Key figures for Southern Mediterranean countries

Data extracted in March 2026

Planned article update: June 2027

Highlights

In 2024, Palestine recorded the highest population density in the Southern Mediterranean countries, at 921 inhabitants per square kilometre, while Libya had the lowest density at 4 (2020 data). The estimated EU average was 110 (2023 data).

In 2024, Israel (€50 274) had by far the highest GDP per capita in the Southern Mediterranean countries, exceeding the EU average (€39 940). Other countries ranged from €2 417 in Palestine to €5 265 in Algeria.

In 2024, income inequality among the Southern Mediterranean countries was lowest in Egypt (27.0; 2022 data), close to the EU level (29.4), while higher levels were observed in Israel and Palestine (34.5 and 34.4 respectively; 2023 data).

In 2024, energy consumption per capita in the Southern Mediterranean countries was the highest in Israel (2 458 kgoe), below the EU average (2 888), while much lower levels were observed in Morocco and Palestine (643 and 435 respectively; 2023 data).

Unemployment rates for women exceeded those of men in most Southern Mediterranean countries in 2024, with the largest gaps in Algeria (+11.0 pp; 2019 data) and Egypt (+10.1 pp), compared with a small gap in the EU (+0.6 pp).

This article is part of an online publication. It presents information on nine Southern Mediterranean countries, namely Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine ^[1] and Tunisia. Information on these countries is compared with developments in the European Union (EU). This article contains no data on Syria, as cooperation with Syria was suspended from 2011 until recently and no data are collected yet. Lebanon data does not account for Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

Given that data collection for Southern Mediterranean countries is non-obligatory and subject to various changes related to the political and geographical context, data availability may often show inconsistency over the entire period presented or for recent years.

This article presents statistics on population density, gross domestic product (GDP), measured in € per capita; income inequality measured by the Gini coefficient, gross inland energy consumption expressed in kilogrammes of oil equivalent (kgoe) per capita and unemployment gender gap measured as the percentage points (pp) difference between the unemployment rates of men and women. The indicators presented have been selected based on the importance of the policy areas and social issues they inform, as well as the availability of data.

Population density

The most recent data available on population density, measuring the number of inhabitants per square kilometre (km²), is illustrated in Figure 1 for the Southern Mediterranean countries, compared with the EU.

In 2024, Palestine recorded by far the highest population density among the Southern Mediterranean countries with available data, at 921 inhabitants per km², followed by Israel with 435 inhabitants per km². Both were well above the EU average of 110 inhabitants per km². Jordan also exceeded the EU level, with a density of 130 inhabitants per km² (2023 data).

At the other end of the scale, population density was considerably lower in several Southern Mediterranean countries. Morocco recorded 46 inhabitants per km² (2021 data), while Algeria and Libya had much lower densities, at 19 (2021 data) and 4 inhabitants per km² (2020 data), respectively. Data for Lebanon, Tunisia and Egypt are not available.

Gross domestic product per capita

Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (that is, per person) is a broad economic indicator that may be used for basic analysis of living standards. By removing the influence of population size, GDP per capita makes comparisons between countries of different sizes easier and more relevant.

As shown in Figure 2, Israel recorded by far the highest GDP per capita among the Southern Mediterranean countries in 2024, at €50 274, exceeding the EU average of €39 940. At a much lower level, Algeria had the second highest GDP per capita, at €5 265. This was followed by Jordan (€4 094; 2023 data), Tunisia (€3 769; 2023 data) and Morocco (€3 607; 2023 data). Levels below €3 000 were recorded in Egypt (€2 722) and Palestine (€2 417). Data for Lebanon and Libya are not available.

GDP per capita levels in the Southern Mediterranean region showed substantial variation, with Israel standing far above the other countries. This reflects significant differences in economic development across the region. In comparison, although disparities also exist within the EU, they are less pronounced than those observed between Israel and the other Southern Mediterranean countries.

Income inequality

Income inequality, measured by the Gini coefficient of disposable equivalised income, is presented in Figure 3 for the Southern Mediterranean countries and the EU. The Gini coefficient captures how unevenly income is distributed within a population. A coefficient of 0 expresses perfect equality where everyone has the same income, while a coefficient of 100 expresses full inequality where only one person has all the income. The disposable income of a household is its net income after taxes and social contributions but including social benefits received; equivalised means that the composition of each household is weighted according to the number of adults and children living in it.

