Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 21.5 years longer

In Somalia, the average life expectancy is 56 years (53 years for men, 58 years for women) as of 2022. In Libya, that number is 77 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.9 times more likely to be obese

In Somalia, 8.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Libya, that number is 32.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 11.8 times more money

Somalia has a GDP per capita of $1,500 as of 2023, while in Libya, the GDP per capita is $17,700 as of 2023.

Life

be 88.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Somalia, approximately 621.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Libya, 72.0 women do as of 2020.

be 87.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Somalia, approximately 86.5 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 45.7% fewer children

In Somalia, there are approximately 37.4 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 43.1% more likely to have access to electricity

In Somalia, approximately 49% of people have electricity access (71% in urban areas, and 31% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Libya, that number is 70% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 3.2 times more likely to have internet access

In Somalia, approximately 14.5% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Libya, about 46.2% do as of 2021.

be 18.6% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Somalia, approximately 84% of people have improved drinking water access as of 2020. In Libya, 100% of people do as of 2020.

Geography

see 41.5% less coastline

Somalia has a total of 3,025 km of coastline. In Libya, that number is 1,770 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

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

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