Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Libya
Libya: Lakes and rivers permanent water area was 43.45 kmsq in 2022. ▲ Rising
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Libya, 2000–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in kmsq.
Analysis
Libya recorded 43.45 kmsq for lakes and rivers permanent water area in 2022.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lakes and rivers permanent water area in Libya peaked at 44.69 kmsq in 2020 and was at its lowest, 10.68 kmsq, in 2000.
That places Libya 163rd out of 254 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Libya, year by year
| Year | kmsq | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.68 kmsq | — |
| 2001 | 15.49 kmsq | +45.0% |
| 2002 | 23.41 kmsq | +51.1% |
| 2003 | 31.26 kmsq | +33.5% |
| 2004 | 39.6 kmsq | +26.7% |
| 2005 | 40.5 kmsq | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 41.29 kmsq | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 41.94 kmsq | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 42.75 kmsq | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 43.36 kmsq | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 44.12 kmsq | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 44.19 kmsq | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 43.7 kmsq | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 43.22 kmsq | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 41.71 kmsq | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 40.43 kmsq | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 40.6 kmsq | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 40.54 kmsq | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 39.8 kmsq | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 41.79 kmsq | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 44.69 kmsq | +6.9% |
| 2021 | 43.29 kmsq | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 43.45 kmsq | +0.4% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 43.45 kmsq is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 456.12 kmsq, 10% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Libya's 43.45 kmsq is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 131.14 kmsq, 33% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Lakes and rivers permanent water area 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +51.1% | 15.49 kmsq | 23.41 kmsq |
| 2001 | +45.0% | 10.68 kmsq | 15.49 kmsq |
| 2003 | +33.5% | 23.41 kmsq | 31.26 kmsq |
| 2004 | +26.7% | 31.26 kmsq | 39.6 kmsq |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 33.03 kmsq | 10.68 kmsq | 43.36 kmsq | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.01 kmsq | 39.8 kmsq | 44.19 kmsq | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.81 kmsq | 43.29 kmsq | 44.69 kmsq | 3 |
Countries ranked near Libya
- 160 Guinea-Bissau 51.55 kmsq compare
- 161 Costa Rica 44.87 kmsq compare
- 162 Panama 44.76 kmsq compare
- 164 Slovenia 41.79 kmsq compare
- 165 Oman 36.37 kmsq compare
- 166 New Caledonia 32.85 kmsq compare
More environment data for Libya
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -35.17 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -10.37 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.386 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.4 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2239 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.1672 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lakes and rivers permanent water area in Libya?
- Lakes and rivers permanent water area in Libya was 43.45 kmsq in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 44.69 kmsq in 2020.
- What is the lowest lakes and rivers permanent water area recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.68 kmsq in 2000.
- How does Libya rank for lakes and rivers permanent water area?
- Libya ranks 163rd out of 254 countries with data for 2022.
- Is lakes and rivers permanent water area rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Lakes and rivers permanent water area (square kilometres). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).