IQ Career Lab

Average IQ in Libya

Libya has an average IQ of 85, ranking #109 out of 195 countries globally. This is considered below average on the worldwide scale.

85
Average IQ Score
Below Average (80–87) · Rank #109 of 195
Source: Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) (2012)

Key Statistics

Population
6,800,000
GDP per Capita (PPP)
$17,350
World Bank, 2023
Literacy Rate
91%
UNESCO, 2023
Human Development Index
0.718
UNDP, 2023
Mean Years of Schooling
7.3
Adults 25+
Education Expenditure
2.6%
% of GDP

Education System in Libya

Libya provides 9 years of compulsory education. Prior to the civil conflict, the country had the highest literacy rate in Africa. Ongoing instability has disrupted educational infrastructure.

IQ and Economic Development

Libya's GDP per capita of $17,350 reflects a developing economy. Research shows a moderate correlation (r ≈ 0.7) between national GDP and measured IQ, though this relationship is complex and bidirectional.

With 7.3 average years of schooling and a 2.6% GDP investment in education, Libya has room to increase education investment relative to GDP.

Countries with Similar IQ Scores

Africa Rankings

Data Sources for Libya

IQ Score:Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) (2012) — from "Intelligence: A Unifying Construct." Some estimates in this dataset may be imputed from educational achievement data rather than direct testing.
GDP & Education Spending:World Bank (2023)
HDI & Schooling:UNDP Human Development Report (2023–2024)
Literacy Rate:UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2023)
Population:UN World Population Prospects (2024)

National IQ estimates are approximate and based on meta-analyses of available cognitive testing data (Becker, 2019; Lynn & Vanhanen, 2012; World Population Review, 2025). These scores reflect measured test performance and are influenced by education, nutrition, healthcare, and socioeconomic factors — they do not measure innate intelligence. Within-country variation is much larger than between-country differences. IQ tests developed in Western contexts may not translate fairly across all cultures. Interpret with appropriate caution.

See the full methodology on our main IQ by Country page for complete source descriptions and data quality notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

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