Military personnel in Libya
Libya: Military personnel was 7,000 people in 2015. ◆ Volatile
Military personnel in Libya, 1951–2015
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Libya recorded 7,000 people for military personnel in 2015.
The figure is down 90.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Libya peaked at 91,000 people in 1985 and was at its lowest, 3,000 people, in 1951.
Libya ranks 137th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3,222 people | 3,000 people | 5,000 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 16,200 people | 5,000 people | 30,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 28,300 people | 18,000 people | 51,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 76,600 people | 53,000 people | 91,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 79,900 people | 70,000 people | 86,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 76,000 people | 76,000 people | 76,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 41,500 people | 7,000 people | 76,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More reference data data for Libya
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.1917 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.4458 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 2.51 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies -0.0933 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.15 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 289.41 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Libya?
- Military personnel in Libya was 7,000 people in 2015, according to Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 91,000 people in 1985.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,000 people in 1951.
- How does Libya rank for military personnel?
- Libya ranks 137th out of 194 countries with data for 2015.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 90.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Troops under the command of the national government, intended for use against foreign adversaries, and held ready for combat as of January 1 of the given year.