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The twenty imports Libya is best placed to replace.

Libya imported USD 14bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 535m. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well and where one country supplies most of them.

USD 2.4bnthe twenty, imported in 2024
143products imported at scale, not yet exported well, and close to existing strengths
40products Libya already exports well
290product lines imported at USD 10m or more
The twenty

Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.

Each line shows the import bill, where it comes from, the nearest thing Libya already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Libya would pay. That reason is not in any trade record, and it is the maker's question.

This edition is trade and capability only, scored out of 8. The UK edition adds which public bodies buy each product and which region holds the capability; those layers are built only where a country publishes contract awards and regional trade, and Libya does not publish them in a form this record can read yet.

  1. 1

    Sugars: sucrose, chemically pure, in solid form, not containing added flavouring or colouring matterHS 170199

    Comes fromIndia 61%, 18 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 30m
    Countries that export it well44

    Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 483m, top 0 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 2 per cent (3); India supplies 61 per cent (2).

    USD 483mup 148% on 2022
  2. 2

    Marble, travertine and alabaster: simply cut or sawn, with a flat or even surfaceHS 680221

    Comes fromEgypt 88%, 9 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVegetable oils: olive oil and its fractions, virgin olive oil...
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 39m
    Countries that export it well20

    Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 225m, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 3 per cent (3); Egypt supplies 88 per cent (2).

    USD 225mup 100% on 2022
  3. 3

    Cement: portland, other than white, whether or not artificially colouredHS 252329

    Comes fromEgypt 73%, 4 source countries
    Nearest export strengthSulphur of all kinds: other than sublimed, precipitated and... (exports USD 16m)
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well54

    Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 201m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 1 per cent (3); Egypt supplies 73 per cent (2).

    USD 201mup 302% on 2022
  4. 4

    Boring and sinking machinery: not self-propelledHS 843049

    Comes fromChina 90%, 7 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 79m
    Countries that export it well28

    Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 99m, top 7 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 9 per cent (3); China supplies 90 per cent (2).

    USD 99mfrom USD 2m in 2022
  5. 5

    Fish preparations: tunas, skipjack tuna and bonito (Sarda spp.), prepared or preserved, whole or in pieces (but not...HS 160414

    Comes fromThailand 82%, 12 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 11m
    Countries that export it well21

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 194m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 22 per cent (2); Thailand supplies 82 per cent (2).

    USD 194mup 16% on 2022
  6. 6

    Vegetable preparations: tomatoes, (other than whole or in pieces), prepared or preserved otherwise than by vinegar or...HS 200290

    Comes fromItaly 77%, 10 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 146k
    Countries that export it well24

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 146m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 17 per cent (2); Italy supplies 77 per cent (2).

    USD 146mup 92% on 2022
  7. 7

    Boring or sinking machinery: parts for boring or sinking machinery of subheading 8430.41 or 8430.49HS 843143

    Comes fromTunisia 63%, 24 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 12m
    Countries that export it well26

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 67m, top 11 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 8 per cent (3); Tunisia supplies 63 per cent (2).

    USD 67mfrom USD 9m in 2022
  8. 8

    Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: diammonium hydrogenorthophosphate (diammonium phosphate)HS 310530

    Comes fromMorocco 84%, 3 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well17

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 47m, top 19 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 5 per cent (3); Morocco supplies 84 per cent (2).

    USD 47mfrom USD 1m in 2022
  9. 9

    Food preparations: pasta, uncooked (excluding that containing eggs), not stuffed or otherwise preparedHS 190219

    Comes fromTunisia 63%, 16 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 198k
    Countries that export it well32

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 36m, top 25 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 2 per cent (3); Tunisia supplies 63 per cent (2).

    USD 36mup 202% on 2022
  10. 10

    Food preparations: n.e.c. in item no. 2106.10HS 210690

    Comes fromGermany 16%, 43 source countries
    Nearest export strengthPaper or paperboard: waste and scrap, of paper or paperboard n.e.c....
    Exports of this lineUSD 26k
    Countries that export it well51

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 160m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 8 per cent (3).

    USD 160mup 65% on 2022
  11. 11

    Cigarettes: containing tobaccoHS 240220

    Comes fromGreece 33%, 17 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well41

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 150m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 8 per cent (3).

    USD 150mdown 68% on 2022
  12. 12

    Odoriferous substances and mixtures: of a kind used in the food or drink industriesHS 330210

    Comes fromCyprus 86%, 17 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 13m
    Countries that export it well15

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 149m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 43 per cent (1); Cyprus supplies 86 per cent (2).

