Anchor sector
Oilfield services & equipment
Well workovers, EOR, pipeline repair and terminal upgrades as NOC works to raise sustained output.
Country Profile — Arab-America International Expo 2027
Profile content in preparationState of Libya
Africa's largest oil reserves, rebuilding.
Holder of the largest proven oil reserves in Africa, with 1,770 km of Mediterranean coastline and a national reconstruction agenda across power, housing and infrastructure.
Country at a glance
- GDP
- ≈ $50 billion (nominal)
- Population
- ≈ 7.4 million
- Currency
- Libyan Dinar (LYD)
- Capital
- Tripoli
- Economic growth
- Volatile — tracks oil production levels
Statistics year: 2024 (latest full-year estimates)
Libyan macroeconomic reporting is incomplete and output swings sharply with oil field and export terminal availability. Figures shown are the latest verified international estimates rather than audited national accounts.
Overview
Energy reserves and a reconstruction economy
Libya holds roughly 48 billion barrels of proven oil reserves — the largest in Africa — along with substantial natural gas, and its light sweet crude is prized by Mediterranean refiners.
Years of disruption left major gaps in electricity generation, water infrastructure, housing and healthcare, creating a broad reconstruction agenda funded largely by hydrocarbon revenue.
American companies have a long history in Libyan upstream operations, and the National Oil Corporation continues to seek international partners to raise production capacity.
- Capital
- Tripoli
- Population
- ≈ 7.4 million (2024 estimate)
- Language
- Arabic
- Currency
- Libyan Dinar (LYD)
- Proven oil reserves
- ≈ 48 billion barrels — largest in Africa
- Coastline
- 1,770 km on the Mediterranean
- Main ports
- Tripoli, Misrata, Benghazi, Es Sider
- Membership
- OPEC, Arab League, African Union
Economy
Hydrocarbons and rebuilding
Oil dominates exports and public revenue; reconstruction spending is the main channel through which that revenue reaches other sectors.
0B bbl
Proven oil reserves
The largest in Africa
0.2M bpd
Oil production capacity
With a stated target above 2M bpd
0.4M
Population
Concentrated along the coast
0 km
Coastline
Mediterranean, close to European markets
Oil & gasNOC and international partners
Construction & reconstructionHousing, public buildings, roads
Power generationCapacity restoration and expansion
Water & desalinationGreat Man-Made River and coastal plants
HealthcareHospital rebuilding and equipment
Agriculture & foodCoastal farming, heavy import reliance
Priority sectors
Sectors seeking international suppliers
Where Libyan institutions and contractors are actively procuring.
Priority
Power generation & grid
New gas-fired capacity, transmission rehabilitation and distribution upgrades to end chronic outages.
Reconstruction
Construction & housing
Large residential and municipal reconstruction programmes, particularly in the east.
Critical need
Water & desalination
Maintenance of the Great Man-Made River system plus new coastal desalination capacity.
Health
Healthcare & medical equipment
Hospital rebuilding, diagnostics, and medical supply contracts.
Infrastructure
Ports & aviation
Airport terminal reconstruction and port handling equipment procurement.
Reconstruction
Restoring capacity and raising output
Libya's near-term agenda centres on stabilising oil production, restoring the electricity network and rebuilding damaged cities and infrastructure.
- 2020
Production restart
Export terminals reopen and output recovers above one million barrels per day.
- 2022
NOC expansion plan
A stated goal of raising production capacity to more than two million barrels per day.
- 2023
Reconstruction funds
Dedicated reconstruction budgets established for damaged eastern cities.
- 2030
Target horizon
Sustained higher oil output and a substantially rebuilt power and water network.
Major development projects
Reconstruction and energy projects
Programmes driving equipment and engineering procurement.
Oil production expansion
Field redevelopment and pipeline work aimed at a sustained increase in export capacity.
Power station programme
New combined-cycle plants and rehabilitation of existing generation and transmission.
Derna and eastern reconstruction
Rebuilding housing, bridges, dams and public facilities after flood damage.
Great Man-Made River maintenance
Repair and extension of the world's largest irrigation and water-transfer project.
Airport reconstruction
Terminal rebuilding at Tripoli and Benghazi to restore international capacity.
US – Libya trade
Crude to Europe, equipment from America
Libyan crude flows mainly to Mediterranean refiners, while American oilfield technology, machinery and agricultural commodities move the other way.
