2023 Edition

Background

With 28 ethnic groups and languages, Liberia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. For hundreds of years, the Mali and Songhai Empires claimed most of Liberia. Beginning in the 15th century, European traders began establishing outposts along the Liberian coast. Unlike its neighbors, however, Liberia did not fall under European colonial rule. In the early 19th century, the US began sending freed enslaved people and other people of color to Liberia to establish settlements. In 1847, these settlers declared independence from the US, writing their own constitution and establishing Africa’s first republic. Early in Liberia’s history, tensions arose between the Americo-Liberian settlers and the indigenous population. In 1980, Samuel DOE, who was from the indigenous population, led a military coup and ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 permitted an election that brought TAYLOR to power. In 2000, fighting resumed. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted President TAYLOR’s resignation. TAYLOR was later convicted by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague for his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. In late 2005, President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF became president after two years of transitional governments; she was the first female head of state in Africa. In 2011, JOHNSON SIRLEAF won reelection but struggled to rebuild Liberia's economy, particularly following the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic, and to reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. In 2017, former soccer star George WEAH won the presidential runoff election, marking the first successful transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another since the end of Liberia’s civil wars. Like his predecessor, WEAH has struggled to improve the country’s economy. The next presidential election is scheduled for 2023.  

Area

land

96,320 sq km

total

111,369 sq km

water

15,049 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Virginia

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Coastline

579 km

Elevation

highest point

Mount Wuteve 1,447 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

243 m

Geographic coordinates

6 30 N, 9 30 W

Geography - note

facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guinea 590 km; Cote d'Ivoire 778 km; Sierra Leone 299 km

total

1,667 km

Land use

agricultural land

28.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 5.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 20.8% (2018 est.)

forest

44.6% (2018 est.)

other

27.3% (2018 est.)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Natural resources

iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Population distribution

more than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one-third living within an 80-km radius of Monrovia as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast

Age structure

0-14 years

42.69% (male 1,187,795/female 1,162,699)

15-64 years

54.5% (male 1,486,582/female 1,514,163)

65 years and over

2.82% (2023 est.) (male 75,258/female 79,783)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

3.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

33 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

8.4% (2020 est.)

women married by age 15

5.8% NA

women married by age 18

24.9% NA

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

10.9% (2019/20)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

24.9% (2019/20)

Current health expenditure

9.5% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

48.7% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Liberia’s high fertility rate of nearly 5 children per woman and large youth cohort – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 as of 2020 – will sustain a high dependency ratio for many years to come. Significant progress has been made in preventing child deaths, despite a lack of health care workers and infrastructure. Infant and child mortality have dropped nearly 70% since 1990; the annual reduction rate of about 5.4% is the highest in Africa. Nevertheless, Liberia’s high maternal mortality rate remains among the world’s worst; it reflects a high unmet need for family planning services, frequency of early childbearing, lack of quality obstetric care, high adolescent fertility, and a low proportion of births attended by a medical professional. Female mortality is also increased by the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC), which is practiced by 10 of Liberia’s 16 tribes and affects more than two-thirds of women and girls. FGC is an initiation ritual performed in rural bush schools, which teach traditional beliefs on marriage and motherhood and are an obstacle to formal classroom education for Liberian girls. Liberia has been both a source and a destination for refugees. During Liberia’s 14-year civil war (1989-2003), more than 250,000 people became refugees and another half million were internally displaced. Between 2004 and the cessation of refugee status for Liberians in June 2012, the UNHCR helped more than 155,000 Liberians to voluntarily repatriate, while others returned home on their own. Some Liberian refugees spent more than two decades living in other West African countries. Between 2011 and 2022, more than 300,000 Ivoirian refugees in Liberia have been repatriated; as of year-end 2022, less than 2,300 Ivoirian refugees were still living in Liberia.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6

potential support ratio

16.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

79.7

youth dependency ratio

73.7

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 70.6% of population

improved: total

total: 84% of population

improved: urban

urban: 96.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 29.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 16% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 3.8% of population

Education expenditures

2.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Kpelle 20.3%, Bassa 13.4%, Grebo 10%, Gio 8%, Mano 7.9%, Kru 6%, Lorma 5.1%, Kissi 4.8%, Gola 4.4%, Krahn 4%, Vai 4%, Mandingo 3.2%, Gbandi 3%, Mende 1.3%, Sapo 1.3%, other Liberian 1.7%, other African 1.4%, non-African 0.1% (2008 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.98 (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

50.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

61.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

56.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence

Life expectancy at birth

female

63 years

male

59.7 years

total population

61.3 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

34.1% (2017)

male

62.7%

total population

48.3%

Major infectious diseases

aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases

Lassa fever

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

1.678 million MONROVIA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

652 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

19.9 years

male

19.6 years

total

19.7 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.1 years (2019/20 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Liberian

noun

Liberian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

9.9% (2016)

Physicians density

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

5,506,280 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

more than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one-third living within an 80-km radius of Monrovia as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.37% (2023 est.)