    USD 149mup 26% on 2022
  13. 13

    Sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins (diapers), napkin liners and similar articles, of any materialHS 961900

    Comes fromTurkey 48%, 16 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well34

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 96m, top 7 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 24 per cent (2); Turkey supplies 48 per cent (1).

    USD 96mup 115% on 2022
  14. 14

    Furniture: wooden, for bedroom useHS 940350

    Comes fromTurkey 86%, 21 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 1k; 6 more lines in the heading, USD 136m
    Countries that export it well27

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 69m, top 10 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 34 per cent (1); Turkey supplies 86 per cent (2).

    USD 69mdown 7% on 2022
  15. 15

    Paints and varnishes: based on polymers n.e.c. in heading no. 3208, dispersed or dissolved in a non-aqueous mediumHS 320890

    Comes fromEgypt 93%, 24 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 4k
    Countries that export it well34

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 60m, top 13 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 23 per cent (2); Egypt supplies 93 per cent (2).

    USD 60mup 68% on 2022
  16. 16

    Food preparations: of flour, meal, starch, malt extract or milk products, for uses n.e.c. in heading no. 1901HS 190190

    Comes fromNetherlands 69%, 23 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 74m
    Countries that export it well39

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 56m, top 14 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 11 per cent (2); Netherlands supplies 69 per cent (2).

    USD 56mup 113% on 2022
  17. 17

    Paper and paperboard: cartons, boxes and cases, of corrugated paper or paperboardHS 481910

    Comes fromEgypt 57%, 20 source countries
    Nearest export strengthPaper or paperboard: waste and scrap, of paper or paperboard n.e.c....
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 60m
    Countries that export it well46

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 50m, top 17 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 9 per cent (3); Egypt supplies 57 per cent (1).

    USD 50mup 59% on 2022
  18. 18

    Waters: including mineral and aerated, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavouredHS 220210

    Comes fromTurkey 44%, 24 source countries
    Nearest export strengthPlastics n.e.c. in heading no. 3915: waste, parings and scrap
    Exports of this lineUSD 3k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 22m
    Countries that export it well60

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 44m, top 21 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 2 per cent (3); Turkey supplies 44 per cent (1).

    USD 44mup 28% on 2022
  19. 19

    Dog or cat food: (not put up for retail sale), used in animal feedingHS 230990

    Comes fromTunisia 56%, 29 source countries
    Nearest export strengthPaper or paperboard: waste and scrap, of paper or paperboard n.e.c....
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well48

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 40m, top 23 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 4 per cent (3); Tunisia supplies 56 per cent (1).

    USD 40mup 111% on 2022
  20. 20

    Iron or non-alloy steel: bars and rods, hot-rolled, hot-drawn or hot-extruded, containing indentations, ribs, grooves...HS 721420

    Comes fromEgypt 97%, 6 source countries
    Nearest export strengthFerrous products: obtained by direct reduction of iron ore, in... (exports USD 228m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 4m
    Countries that export it well45

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 36m, top 25 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Libya's export strengths in the top 1 per cent (3); Egypt supplies 97 per cent (2).

    USD 36mup 418% on 2022

One line per customs heading. Products Libya already exports well and still imports are below, because they are a different conversation. No employment figures appear on this page, by decision.

Made here already, still imported

Scale conversations, not capability ones.

No line where the country already exports well and still imports more than it sells abroad.

How the twenty were chosen

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 290 lines imported at USD 10m or more: above the median one point, top quarter two, top tenth three.

Proximity to export strengths, 0 to 3, on the same percentiles: the product-space method (Hidalgo, Klinger, Barabasi and Hausmann, Science 2007) on CEPII's BACI file of every bilateral trade flow for 2024, 157 countries and 5,388 products. Two products are close when the countries that export one well tend to export the other well. Only products in the upper half for proximity can enter the list at all: best placed is a proximity claim.

Supply concentration, 0 to 2: one point when a single country supplies 40 per cent or more, two at 60 per cent.

Scope. Manufactured goods, customs chapters 16 to 96, excluding ores, fuels and precious metals. Primary agriculture is out of scope for a page about manufacture.

What it cannot tell you

A map of where to look.

Trade data says what crossed the border, not why. Cost, scale, patents, tariffs and the plain fact that a supplier is good at it are all invisible here. The world file reconciles what each pair of countries reports, so a national customs file would differ in detail. Nothing on this page is a forecast or a promise.

Source: CEPII BACI, HS22, version 202601, years 2022 to 2024. Edition of 2026-11-02. The UK edition with its procurement and regional layers is at /made-here/.

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