Capital of Libya: Tripoli — Facts & 5-Question Quiz
The capital of Libya is Tripoli. Libya sits in Africa, has a population of 6,812,341, and uses the LYD. Official languages include Arabic.
Quick facts
- Capital: Tripoli
- Continent: Africa
- Population: ~6,812,341
- Area: 1,759,540 km²
- Population density: 3.9 people per km²
- Official language: Arabic
- Currency: LYD
- ISO code: LY
How big is Libya?
By population, Libya ranks 106th in the world, holding roughly 0.09% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 16th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Libya has 3.9 people per square kilometre, which is far below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within Africa, Libya is the 35th most populous country of 54.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Libya in population are Bulgaria (6,781,953) and Paraguay (6,780,744).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Sudan (1,861,484 km²) and Iran (1,648,195 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
Arabic is spoken officially in 25 countries in this dataset, including Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Comoros and Djibouti, and 19 others.
Libya uses the LYD, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.
How to remember Libya
Tripoli, the capital and largest city, is on the Mediterranean coast in the northwest. Its old name 'Tripoli-of-the-West' tells it apart from Tripoli in Lebanon. For the flag, three regions, three stripes, with the moon and star on the wide black middle one.
The flag of Libya: red, black, green and white
🇱🇾 The flag is three horizontal stripes of red, black (twice as wide) and green, with a white crescent and star in the middle. Each colour stands for one of the three historic regions: red for Fezzan, black for Cyrenaica and green for Tripolitania. The crescent and star stand for Islam. The design was first used by the Kingdom of Libya from 1951 and was brought back in 2011.
Region and neighbours
Libya is a large country in the Maghreb region of North Africa, on the Mediterranean Sea, where the Sahara and the Libyan Desert cover most of the land. It shares land borders with 6 countries: Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria and Tunisia.
- Egypt 🇪🇬 — capital Cairo
- Sudan 🇸🇩 — capital Khartoum
- Chad 🇹🇩 — capital N'Djamena
- Niger 🇳🇪 — capital Niamey
- Algeria 🇩🇿 — capital Algiers
- Tunisia 🇹🇳 — capital Tunis
Three facts about Libya
- Libya is the fourth-largest country in Africa, and over 95% of its land is desert.
- The Great Man-Made River is the world's largest irrigation project. It pumps ancient underground water from the desert to the coast.
- Tripoli was founded in the 7th century BC by the Phoenicians.
Sources: Wikipedia: Libya, Wikipedia: Flag of Libya, Wikipedia: Tripoli, Libya, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Libya
- African capitals quiz — match Libya to Tripoli
- African flags quiz — spot the Libya flag among its neighbours
Libya capital quiz
What is the capital of Libya 🇱🇾?
- Conakry
- Tripoli
- Lomé
- Asmara
Show answer
Tripoli
What is the capital of Congo 🇨🇬?
- Monrovia
- Brazzaville
- Maputo
- Bamako
Show answer
Brazzaville
What is the capital of Central African Republic 🇨🇫?
- Niamey
- Malabo
- Maputo
- Bangui
Show answer
Bangui
What is the capital of Sierra Leone 🇸🇱?
- Libreville
- Gaborone
- Freetown
- Kigali
Show answer
Freetown
What is the capital of Liberia 🇱🇷?
- Rabat
- Kinshasa
- Praia
- Monrovia
Show answer
Monrovia
Libya in Africa
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Libya belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Libya.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Libya?
The capital of Libya is Tripoli.
What is the population of Libya?
About 6,812,341, making it the 106th most populous country in the world.
How big is Libya?
1,759,540 square kilometres, ranking 16th by land area, at a density of 3.9 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Libya use?
The LYD, which no other country uses.
What are the colours of the Libya flag?
The flag of Libya is three horizontal stripes of red, black (twice as wide) and green, with a white crescent and star in the middle. Each colour stands for one of the three historic regions: red for Fezzan, black for Cyrenaica and green for Tripolitania. The crescent and star stand for Islam. The design was first used by the Kingdom of Libya from 1951 and was brought back in 2011.
Which countries border Libya?
Libya shares land borders with Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria and Tunisia.
How can I remember the capital of Libya?
Tripoli, the capital and largest city, is on the Mediterranean coast in the northwest. Its old name 'Tripoli-of-the-West' tells it apart from Tripoli in Lebanon. For the flag, three regions, three stripes, with the moon and star on the wide black middle one.
More capitals to learn
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