Between 2014 and 2024, income inequality showed differing trends across the Southern Mediterranean countries. A downward trend was observed in Israel, where income inequality decreased from 37.6 in 2014 to 34.5 (2023 data), although it remained above the EU level.

For Palestine, income inequality showed a marked decline over time. Using the closest available data, the Gini coefficient was estimated at 37.4 for 2017. By 2024 it had decreased to 34.4 (2023 data; West Bank only, data unavailable on Gaza).

Among Southern Mediterranean countries with available data, Egypt reported the lowest income inequality, with a Gini coefficient of 27.0 in 2022, the most recent year for which data are available. Over the same period, the EU recorded a slight decrease in income inequality, from 30.9 in 2014 to 29.4 in 2024.

Overall, while income inequality as measured by the Gini coefficient decreased over time in the Southern Mediterranean countries with available data, levels generally remained higher than in the EU, with the exception of Egypt.

Gross inland energy consumption

Figure 4 presents the gross inland energy consumption in kilogrammes of oil equivalent (kgoe) per capita, measuring how much energy a country requires to meet its national demand. It covers consumption by the energy sector itself, distribution and transformation losses, final energy consumption by end users, as well as non-energy use (such as crude oil used as raw material for the petrochemical industry or as lubricants) and statistical differences. The gross inland energy consumption is presented per capita, removing the effect of differences in the size of countries and making the data more comparable.

Among the Southern Mediterranean countries, Israel recorded in 2024 the highest level of energy consumption per capita, at 2 458 kgoe, though still below the EU average of 2 888 kgoe. At a considerably lower level, Algeria reported 1 556 kgoe (2021 data), followed by Tunisia (931 kgoe; 2023 data) and Egypt (881 kgoe; 2023 data).

At the lower end of the scale, energy consumption per capita stood at 643 kgoe in Morocco (2023 data) and 435 kgoe in Palestine (2023 data). Libya reported the lowest value among the Southern Mediterranean countries for which data was available (11 kgoe; 2020 data). Data for Jordan and Lebanon are not available.

Overall, the data reflects significant differences in energy consumption across the Southern Mediterranean economies. This may be influenced by many factors, including the industrial structure and the prevalence of sectors that consume more or less energy, the level of national energy production and availability of energy imports, as well as energy policy and energy efficiency.

Unemployment gender gap

Figure 5 presents the unemployment gender gap in the Southern Mediterranean countries and the EU for 2024, measured as the difference in percentage points (pp) between the unemployment rate of women aged 25-74 and the corresponding rate of men. Positive values indicate higher unemployment among women, while negative values indicate higher unemployment among men. The unemployment gender gap is calculated by Eurostat for all Southern Mediterranean countries.

In most Southern Mediterranean countries, unemployment rates for women remained higher than for men. The largest gender gaps were observed in Algeria (+11.0 pp; 2019 data) and Egypt (+10.1 pp), followed by Tunisia and Jordan (both +8.7 pp; Jordan 2023 data). More moderate gaps were recorded in Morocco (+5.7 pp) and Lebanon (+3.6 pp; 2022 data).

By contrast, Israel and Palestine showed negative gender gaps, at -0.4 pp and -5.2 pp (West Bank only, data unavailable on Gaza) respectively, indicating higher unemployment rates among men. In the EU, the gender gap was at +0.6 pp in 2024. Data for Libya are not available.

Source data for tables and graphs

Key figures for Southern Mediterranean countries: tables and figures

Data sources

The data for Southern Mediterranean countries are supplied by and under the responsibility of the national statistical authorities of each country on a voluntary basis. The data result from an annual data collection cycle that has been established by Eurostat. These statistics are available on Eurostat’s website, together with a range of different indicators covering most socio-economic areas.

Eurostat collects population data from EU countries and other countries participating in its demography data collection exercise, including the Southern Mediterranean countries. The recommended definition is the 'usual resident population' and represents the number of inhabitants on 1 January of the year in question (or, in some cases, on 31 December of the previous year).

