Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality in Libya
Libya: Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality was 1.0% in 2012. ◆ Volatile
Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality in Libya, 1991–2012
Source: UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Libya recorded 1.0% for tax revenue as share of gdp vs. income inequality in 2012. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is down 13.3% on the previous year and down 76.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue as share of gdp vs. income inequality in Libya peaked at 14.6% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 2012.
Libya ranks 187th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality in Libya, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4.8% | — |
| 1992 | 5.6% | +17.7% |
| 1993 | 7.2% | +27.9% |
| 1994 | 7.5% | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 7.2% | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 6.7% | -7.1% |
| 1997 | 6.8% | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | +15.8% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | +84.2% |
| 2000 | 10.2% | -30.1% |
| 2001 | 9.7% | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 4.3% | -55.6% |
| 2003 | 2.1% | -51.2% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | +74.1% |
| 2005 | 2.4% | -34.4% |
| 2006 | 2.3% | -5.2% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | +30.2% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | +13.0% |
| 2009 | 5.7% | +71.5% |
| 2010 | 3.8% | -33.2% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | -68.9% |
| 2012 | 1.0% | -13.3% |
Libya compared with similar countries
- Libya's 1.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 21.9%, 5% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Libya's 1.0% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 8.0%, 13% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.6% | 4.8% | 14.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 2.1% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 1.0% | 3.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Libya
More poverty & inequality data for Libya
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 2.35 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 659.7 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -1.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 1.03 (2012)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2012)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, annual growth rate -13.3 % change on previous year (2012)
- Gender Inequality Index 0.253 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in women 0.1637 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex 0.1637 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tax revenue as share of gdp vs. income inequality in Libya?
- Tax revenue as share of gdp vs. income inequality in Libya was 1.0% in 2012, according to UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tax revenue as share of gdp vs. income inequality recorded in Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 14.6% in 1999.
- What is the lowest tax revenue as share of gdp vs. income inequality recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 2012.
- How does Libya rank for tax revenue as share of gdp vs. income inequality?
- Libya ranks 187th out of 187 countries with data for 2012.
- Is tax revenue as share of gdp vs. income inequality rising or falling in Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 76.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya data come from?
- The figures come from UNU-WIDER Government Revenue Dataset (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Taxes include direct and indirect taxes as well as social contributions. The Gini coefficient measures inequality on a scale from 0 to 1. Higher values indicate higher inequality.