Religions

Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.5% (2008 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 25.2% of population

improved: total

total: 47.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 68% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 74.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 52.5% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 32% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.94 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

2% (2020 est.)

male

14.3% (2020 est.)

total

8.2% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.03 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

53.6% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Capital

etymology

named after James MONROE (1758-1831), the fifth president of the United States and supporter of the colonization of Liberia by freed slaves; one of two national capitals named for a US president, the other is Washington, D.C.

geographic coordinates

6 18 N, 10 48 W

name

Monrovia

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Liberia

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

2 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by agreement of at least two thirds of both National Assembly houses or by petition of at least 10,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval of both houses and approval in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of registered voters; amended 2011, 2020

history

previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revision adopted by referendum 3 July 1984, effective 6 January 1986

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Liberia

conventional short form

Liberia

etymology

name derives from the Latin word "liber" meaning "free"; so named because the nation was created as a homeland for liberated African-American slaves

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant) Charges d'Affairs Catherine RODRIGUEZ (since 11 August 2023)

email address and website

ACSMonrovia@state.govhttps://lr.usembassy.gov/

embassy

502 Benson Street, Monrovia

FAX

[231] 77-677-7370

mailing address

8800 Monrovia Place, Washington DC  20521-8800

telephone

[231] 77-677-7000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

chief of mission

Ambassador Jeff Gongoer DOWANA (since 12 December 2022)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

info@liberiaembus.orghttp://www.liberianembassyus.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 723-0436

telephone

[1] (202) 723-0437

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate

chief of state

President George WEAH (since 22 January 2018); Vice President Jewel HOWARD-TAYLOR (since 22 January 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

Joseph BOAKAI elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - George WEAH (CDC) 43.8%, Joseph BOAKAI (UP) 43.4%, Edward APPLETON (GDM) 2.20%, Lusinee KAMARA (ALCOP) 1.96%, Alexander B. CUMMINGS, Jr. (CPP) 1.61%, Tiawan Saye GONGLOE (LPP) 1.44%, other 5.59%; percentage of vote in second round - Joseph BOAKAI 50.6%, George WEAH 49.4% note - presidential inauguration in January 2024

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 October 2023 with a run-off on 14 November 2023 (next to be held October 2028)

head of government

President George WEAH (since 22 January 2018); Vice President Jewel HOWARD-TAYLOR (since 22 January 2018)

Flag description

11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a white, five-pointed star appears on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the stripes symbolize the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence; the blue square represents the African mainland, and the star represents the freedom granted to the ex-slaves; according to the constitution, the blue color signifies liberty, justice, and fidelity, the white color purity, cleanliness, and guilelessness, and the red color steadfastness, valor, and fervor

note

note: the design is based on the US flag

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

26 July 1847

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 4 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional cases

judge selection and term of office

chief justice and associate justices appointed by the president of Liberia with consent of the Senate; judges can serve until age 70

subordinate courts

judicial circuit courts; special courts, including criminal, civil, labor, traffic; magistrate and traditional or customary courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law

Legislative branch

description

bicameral National Assembly consists of:The Liberian Senate (30 seats; members directly elected in 15 2-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 9-year staggered terms; each district elects 1 senator and elects the second senator 3 years later, followed by a 6-year hiatus, after which the first Senate seat is up for election)House of Representatives (73 seats; members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms; eligible for a second term)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - Collaborating Political Parties 43.3%, Congress for Democratic Change 16.6%, People's Unification Party 6.6%, Movement for Democracy and Reconstructions 3.3%, National Democratic Coalition 3.3%, National Patriotic Party 3.3%, Independent 23.3%; seats by coalition/party- CPP 13, CDC 5, PUP 2, MDR 1, NDC 1, NPP 1, Independent 7; composition - men 27, women 3, percent of women 11%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for Democratic Change 28.7%, Unity Party 27.3%, People's Unification Party 6.8%, Liberty Party 4.1%, Americo Liberian Party 4.1%, Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction 4.1%, Movement for Economic Empowerment 1.3%, Liberia Transformation Party 1.3%, United People's Party 1.3%, Victory for Change Party 1.3%, Liberian People's Party 1.3%, Liberia National Union 1.3%, Independent 17.8%; seats by coalition/party - CDC 21, UP 20, PUP 5, LP 3, ALP 3, MDR 3, MOVEE 1, LTP 1, UPP 1, VCP 1, LPP 1, LNU 1, Independent 13; composition - men 66, women 7, percent of women 9.5%; total Parliament percent of women 9.7%  

