Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Libya instead of Iraq, you would:

Health

live 4.0 years longer

In Iraq, the average life expectancy is 73 years (71 years for men, 75 years for women) as of 2022. In Libya, that number is 77 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 40.5% more money

Iraq has a GDP per capita of $12,600 as of 2023, while in Libya, the GDP per capita is $17,700 as of 2023.

pay a 33.3% lower top tax rate

Iraq has a top tax rate of 15.0% as of 2016. In Libya, the top tax rate is 10.0% as of 2016.

be 20.7% more likely to be unemployed

In Iraq, 15.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Libya, that number is 18.7% as of 2023.

Life

be 81.6% more likely to be literate

In Iraq, the literacy rate is 50.1% as of 2018. In Libya, it is 91.0% as of 2015.

be 42.8% less likely to die during infancy

In Iraq, approximately 19.6 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Libya, on the other hand, 11.2 children do as of 2022.

have 14.3% fewer children

In Iraq, there are approximately 23.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Libya, there are 20.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 30.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In Iraq, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Libya, 70% of the population do as of 2022.

Geography

see 30.5 times more coastline

Iraq has a total of 58 km of coastline. In Libya, that number is 1,770 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance.

Libya: At a glance

Libya is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 1,759,540 sq km. The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership and began to espouse his political system at home, which was a combination of socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners - one over Scotland, another in Northern Africa - and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically following the attacks; sanctions were lifted in 2003 following Libyan acceptance of responsibility for the bombings and agreement to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations. Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in late 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in early 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned a civil war that triggered UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community. After months of seesaw fighting between government and opposition forces, the QADHAFI regime was toppled in mid-2011 and replaced by a transitional government. Libya in 2012 formed a new parliament and elected a new prime minister.
Read more

How big is Libya compared to Iraq? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Libya.or Iraq It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.