Number of people who are severely food insecure in Libya
Libya: Number of people who are severely food insecure was 1.30 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of people who are severely food insecure in Libya, 2015–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Libya recorded 1.30 million people for number of people who are severely food insecure in 2023.
That represents a change of down 7.1% on the previous year and up 85.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people who are severely food insecure in Libya peaked at 1.50 million people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 700,000 people, in 2015.
Libya ranks 47th of 118 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Number of people who are severely food insecure in Libya, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 700,000 people | — |
| 2016 | 800,000 people | +14.3% |
| 2017 | 1.00 million people | +25.0% |
| 2018 | 1.10 million people | +10.0% |
| 2019 | 1.30 million people | +18.2% |
| 2020 | 1.50 million people | +15.4% |
| 2021 | 1.50 million people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.40 million people | -6.7% |
| 2023 | 1.30 million people | -7.1% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 1.30 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.00 million people, 1.3× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Libya's 1.30 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.25 million people, 1.0× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 980,000 people | 700,000 people | 1.30 million people | 5 |
| 2020s | 1.43 million people | 1.30 million people | 1.50 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Libya
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 number of people who are severely food insecure in Libya?
- Number of people who are severely food insecure in Libya was 1.30 million people in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people who are severely food insecure recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 1.50 million people in 2020.
- What is the lowest number of people who are severely food insecure recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 700,000 people in 2015.
- How does Libya rank for number of people who are severely food insecure?
- Libya ranks 47th out of 118 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people who are severely food insecure rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 85.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people who are severely food insecure. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Severe food insecurity is defined by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). It is strongly related to insufficient quantity of food (energy).