The European system of national and regional accounts (ESA 2010) provides the methodology for national accounts in the EU. In the Southern Mediterranean countries the national accounts data presented in this article were generally collected according to the internationally agreed 2008 System for National Accounts (2008 SNA). The European Standard for National Account, ESA 2010 is consistent with the 2008 SNA.

EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) collects harmonised data on income, poverty, social inclusion and living conditions in the EU and a number of other European countries. In the Southern Mediterranean countries, statistics on income and living conditions are collected through household surveys such as income and living conditions surveys, household budget surveys, labour force surveys or similar, based on internationally agreed methodologies and recommendations.

Energy consumption data are typically drawn from a range of sources, including household surveys, business surveys and dedicated energy statistics data collections. This approach is applied in the Southern Mediterranean countries, in line with the international standards set out in the International Recommendations for Energy Statistics (IRES), published by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD). For the EU, data on energy quantities are generally calculated according to the new methodology for energy balances.

For the EU, unemployment data are provided through the European Union labour force survey (EU-LFS). In the Southern Mediterranean, labour force surveys are generally carried out in accordance with international standards defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Context

EU cooperation with the Southern Mediterranean countries is guided by the Pact for the Mediterranean ‘One Sea, One Pact, One Future’. The Pact reflects the EU’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the southern Mediterranean countries and to building a common Mediterranean space that is connected, prosperous, resilient and secure, based on shared interests and joint responsibility.

The Pact for the Mediterranean ‘One Sea, One Pact, One Future’ sets out a long-term vision to foster shared prosperity, stability, and sustainable development across the Euro-Mediterranean region. It establishes a strategic framework for cooperation, built around three interlinked thematic “pillars”: I. People: driving force for change, connections and innovation; II. Stronger, more sustainable and integrated economies, and III. Security, preparedness and migration management. Its core objectives include strengthening economic integration through enhanced trade, investment, and digital connectivity; accelerating the green and just transition by aligning climate action, renewable energy cooperation, and water security; and promoting human development via education, youth employment, and social cohesion initiatives. The Pact also aims to deepen political dialogue to address common security challenges, like migration, while reinforcing democratic governance.

The Pact for the Mediterranean was endorsed by the EU and southern Mediterranean partners in November 2025 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona process, with the European Council welcoming the Pact in its conclusions 20 November 2025. The Economic and Investment Plan for the Southern Neighbours complements this agenda.

In cooperation with its Southern Mediterranean partners, Eurostat has the responsibility to promote and implement the use of European and internationally recognised standards and methodology for the production of statistics, necessary for designing and monitoring policies in various areas. Eurostat manages and coordinates EU efforts to increase the capacity of the Southern Mediterranean countries to develop, produce and disseminate good quality data according to European and international standards. Additional information on the policy context of the Southern Mediterranean region is provided on the website of Directorate-General for Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf (DG MENA).

The EU has been supporting statistical capacity building in the region for a number of years, among others by providing technical assistance to national statistical authorities and by sharing best practice and transferring know-how. A key tool for this statistical cooperation is the MEDSTAT programme, a multiannual regional cooperation programme for statistics addressing common issues and requirements.

Footnotes

This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue. ↑

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Database

Southern European Neighbourhood Policy Country (ENP-South) (enps), see:

Economy and finance (enps_ecf)

National accounts (enps_na)

Population and social conditions (enps_pop)

Population and demographic indicators (enps_demo)

Population (enps_demo_pop)

Labour market (enps_labour)

Unemployment (enps_lfsa_unemp)

Living conditions (enps_livcon)

Income distribution (enps_incom)

GDP, main aggregates and economic indicators (enps_nama_gdp)

Environment and energy (enps_envnrg)

Energy (enps_nrg)

Demography, population stock and balance (demo), see:

Main population indicators (demo_ind)

Annual national accounts (nama10), see:

GDP and components (nama_10_ma)

Income and living conditions (ilc), see:

Inequality (ilc_ie)

Income inequality (ilc_iei)

Thematic section

Publications

Factsheets

Methodology

Southern European Neighbourhood Policy countries (ENP-South) (ESMS metadata file — enps_esms)

External links

[1] This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue. ↑

[1]