If you lived in Libya instead of Nicaragua, you would:

Health

see 53.2% more spent on your healthcare

Nicaragua spends $689 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Libya spends $1,055 as of 2023.

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have 3.0 times more doctors per person

Nicaragua has 6.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2018. Libya has 20.4 as of 2017.

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live 4.0 years less

In Nicaragua, the average life expectancy is 75 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2024. In Libya, that number is 71 years (70 years for men, 73 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 11.4% less access to essential health services

Nicaragua scores 70 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Libya scores 62 as of 2021.

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be 17.9% more likely to die by suicide

Nicaragua has a suicide rate of 4.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Libya, it is 5.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 2.0 times more money

Nicaragua has a GDP per capita of $3,173 as of 2025, while in Libya, the GDP per capita is $6,449 as of 2025.

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be 3.7 times more likely to be unemployed

In Nicaragua, 5.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Libya, that number is 18.8% as of 2025.

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Life

be 10.2% more likely to be literate

In Nicaragua, the literacy rate is 82.6% as of 2015. In Libya, it is 91.0% as of 2015.

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be 16.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Nicaragua, approximately 9.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Libya, on the other hand, 7.9 children do as of 2024.

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have 13.8% fewer children

In Nicaragua, there are approximately 19.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Libya, there are 16.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 33.5% more likely to have internet access

In Nicaragua, approximately 61.4% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Libya, about 82.0% do as of 2024.

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be 17.1% less likely to have access to electricity

In Nicaragua, approximately 88% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 71% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Libya, that number is 73% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 96% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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Geography

see 94.5% more coastline

Nicaragua has a total of 910 km of coastline. In Libya, that number is 1,770 km.

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Safety

be 2.5 times more likely to die in a road accident

In Nicaragua, road accidents kill 13.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Libya, they kill 34.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

use 5.9 times more electricity

Nicaragua uses 641 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Libya uses 3,796 kWh as of 2023.

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find 21.8% less home broadband

Nicaragua has 5.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Libya has 4.5 as of 2022.

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live with 368.1 times more strain on fresh water

Nicaragua withdraws 2% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Libya withdraws 817% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 42.1% more likely to die from air pollution

In Nicaragua, air pollution causes 38.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Libya, it causes 54.0 as of 2019.

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emit 10.4 times more CO2

Nicaragua emits 0.8 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Libya emits 8.7 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2015). How we calculate this

Libya: At a glance

Libya is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 1,759,540 sq km. The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership and began to espouse his political system at home, which was a combination of socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners - one over Scotland, another in Northern Africa - and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically following the attacks; sanctions were lifted in 2003 following Libyan acceptance of responsibility for the bombings and agreement to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations. Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in late 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in early 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned a civil war that triggered UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community. After months of seesaw fighting between government and opposition forces, the QADHAFI regime was toppled in mid-2011 and replaced by a transitional government. Libya in 2012 formed a new parliament and elected a new prime minister.
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