B vs $479.96BLibya vs South Africa
GDP per Capita$6,962 vs $7,503Libya vs South Africa
Population7.46M vs 64.75MLibya vs South Africa

Indicator by indicator

199 indicators

Each country shows its latest available year, which can differ by indicator. Rows where the two sides are 5+ years apart are marked ⚠ in the Period column.

Indicator Libya South AfricaPeriod
GDPEconomy$52.45B$479.96B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$6,962$7,5032026
Inflation RateEconomy10.5%5%2026
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy—7%2026-07-01
Official Exchange RateEconomy6.35 LCU/USD16.37 LCU/USD2026-04
Budget BalanceEconomy-20.9%-4.9%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy18.8%32.4%2025
Public DebtEconomy—78.9%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$2.77B$8.16B2025
GDP GrowthEconomy6.7%1%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$7,250$6,2702025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$17,150$15,6002025
GDP (PPP)Economy$123.23B$1.03T2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy1.5%2.8%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy73.2%24.1%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy2.8%12.3%2017/2025 ⚠
Services (% of GDP)Economy26.9%63.1%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy14.3%13.9%2025
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$16M$1B2006/2025 ⚠
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy0%0.2%2006/2025 ⚠
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy—44.8%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$104.66B$76.02B2025
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy12.5%89.4%2025/2024
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy—25.9%2024
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy48%55.6%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy33%49.9%2025
Income Inequality (Gini)Economy—54.12022
Extreme Poverty RateEconomy—17.4%2022
Account OwnershipEconomy33.1%81.1%2024
Youth NEET RateEconomy—34.6%2024
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy5.3%0.7%2023/2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy137.7%60.9%2025
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy-3.9%2.8%2025
Tourism ReceiptsEconomy$170M$2.72B2010/2020 ⚠
Tourist ArrivalsEconomy760K3.89M2008/2020 ⚠
Current Account BalanceEconomy4.2%-0.9%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$702M$2.47B2013/2024 ⚠
FDI (% of GDP)Economy0.9%0.6%2013/2024 ⚠
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy—27.2%2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy—33%2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy48.7%60.1%2012/2024 ⚠
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy38.951.72024
Natural Resource RentsEconomy61%7.3%2021
Oil Rents (% of GDP)Economy56.4%0.4%2021
Mineral Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%3.8%2021
Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP)Economy4.6%0%2021
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy0.8%0.4%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$49$242023
Lending Interest RateEconomy6%10.7%2014/2025 ⚠
Real Interest RateEconomy7.1%7.7%2014/2025 ⚠
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy25.9%12.9%2023/2025
Adjusted Net Income per CapitaEconomy$4,639$5,5212021
Employment in AgricultureEconomy10%5.4%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy18.6%20.8%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy71.4%73.8%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy21.6%11.7%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy30.9%65.8%2025
Income Share of Poorest 20%Economy—3.7%2022
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy11.682022/2024
ATMs per 100,000Economy16.1462022/2024
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy12.2%-0%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy—5.7%2024
Poverty Rate ($3.65/day)Economy—30.2%2022
Poverty Rate ($6.85/day)Economy—59.6%2022
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$34.49B$134.18B2025
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$31.72B$126.02B2025
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.8350.5532024
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.8590.1452024
Liner Shipping ConnectivityTrade12.439.12021
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade94.4%8.2%2019/2025 ⚠
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade0.6%38.3%2019/2025 ⚠
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade0.1%12.8%2019/2025 ⚠
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade0.6%5.7%2019/2024 ⚠
Exports (% of GDP)Trade71.7%31.4%2025
Imports (% of GDP)Trade65.9%29.5%2025
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.7210.7412023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.2530.3882023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment—0.4762023
PopulationDemographics7.46M64.75M2025
Population GrowthDemographics1%1.1%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics71.1 years66.3 years2024
Median AgeDemographics28 years28.9 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics2.32.212024
Rural PopulationDemographics12.1%36.2%2025
Population Under 15Demographics26.8%25.7%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics87.9%63.8%2025
Population DensityDemographics4.5/km²53.6/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics15.817.82026
Death RateDemographics4.929.312026
Net Migration RateDemographics0.352.012026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics72.7 years69.8 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics69.6 years62.8 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics1.1%1.3%2025
Infant MortalityHealth7.924.22024
HIV PrevalenceHealth0.1%17.2%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health7.8%8.9%2023
Physicians per 1,000Health2.040.792017/2022 ⚠
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth71742023
Road Traffic DeathsHealth3424.52021
Premature NCD MortalityHealth19.8%22.7%2021
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth19.2%6.7%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth21.7%73.8%2024
Maternal MortalityHealth59.5117.62023
Under-Five MortalityHealth30.834.72023
Neonatal MortalityHealth5.7111.72023
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth633892024
Measles ImmunizationHealth93%66%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth90%65%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth—22.2%2024
