Libya Fertility Rate

Libya’s total fertility rate has fallen dramatically over the 65‑year series, dropping from a peak of 8.10 children per woman in 1971 to a trough of 2.26 in 2025, placing the country 82nd globally. The steep decline began in the late 1970s, accelerated by urbanisation, expanded female education and the diffusion of modern contraceptives, and was reinforced by the socio‑economic disruptions of the 2011 civil conflict, which altered household formation patterns and reduced marriage rates. By 2025 the rate aligns closely with other low‑fertility economies such as the Northern Mariana Islands (2.23) and Lao PDR (2.33), signalling a transition toward a near‑replacement level. Continued improvements in women’s labour‑force participation and sustained access to reproductive health services are likely to keep the fertility rate modestly below replacement, unless policy shifts stimulate higher birth rates or significant migration changes the demographic balance.