Mobile phone subscriptions in Libya
Libya: Mobile phone subscriptions was 13.94 million in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Mobile phone subscriptions in Libya, 1980–2022
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Libya recorded 13.94 million for mobile phone subscriptions in 2022. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 45.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions in Libya peaked at 13.94 million in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1980.
That places Libya 79th out of 212 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile phone subscriptions in Libya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 0 | — |
| 1994 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 10,000 | — |
| 1998 | 20,000 | +100.0% |
| 1999 | 30,000 | +50.0% |
| 2000 | 40,000 | +33.3% |
| 2001 | 50,000 | +25.0% |
| 2002 | 70,000 | +40.0% |
| 2003 | 127,000 | +81.4% |
| 2004 | 500,000 | +293.7% |
| 2005 | 2.00 million | +300.0% |
| 2006 | 3.93 million | +96.4% |
| 2007 | 4.50 million | +14.6% |
| 2008 | 7.38 million | +64.0% |
| 2009 | 9.53 million | +29.2% |
| 2010 | 10.90 million | +14.3% |
| 2011 | 10.00 million | -8.3% |
| 2012 | 9.59 million | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 10.24 million | +6.8% |
| 2014 | 8.50 million | -17.0% |
| 2015 | 9.75 million | +14.7% |
| 2016 | 7.66 million | -21.4% |
| 2017 | 6.02 million | -21.4% |
| 2019 | 11.40 million | +89.4% |
| 2020 | 11.62 million | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 13.92 million | +19.8% |
| 2022 | 13.94 million | +0.1% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 13.94 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.03 million, 1.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Libya's 13.94 million is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 16.65 million, 84% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile phone subscriptions 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +300.0% | 500,000 | 2.00 million |
| 2004 | +293.7% | 127,000 | 500,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 6,000 | 0 | 30,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.81 million | 40,000 | 9.53 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.34 million | 6.02 million | 11.40 million | 9 |
| 2020s | 13.16 million | 11.62 million | 13.94 million | 3 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More science & technology data for Libya
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 192.97 (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.93 units per person (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 13.94 million (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 7.92 units per square kilometre (2022)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.1293 % change on previous year (2022)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 443.08 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0001 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile phone subscriptions in Libya?
- Mobile phone subscriptions in Libya was 13.94 million in 2022, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 13.94 million in 2022.
- What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1980.
- How does Libya rank for mobile phone subscriptions?
- Libya ranks 79th out of 212 countries with data for 2022.
- Is mobile phone subscriptions rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 45.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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