Basic SanitationHealth66.8%3.6%2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth15.8%7.2%2024
Hospital Beds per 1,000Health3.52.252022/2010 ⚠
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth27.7%54.6%2014/2016
Skilled Birth AttendanceHealth99.9%96.7%2013/2016
Nurses & Midwives per 1,000Health6.386.392017/2022 ⚠
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth5.8351.82024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$470$5372023
NCD Share of DeathsHealth62.7%37.2%2021
Smoking PrevalenceHealth24.2%23.7%2024
Antenatal Care CoverageHealth93%93.7%2007/2016 ⚠
Child StuntingChild Welfare9.2%24.4%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare3.5%3.6%2022/2017 ⚠
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare99.6%88.6%2025/2017 ⚠
Child MarriageChild Welfare4.1%3.6%2025/2016 ⚠
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare4.6%11.8%2022/2017 ⚠
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education2.3%6%1999/2024 ⚠
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation58.5%23.5%2003/2023 ⚠
Adult Literacy RateEducation—91.2%2024
Youth Literacy RateEducation—97.2%2024
Primary Completion RateEducation—97.6%2024
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation—92.5%2024
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation—93.9%2023
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation—90.4%2023
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation—86.9%2023
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation—62.2%2024
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation—77.9%2002
Secondary EnrollmentEducation97.6%104.1%2006/2023 ⚠
UndernourishmentFood Security16.5%10%2023
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture8.7%79.4%2023
Food Production IndexAgriculture105.8113.22022
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture—98K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture6K t6.33K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture3.8K t12.85M t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture—3.08K t2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture90K t1.92M t2024
Maize YieldAgriculture2,219 kg/ha4,874 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture—2,912 kg/ha2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture768 kg/ha3,809 kg/ha2024
Cattle StockAgriculture208.9K head12.1M head2024
Homicide RateGovernance—43.72022
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance13412024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.1930.7432025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.0980.6332025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.8110.5382025
Control of CorruptionGovernance-1.53-0.192024
Government EffectivenessGovernance-1.42-0.232024
Rule of LawGovernance-1.70.022024
Political StabilityGovernance-1.9-0.622024
Regulatory QualityGovernance-1.74-0.062024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance-1.340.612024
Refugees HostedHumanitarian552.52K55.18K2025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian32.79K02025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian105.95K82.36K2025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian002025
Internet UsersTechnology82%78.4%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology193179.32022/2024
4G CoverageTechnology90%99.4%2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology4.55.32022/2024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology0.4%1.3%2025
3G CoverageTechnology98%99.9%2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology0.8%3.4%2025
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology0.6%1.1%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology—0.6%2022
Electricity AccessInfrastructure77.4%90.2%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure1.09M15.45M2023
Slum PopulationInfrastructure16.6%24.2%2022
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy9.5 MW16.6K MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy9.5 MW11.3K MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy—4.3K MW2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy—751.7 MW2025
Renewable Energy ShareEnergy3.1%9.7%2021
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy—89.8%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy3,796 kWh3,247 kWh2023
Power Transmission LossesEnergy20.2%10.2%2023
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy6.3 MW14.1 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy0.8%86.3%2012/2024 ⚠
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy0%8%2024/2025
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy0%4.7%2024/2025
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy0%0.8%2024/2025
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy100%82.2%2024/2025
Electricity DemandEnergy35 TWh237 TWh2024/2025
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy827 gCO₂/kWh699 gCO₂/kWh2024/2025
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy29,554 kWh21,287 kWh2023/2024
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate8.66 t6.88 t2024
Renewable Electricity OutputClimate0%6.4%2021
Forest AreaClimate0.1%14%2023
Protected AreasClimate0.2%12.9%2025
Freshwater WithdrawalsClimate817.1%47.1%2022
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate20 µg/m³27.7 µg/m³2023

Get this comparison via API

GET /v1/data

One call returns both countries' latest value for any indicator — JSON, with source metadata.

curl "https://api.africa-api.com/v1/data?metric_key=gdp_current_usd&latest=true&country_codes=LY,ZA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"
Libya profileSouth Africa profileGet a free API key

Frequently asked questions

Does Libya or South Africa have the larger economy?

South Africa has the larger economy: $52.45B for Libya versus $479.96B for South Africa (GDP, current US$).

How do Libya and South Africa compare across indicators?

This page compares Libya and South Africa on 199 indicators — economy, demographics, health, governance and more — each with its latest value, source, and a link to the full 54-country ranking.

How do I get this comparison via the API?

Call GET /v1/data?metric_key=<key>&latest=true&country_codes=LY,ZA with a free Africa API key to get both countries' latest values as JSON.

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