Top exports to the world
Crude oilOverwhelming majority of export value
Natural gas
Refined products & petrochemicals
Top imports
Food & agricultural commodities
Machinery & equipment
Construction materials
Vehicles & parts
Pharmaceuticals
Leading products to the United States
- Crude oil
- Petroleum products
Leading products from the United States
- Oilfield equipment and services
- Power generation equipment
- Wheat and food commodities
- Vehicles and machinery
- Medical supplies
- A long history of American upstream and services participation in Libyan oil
- Almost all consumer goods and food are imported, creating steady distributor demand
- Reconstruction budgets are financed from hydrocarbon revenue rather than external debt
Bilateral goods trade — 2024
Trade with the United States
Verified full-year bilateral merchandise trade between Libya and the United States, reported from Libya's perspective.
Latest verified data available
Total U.S. goods trade
$1.8B
2024
Exports to the United States
$1.1B
2024
Imports from the United States
$700.0M
2024
Trade balance
$400.0M
Surplus for Libya
2024
Exports vs. imports — 2024
Libya exports to the United States$1.1B
Libya imports from the United States$700.0M
Exports to the US Imports from the US
Libya's goods trade with the United States is driven by crude petroleum shipments, giving it a surplus, while American exports focus on oilfield and industrial equipment. Volumes remain volatile with production and security conditions.
Scope of these figures
Latest verified data available; annual volumes fluctuate significantly with oil production and export terminal availability. These figures represent merchandise trade only and do not include services.
Data source
- U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division — country trade data (full year 2024)
- Office of the United States Trade Representative — country trade fact sheets
Statistical year: 2024
Leading exports to the United States
- Crude petroleum
- Petroleum derivatives
- Scrap metals
Leading imports from the United States
- Oilfield machinery and equipment
- Vehicles and parts
- Electrical equipment
- Agricultural products
Culture & tourism
The Roman and Greek Mediterranean
Some of the finest classical archaeology anywhere on the Mediterranean, plus Saharan landscapes.
Khoms
Leptis Magna
One of the most spectacular Roman cities surviving anywhere in the world.
West of Tripoli
Sabratha
A Phoenician trading post with a magnificent seafront Roman theatre.
Cyrenaica
Cyrene
A major ancient Greek colony in the eastern highlands.
Sahara
Ghadames
An oasis town of covered streets known as the pearl of the desert.
Capital
Tripoli Medina
An Ottoman walled city with the Marcus Aurelius arch at its edge.
Why invest
Why American companies look at Libya
Reserves, revenue and reconstruction demand, for companies with the right partner structure.
01
Reserve base
The largest proven oil reserves in Africa with low extraction costs.
02
Import dependence
Nearly all food, equipment and consumer goods are imported, favouring supply partnerships.
03
Proximity to Europe
Short Mediterranean shipping routes to major European markets.
04
Funded procurement
Reconstruction and energy spending backed directly by export revenue.
At the Expo
Libya at AAIX 2027
The Libya pavilion connects reconstruction and energy buyers with American engineering and equipment suppliers.
- Oil and gas services partner meetings
- Power and water infrastructure procurement briefings
- Construction and building materials distributor introductions
- Medical equipment and healthcare supply meetings
World heritage
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Libya
Sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a core part of the country's cultural and tourism offer.
Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna
The birthplace of Emperor Septimius Severus and a monumental Roman port city.
Archaeological Site of Sabratha
A Roman coastal city with an exceptional three-storey theatre.
Archaeological Site of Cyrene
One of the principal cities of the Hellenic world.
Old Town of Ghadames
A traditional Saharan oasis settlement of covered passages and rooftop streets.
Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus
Thousands of prehistoric paintings and carvings in the southwestern desert.
Business opportunities
Opportunities for Arab and American companies
How companies from different markets can engage with Libya through the Expo.
For American companies
Oilfield services, power generation equipment, water technology and medical supply contracts with NOC, GECOL and reconstruction authorities.
For Arab companies
Construction, building materials, food distribution and logistics into a heavily import-dependent market.
For international investors
Upstream partnership, refinery and petrochemical rehabilitation and long-horizon infrastructure concessions.
Represent Libya at Arab-America International Expo 2027
Present your country's economy, industries, products, investment opportunities, tourism destinations and culture to the American and North American markets.
Reserve space in the Libyan pavilion, or register as an American supplier to meet Libyan buyers, contractors and energy institutions.
Sources & data
- Libyan National Oil Corporation
- Central Bank of Libya
- OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin
- World Bank World Development Indicators
- IMF World Economic Outlook
- U.S. Census Bureau / USTR trade statistics
- UN Comtrade
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Last updated: August 2026