What is the capital of Libya?
Tripoli sits in north-western Libya where the desert meets the Mediterranean, on a rocky point of land that juts into the sea and forms a natural bay.
Tripoli is the capital and seat of government of Libya. Libya itself has an estimated population of 7,458,555 (2025).
Tripoli is also the largest city in Libya, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Tripoli at a glance
| City population | 1,317,000 (2021 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇱🇾 Libya |
| Founded | 7th century BC |
| Largest city in Libya | Tripoli |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| Currency | Libyan dinar (LYD) |
About Tripoli
The city was founded by the Phoenicians, who called it Oyat, and later passed to the Greek rulers of Cyrenaica, who knew it as Oea.
Tripoli was historically called Tripoli-of-the-West, distinguishing it from the Tripoli in present-day Lebanon.
Tripoli is Libya's largest commercial and manufacturing centre and holds the country's main port.
It is the site of the University of Tripoli, and its long history has left a dense concentration of archaeological sites inside the modern city.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Tripoli, Libya.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Libya?
Is Tripoli the largest city in Libya?
What is the population of Tripoli?
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Libya on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.