Military spending per military personnel in Libya
Libya: Military spending per military personnel was 677,720 constant 2022 US$ in 2015. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2015)
677,720 constant 2022 US$
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
3rd
of 170 countries
All-time high
677,720 constant 2022 US$
in 2015
All-time low
6,915 constant 2022 US$
in 1961
Years of data
63
1951–2015
Military spending per military personnel in Libya, 1951–2015
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
Libya recorded 677,720 constant 2022 US$ for military spending per military personnel in 2015. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and up 5,637.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per military personnel in Libya peaked at 677,720 constant 2022 US$ in 2015 and was at its lowest, 6,915 constant 2022 US$, in 1961.
Libya ranks 3rd of 170 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending per military personnel in Libya, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 10,816 constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1952 | 12,284 constant 2022 US$ | +13.6% |
| 1953 | 12,291 constant 2022 US$ | +0.1% |
| 1954 | 12,386 constant 2022 US$ | +0.8% |
| 1955 | 11,644 constant 2022 US$ | -6.0% |
| 1956 | 12,294 constant 2022 US$ | +5.6% |
| 1957 | 12,687 constant 2022 US$ | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 12,774 constant 2022 US$ | +0.7% |
| 1959 | 6,950 constant 2022 US$ | -45.6% |
| 1960 | 7,348 constant 2022 US$ | +5.7% |
| 1961 | 6,915 constant 2022 US$ | -5.9% |
| 1962 | 12,146 constant 2022 US$ | +75.7% |
| 1963 | 8,758 constant 2022 US$ | -27.9% |
| 1964 | 8,482 constant 2022 US$ | -3.1% |
| 1965 | 10,500 constant 2022 US$ | +23.8% |
| 1966 | 11,718 constant 2022 US$ | +11.6% |
| 1967 | 13,928 constant 2022 US$ | +18.9% |
| 1968 | 11,733 constant 2022 US$ | -15.8% |
| 1969 | 19,498 constant 2022 US$ | +66.2% |
| 1970 | 42,048 constant 2022 US$ | +115.7% |
| 1971 | 47,723 constant 2022 US$ | +13.5% |
| 1972 | 46,498 constant 2022 US$ | -2.6% |
| 1973 | 54,383 constant 2022 US$ | +17.0% |
| 1974 | 57,248 constant 2022 US$ | +5.3% |
| 1975 | 45,458 constant 2022 US$ | -20.6% |
| 1976 | 59,304 constant 2022 US$ | +30.5% |
| 1977 | 60,552 constant 2022 US$ | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 49,556 constant 2022 US$ | -18.2% |
| 1979 | 80,481 constant 2022 US$ | +62.4% |
| 1980 | 64,719 constant 2022 US$ | -19.6% |
| 1981 | 48,665 constant 2022 US$ | -24.8% |
| 1982 | 63,150 constant 2022 US$ | +29.8% |
| 1983 | 133,113 constant 2022 US$ | +110.8% |
| 1984 | 99,799 constant 2022 US$ | -25.0% |
| 1985 | 41,321 constant 2022 US$ | -58.6% |
| 1986 | 35,729 constant 2022 US$ | -13.5% |
| 1987 | 43,497 constant 2022 US$ | +21.7% |
| 1988 | 42,971 constant 2022 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 42,720 constant 2022 US$ | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 42,195 constant 2022 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 42,898 constant 2022 US$ | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 43,504 constant 2022 US$ | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 34,570 constant 2022 US$ | -20.5% |
| 1994 | 32,917 constant 2022 US$ | -4.8% |
| 1995 | 29,504 constant 2022 US$ | -10.4% |
| 1996 | 26,259 constant 2022 US$ | -11.0% |
| 1997 | 27,867 constant 2022 US$ | +6.1% |
| 1998 | 26,545 constant 2022 US$ | -4.7% |
| 1999 | 19,470 constant 2022 US$ | -26.7% |
| 2000 | 19,662 constant 2022 US$ | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 14,735 constant 2022 US$ | -25.1% |
| 2002 | 11,210 constant 2022 US$ | -23.9% |
| 2003 | 10,717 constant 2022 US$ | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 11,898 constant 2022 US$ | +11.0% |
| 2005 | 11,813 constant 2022 US$ | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 11,021 constant 2022 US$ | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 11,663 constant 2022 US$ | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 16,543 constant 2022 US$ | +41.8% |
| 2009 | 26,695 constant 2022 US$ | +61.4% |
| 2010 | 36,874 constant 2022 US$ | +38.1% |
| 2011 | 42,100 constant 2022 US$ | +14.2% |
| 2014 | 659,533 constant 2022 US$ | +1466.6% |
| 2015 | 677,720 constant 2022 US$ | +2.8% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 677,720 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 33,699 constant 2022 US$, 20.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Libya's 677,720 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 46,799 constant 2022 US$, 14.5× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per military personnel in Libya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +1466.6% | 42,100 constant 2022 US$ | 659,533 constant 2022 US$ |
| 1970 | +115.7% | 19,498 constant 2022 US$ | 42,048 constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 11,570 constant 2022 US$ | 6,950 constant 2022 US$ | 12,774 constant 2022 US$ | 9 |
| 1960s | 11,103 constant 2022 US$ | 6,915 constant 2022 US$ | 19,498 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 54,325 constant 2022 US$ | 42,048 constant 2022 US$ | 80,481 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 61,568 constant 2022 US$ | 35,729 constant 2022 US$ | 133,113 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 32,573 constant 2022 US$ | 19,470 constant 2022 US$ | 43,504 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 14,596 constant 2022 US$ | 10,717 constant 2022 US$ | 26,695 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 354,057 constant 2022 US$ | 36,874 constant 2022 US$ | 677,720 constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Libya
- 1 Qatar 845,874 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 2 United States 762,321 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 4 Sweden 638,754 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 5 Australia 637,627 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 6 United Kingdom 535,686 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 per military personnel in Libya?
- Military spending per military personnel in Libya was 677,720 constant 2022 US$ in 2015, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per military personnel recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 677,720 constant 2022 US$ in 2015.
- What is the lowest military spending per military personnel recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,915 constant 2022 US$ in 1961.
- How does Libya rank for military spending per military personnel?
- Libya ranks 3rd out of 170 countries with data for 2015.
- Is military spending per military personnel rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5,637.2%. 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); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per 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
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.