Military spending in Libya
Libya: Military spending was 4.78 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2016. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2016)
4.78 billion constant 2022 US$
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
51st
of 172 countries
All-time high
9.05 billion constant 2022 US$
in 1983
All-time low
32.45 million constant 2022 US$
in 1951
Years of data
66
1951–2016
Military spending in Libya, 1951–2016
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending in Libya is 4.78 billion constant 2022 US$, measured in 2016.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 471.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Libya peaked at 9.05 billion constant 2022 US$ in 1983 and was at its lowest, 32.45 million constant 2022 US$, in 1951.
Libya ranks 51st of 172 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Libya, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 32.45 million constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1952 | 36.85 million constant 2022 US$ | +13.6% |
| 1953 | 36.87 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.1% |
| 1954 | 37.16 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.8% |
| 1955 | 34.93 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.0% |
| 1956 | 36.88 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.6% |
| 1957 | 38.06 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 38.32 million constant 2022 US$ | +0.7% |
| 1959 | 34.75 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.3% |
| 1960 | 36.74 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.7% |
| 1961 | 55.32 million constant 2022 US$ | +50.6% |
| 1962 | 97.17 million constant 2022 US$ | +75.7% |
| 1963 | 113.85 million constant 2022 US$ | +17.2% |
| 1964 | 135.72 million constant 2022 US$ | +19.2% |
| 1965 | 178.49 million constant 2022 US$ | +31.5% |
| 1966 | 234.37 million constant 2022 US$ | +31.3% |
| 1967 | 278.57 million constant 2022 US$ | +18.9% |
| 1968 | 352.00 million constant 2022 US$ | +26.4% |
| 1969 | 487.44 million constant 2022 US$ | +38.5% |
| 1970 | 756.86 million constant 2022 US$ | +55.3% |
| 1971 | 906.74 million constant 2022 US$ | +19.8% |
| 1972 | 929.96 million constant 2022 US$ | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 1.09 billion constant 2022 US$ | +17.0% |
| 1974 | 1.43 billion constant 2022 US$ | +31.6% |
| 1975 | 1.14 billion constant 2022 US$ | -20.6% |
| 1976 | 1.48 billion constant 2022 US$ | +30.5% |
| 1977 | 1.82 billion constant 2022 US$ | +22.5% |
| 1978 | 2.48 billion constant 2022 US$ | +36.4% |
| 1979 | 4.10 billion constant 2022 US$ | +65.7% |
| 1980 | 3.43 billion constant 2022 US$ | -16.4% |
| 1981 | 2.68 billion constant 2022 US$ | -22.0% |
| 1982 | 3.47 billion constant 2022 US$ | +29.8% |
| 1983 | 9.05 billion constant 2022 US$ | +160.6% |
| 1984 | 8.98 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 3.76 billion constant 2022 US$ | -58.1% |
| 1986 | 3.25 billion constant 2022 US$ | -13.5% |
| 1987 | 3.96 billion constant 2022 US$ | +21.7% |
| 1988 | 3.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | -6.6% |
| 1989 | 3.67 billion constant 2022 US$ | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 3.63 billion constant 2022 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 3.69 billion constant 2022 US$ | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 3.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 2.94 billion constant 2022 US$ | -20.5% |
| 1994 | 2.63 billion constant 2022 US$ | -10.4% |
| 1995 | 2.24 billion constant 2022 US$ | -14.8% |
| 1996 | 2.00 billion constant 2022 US$ | -11.0% |
| 1997 | 1.95 billion constant 2022 US$ | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 1.86 billion constant 2022 US$ | -4.7% |
| 1999 | 1.65 billion constant 2022 US$ | -10.9% |
| 2000 | 1.49 billion constant 2022 US$ | -9.7% |
| 2001 | 1.12 billion constant 2022 US$ | -25.1% |
| 2002 | 851.93 million constant 2022 US$ | -23.9% |
| 2003 | 814.52 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 904.27 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.0% |
| 2005 | 897.77 million constant 2022 US$ | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 837.59 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 886.41 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 1.26 billion constant 2022 US$ | +41.8% |
| 2009 | 2.03 billion constant 2022 US$ | +61.4% |
| 2010 | 2.80 billion constant 2022 US$ | +38.1% |
| 2011 | 3.20 billion constant 2022 US$ | +14.2% |
| 2012 | 3.53 billion constant 2022 US$ | +10.3% |
| 2013 | 4.69 billion constant 2022 US$ | +32.9% |
| 2014 | 4.62 billion constant 2022 US$ | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 4.74 billion constant 2022 US$ | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 4.78 billion constant 2022 US$ | +0.9% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 4.78 billion constant 2022 US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.25 billion constant 2022 US$, 3.8× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- Libya's 4.78 billion constant 2022 US$ is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 5.51 billion constant 2022 US$, 87% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Libya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +160.6% | 3.47 billion constant 2022 US$ | 9.05 billion constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 36.25 million constant 2022 US$ | 32.45 million constant 2022 US$ | 38.32 million constant 2022 US$ | 9 |
| 1960s | 196.97 million constant 2022 US$ | 36.74 million constant 2022 US$ | 487.44 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.61 billion constant 2022 US$ | 756.86 million constant 2022 US$ | 4.10 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.60 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.68 billion constant 2022 US$ | 9.05 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.63 billion constant 2022 US$ | 1.65 billion constant 2022 US$ | 3.70 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.11 billion constant 2022 US$ | 814.52 million constant 2022 US$ | 2.03 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.05 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.80 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4.78 billion constant 2022 US$ | 7 |
Countries ranked near Libya
- 48 Czechia 5.11 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 49 Austria 5.11 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 50 Egypt 4.83 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 52 Portugal 4.74 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 53 Malaysia 4.68 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
- 54 Argentina 4.45 billion constant 2022 US$ compare
More reference data data for Libya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0637 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.021 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2136 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0873 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1144 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Libya?
- Military spending in Libya was 4.78 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2016, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 9.05 billion constant 2022 US$ in 1983.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.45 million constant 2022 US$ in 1951.
- How does Libya rank for military spending?
- Libya ranks 51st out of 172 countries with data for 2016.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 471.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.