Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) in Libya
Libya: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) was 18.20 billion current US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
18.20 billion current US$
Change on year
up 12.8%
World rank
83rd
of 206 countries
All-time high
30.79 billion current US$
in 2013
All-time low
143.60 million current US$
in 1961
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Libya, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Libya is 18.20 billion current US$, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 12.8% on the previous year and down 40.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Libya peaked at 30.79 billion current US$ in 2013 and was at its lowest, 143.60 million current US$, in 1961.
Libya ranks 83rd of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) in Libya, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 160.90 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 143.60 million current US$ | -10.8% |
| 1962 | 195.00 million current US$ | +35.8% |
| 1963 | 226.90 million current US$ | +16.4% |
| 1964 | 279.70 million current US$ | +23.3% |
| 1965 | 305.90 million current US$ | +9.4% |
| 1966 | 385.60 million current US$ | +26.1% |
| 1967 | 450.80 million current US$ | +16.9% |
| 1968 | 611.00 million current US$ | +35.5% |
| 1969 | 644.40 million current US$ | +5.5% |
| 1970 | 525.60 million current US$ | -18.4% |
| 1971 | 665.30 million current US$ | +26.6% |
| 1972 | 984.10 million current US$ | +47.9% |
| 1973 | 1.62 billion current US$ | +64.3% |
| 1974 | 2.58 billion current US$ | +59.4% |
| 1975 | 3.37 billion current US$ | +30.9% |
| 1976 | 3.09 billion current US$ | -8.5% |
| 1977 | 3.63 billion current US$ | +17.7% |
| 1978 | 4.39 billion current US$ | +20.9% |
| 1979 | 5.00 billion current US$ | +13.9% |
| 1980 | 6.44 billion current US$ | +28.8% |
| 1981 | 7.85 billion current US$ | +21.9% |
| 1982 | 8.06 billion current US$ | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 7.16 billion current US$ | -11.1% |
| 1984 | 6.52 billion current US$ | -9.0% |
| 1985 | 5.09 billion current US$ | -21.9% |
| 1986 | 3.52 billion current US$ | -30.9% |
| 1987 | 4.00 billion current US$ | +13.7% |
| 1988 | 5.57 billion current US$ | +39.2% |
| 1989 | 4.16 billion current US$ | -25.4% |
| 1990 | 5.36 billion current US$ | +28.8% |
| 1991 | 5.17 billion current US$ | -3.5% |
| 1992 | 4.96 billion current US$ | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 5.39 billion current US$ | +8.6% |
| 1994 | 4.22 billion current US$ | -21.6% |
| 1995 | 4.96 billion current US$ | +17.4% |
| 1996 | 5.41 billion current US$ | +9.0% |
| 1997 | 5.53 billion current US$ | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 5.58 billion current US$ | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 4.23 billion current US$ | -24.2% |
| 2000 | 2.15 billion current US$ | -49.2% |
| 2001 | 2.41 billion current US$ | +11.9% |
| 2002 | 3.01 billion current US$ | +25.0% |
| 2003 | 3.39 billion current US$ | +12.6% |
| 2004 | 4.26 billion current US$ | +25.8% |
| 2005 | 4.43 billion current US$ | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 5.01 billion current US$ | +13.0% |
| 2007 | 5.90 billion current US$ | +17.8% |
| 2008 | 7.20 billion current US$ | +22.1% |
| 2009 | 10.77 billion current US$ | +49.5% |
| 2010 | 26.41 billion current US$ | +145.3% |
| 2011 | 7.99 billion current US$ | -69.8% |
| 2012 | 23.84 billion current US$ | +198.4% |
| 2013 | 30.79 billion current US$ | +29.2% |
| 2014 | 21.05 billion current US$ | -31.6% |
| 2015 | 13.12 billion current US$ | -37.7% |
| 2016 | 10.47 billion current US$ | -20.2% |
| 2017 | 9.27 billion current US$ | -11.4% |
| 2018 | 13.50 billion current US$ | +45.6% |
| 2019 | 15.10 billion current US$ | +11.9% |
| 2020 | 11.10 billion current US$ | -26.5% |
| 2021 | 14.96 billion current US$ | +34.7% |
| 2022 | 16.13 billion current US$ | +7.8% |
| 2023 | 18.20 billion current US$ | +12.8% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 18.20 billion current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.63 billion current US$, 1.2× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Libya's 18.20 billion current US$ is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 30.54 billion current US$, 60% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +198.4% | 7.99 billion current US$ | 23.84 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 340.38 million current US$ | 143.60 million current US$ | 644.40 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.59 billion current US$ | 525.60 million current US$ | 5.00 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.84 billion current US$ | 3.52 billion current US$ | 8.06 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.08 billion current US$ | 4.22 billion current US$ | 5.58 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.85 billion current US$ | 2.15 billion current US$ | 10.77 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.15 billion current US$ | 7.99 billion current US$ | 30.79 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.09 billion current US$ | 11.10 billion current US$ | 18.20 billion current US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Libya
- 80 Marshall Islands 19.52 billion current US$ compare
- 81 Kenya 18.59 billion current US$ compare
- 82 Cote d'Ivoire 18.38 billion current US$ compare
- 84 Lebanon 18.02 billion current US$ compare
- 85 Macao 17.52 billion current US$ compare
- 86 Azerbaijan 17.28 billion current US$ compare
More private sector data for Libya
- Merchandise trade 102.7% (2025)
- Food imports 21.6% (2019)
- Manufactures imports 62.7% (2019)
- Merchandise imports 19.31 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.1% (2019)
- Manufactures exports 0.6% (2019)
- Merchandise exports 30.09 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 4,034 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.6255 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -0.3511 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Libya?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in Libya was 18.20 billion current US$ in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 30.79 billion current US$ in 2013.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 143.60 million current US$ in 1961.
- How does Libya rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy?
- Libya ranks 83rd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy are the total merchandise imports by the reporting economy from the rest of the world, as reported in the IMF's Direction of trade database. Data are in current U.S. dollars.