elections

Senate - general election held on 10 October 2023 with half the seats up for election (next to be held on 9 October 2029)House of Representatives - last held on 10 October 2023 (next to be held 9 October 2029)  

National anthem

lyrics/music

Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA

name

"All Hail, Liberia Hail!"

note

note: lyrics adopted 1847, music adopted 1860; the anthem's author later became the third president of Liberia

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

National symbol(s)

white star; national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

All Liberian Party or ALP [Benoni UREY]Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [vacant]Alternative National Congress or ANC [Alexander B. CUMMINGS, JR]Coalition for Democratic Change [George WEAH] (includes CDC, NPP, and LPDP) Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]Liberia Destiny Party or LDP [Nathaniel BARNES]Liberia National Union or LINU [Dr. Clarence K. MONIBA]Liberia Transformation Party or LTP [Kennedy SANDY]Liberian People Democratic Party or LPDP [Alex J. TYLER]Liberian People's Party or LPP [Henry FAHNBULLEH, JR] Liberty Party or LP [Charles Brumskine]Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction or MDR [Prince Y. JOHNSON]Movement for Economic Empowerment [Joseph JONES]Movement for Progressive Change or MPC [Simeon FREEMAN]National Democratic Coalition or NDC [Dew MAYSON]National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [D. Nyandeh SIEH]National Patriotic Party or NPP [Jewel HOWARD TAYLOR]National Reformist Party or NRP [Maximillian T. W. DIABE]National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP [Victor BARNEY]People's Unification Party or PUP [Isobe GBORKORKOLLIE]Unity Party or UP [Josephe BOKAI]United People's Party [MacDonald WENTO]Victory for Change Party or VCP [Marcus R. JONES]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

cassava, sugar cane, oil palm fruit, rice, bananas, vegetables, plantains, rubber, taro, maize

Budget

expenditures

$6 million (2019 est.)

revenues

$5 million (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2017

-$565.564 million (2017 est.)

Current account balance 2018

-$674.092 million (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

-$653.403 million (2019 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$679 million (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$826 million (2019 est.)

Economic overview

low-income West African economy; food scarcity, especially in rural areas; high poverty and inflation; bad recession prior to COVID-19 due to Ebola crisis; growing government debt; longest continuously operated rubber plantation; large informal economy

Exchange rates

Currency

Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2016

94.427 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

112.707 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

144.056 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

186.43 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

191.518 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2017

$429.592 million (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$527.345 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2019

$554.013 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, ships, iron, rubber, cocoa beans, palm oil (2021)

Exports - partners

Guyana 32%, Poland 10%, Switzerland 8%, Japan 7%, China 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

17.5% (2016 est.)

government consumption

16.7% (2016 est.)

household consumption

128.8% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services

-89.2% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.5% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

6.7% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

34% (2017 est.)

industry

13.8% (2017 est.)

services

52.2% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.071 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

35.3 (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.1% (2007)

lowest 10%

2.4%

Imports

Imports 2017

$1.232 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$1.245 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2019

$1.244 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, iron structures, boat propellers, centrifuges (2019)

Imports - partners

China 41%, Japan 21%, South Korea 18% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

16.25% (2021 est.)

Industries

mining (iron ore and gold), rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

12.42% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

23.56% (2018 est.)

Labor force

2.289 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

50.9% (2016 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

28.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

34.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$7.257 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$7.04 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$7.391 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

-2.47% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-2.98% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.99% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$1,500 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$1,400 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$1,400 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2018

$332.151 million (31 December 2018 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$297.071 million (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$340.966 million (31 December 2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

16.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

3.02% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

3.98% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

4.09% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

3.2%

male

3.2%

total

3.2% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.346 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

1.346 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

292 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

196,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

26 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

8% (2021)

electrification - total population

29.8% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

49.5% (2021)

population without electricity

4 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

40.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

59.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

3.79 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

9,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

8,181 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.3 (2020 est.)

