Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Libya instead of South Africa, you would:

Health

be 99.5% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Libya, that number is 0.1% of people as of 2020.

live 11.9 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 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 14.8% more likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Libya, that number is 32.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 23.8% more money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $14,300 as of 2023, while in Libya, the GDP per capita is $17,700 as of 2023.

be 33.0% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Libya, that number is 18.7% as of 2023.

pay a 77.8% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Libya, the top tax rate is 10.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 43.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Libya, 72.0 women do as of 2020.

be 56.6% less likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 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 14.7% more children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 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 19.1% less likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 86% of people have electricity access (87% in urban areas, and 92% 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 35.8% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Libya, about 46.2% do as of 2021.

Geography

see 36.7% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 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, South African Revenue Service.

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 South Africa? See an in-depth size comparison.

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