Demographics of Libya

Libya has a small population in a large land area. Population density is about 50 persons per km² (80/sq. mi.) in the two northern regions of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, but falls to less than one person per km² (1.6/sq. mi.) elsewhere. Ninety percent of the people live in less than 10% of the area, primarily along the coast. About 88% of the population is urban, mostly concentrated in the two largest cities, Tripoli and Benghazi. 50% of the population is estimated to be under age 15.

Native Libyans are primarily a mixture of Berbers and Arabs. Small Tuareg and Tebu tribal groups in southern Libya are nomadic or seminomadic. Among foreign residents, the largest groups are citizens of other African nations, including North Africans (primarily Egyptians), and Sub-Saharan Africans.

Age structure:
0-14 years: 36% (male 938,476; female 899,139)
15-64 years: 60% (male 1,595,306; female 1,485,069)
65 years and over: 4% (male 97,770; female 99,690) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians.

Languages: Arabic is the official language and is understood virtully by everyone, about 10% of the population speak Tamazight which is concentrated in Jabal Nafusah, English is not widely understood, a small number of people who are mostly from the elder generation understand Italian.

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