total

13,000 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

8 private and 1 government-owned TV station; satellite TV service available; 1 state-owned radio station; approximately 20 independent radio stations broadcasting in Monrovia, with approximately 80 more local stations operating in other areas; transmissions of 4 international (including the British Broadcasting Corporation and Radio France Internationale) broadcasters are available (2019)

Internet country code

.lr

Internet users

percent of population

34% (2021 est.)

total

1.768 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line less than 1 per 100; mobile-cellular subscriptions are 32 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Liberia has a telecom market which is mainly based on mobile networks; this is due to the civil war which destroyed much of the fixed-line infrastructure; to facilitate LTC Mobile’s market entry, the government in January 2022 set in train amendments to telecom legislation; internet services are available from a number of wireless ISPs as well as the mobile operators; the high cost and limited bandwidth of connections means that internet access is expensive and rates are very low; additional bandwidth is available from an international submarine cable but considerable investment is still needed in domestic fixed-line infrastructure before end-users can make full use of the cable (2022)

international

country code - 231; landing point for the ACE submarine cable linking 20 West African countries and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

6,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

32 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1.7 million (2021 est.)

Airports

29 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

2

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

27

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

A8

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 1,673, container ship 962, general cargo 141, oil tanker 907, other 628

total

4,311 (2022)

Pipelines

4 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Buchanan, Monrovia

Railways

narrow gauge

84 km (2008) 1.067-m gauge

note

note: most sections of the railways inoperable due to damage sustained during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003, but many are being rebuilt

standard gauge

345 km (2008) 1.435-m gauge

total

429 km (2008)

Roadways

paved

657 km (2018)

total

10,600 km (2018)

unpaved

9,943 km (2018)

Military - note

the AFL is responsible for external defense but also has some domestic security responsibilities if called upon, such as humanitarian assistance during natural disasters and support to law enforcement; it is a small, lightly equipped force comprised of 2 combat infantry battalions and supporting units; the infantry battalions were rebuilt with US assistance in 2007-2008 from the restructured AFL following the end of the second civil war in 2003 when military and police forces were disbanded and approximately 100,000 military, police, and rebel combatants were disarmedthe first militia unit established for defense of the colony was raised in 1832; the AFL traces its origins to the 1908 establishment of the Liberia Frontier Force, which became the Liberian National Guard in 1965; the AFL was established in 1970the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was established in 2003 as a peacekeeping force; at its height, UNMIL was comprised of about 15,000 personnel, including more than 3,000 troops absorbed from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) peacekeeping mission; Liberian forces reassumed full control of the country’s security in June of 2016, and the UNMIL mission was ended in 2018 (2023)

Military and security forces

Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Liberian Coast Guard, Air Wing; Ministry of Justice: Liberia National Police, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (2023)

note

note: the AFL Air Wing was previously disbanded in 2005 and has been under redevelopment since 2019; the Liberian National Police and the Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency are under the Ministry of Justice

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 2,000 active personnel (2023)

Military deployments

160 Mali (MINUSMA) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military has a limited inventory; in recent years, it has received small quantities of equipment, including donations, from countries such as China and the US (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

0.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-35 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2023)

Disputes - international

Liberia-Guinea: none identified Liberia-Sierra Leone: none identified

Illicit drugs

not a significant transit country for illicit narcotics bound for the United States or Europe; not a key producer of illicit drugs; proximity to major drug transit routes contribute to trafficking cocaine and heroin, to and through Liberia and other West African countries; local drug use involves locally grown cannabis, heroin (mostly smoked), cocaine (snorted), and more recently kush (Cannabis Indic’s type flower), mixed with different substances including heroin or synthetic DMT

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.39 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

6.56 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

35.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Environment - current issues

tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; hunting of endangered species for bushmeat; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage; pollution of rivers from industrial run-off; burning and dumping of household waste

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to high food prices and macroeconomic challenges - levels of acute food insecurity are expected to increase in 2023 associated with high food prices due to high international commodity prices and elevated transportation costs, exacerbated by the unfolding effects of the war in Ukraine on international trade and commodity prices; food availability and access are likely to remain limited by high food prices and below‑average imports; an expected further slowdown in economic domestic growth in 2023 is likely to compound food insecurity conditions for the most vulnerable households; in the June to August 2023 lean season period, over 531,000 people are projected to face acute food insecurity (2023)

Land use

agricultural land

28.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 5.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 20.8% (2018 est.)

forest

44.6% (2018 est.)

other

27.3% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

13.27% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

232 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

53.6% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

564,467 tons (2007 est.)