2024 Edition Primary

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 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion 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. A 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted TAYLOR’s resignation. He 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 2005, 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 after 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 struggled to improve the country’s economy. In 2023, former Vice President Joseph BOAKAI was elected president, edging out WEAH by a thin margin, the first time since 1927 that an incumbent was not re-elected after one term.   

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

38.9% (male 1,064,100/female 1,052,556)

15-64 years

57.9% (male 1,566,263/female 1,579,835)

65 years and over

3.2% (2024 est.) (male 80,961/female 93,534)

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

32.4 births/1,000 population (2024 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

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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 20.2%, Bassa 13.6%, Grebo 9.9%, Gio 7.9%, Mano 7.2%, Kru 5.5%, Lorma 4.8%, Krahn 4.5%, Kissi, 4.3%, Mandingo 4.2%, Vai 3.8%, Gola 3.8%, Gbandi 2.9%, Mende 1.7%, Sapo 1%, Belle 0.7%, Dey 0.3%, other Liberian ethnic group 0.4%, other African 3%, non-African 0.2% (2022 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.94 (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

50.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

61 deaths/1,000 live births

total

55.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

English 20% (official) and 27 indigenous languages, including Liberian English variants

Life expectancy at birth

female

63.3 years

male

59.9 years

total population

61.6 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

34.1% (2017)

male

62.7%

total population

48.3%

Major urban areas - population

1.678 million MONROVIA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

20 years

male

19.8 years

total

19.9 years (2024 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 (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

9.9% (2016)

Physician density

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

2,725,925 (2024 est.)

male

2,711,324

total

5,437,249

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

2.32% (2024 est.)

Religions

Christian 84.9%, Muslim 12%, Traditional 0.5%, other 0.1%, none 2.6% (2022 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

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

2% (2020 est.)

male

14.3% (2020 est.)

total

8.2% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.93 children born/woman (2024 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) Chargé d'Affaires 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, Sr. (since 12 December 2022)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

info@liberianembassyus.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 Joseph BOAKAI (since 22 January 2024)

election results

2023: 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) 2.2%, Lusinee KAMARA (ALCOP) 2%, Alexander B. CUMMINGS, Jr. (CPP) 1.6%, Tiawan Saye GONGLOE (LPP) 1.4%, other 5.6%; percentage of vote in second round - Joseph BOAKAI 50.6%, George WEAH 49.4%2017: George WEAH elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - George WEAH (Coalition for Democratic Change) 38.4%, Joseph BOAKAI (UP) 28.8%, Charles BRUMSKINE (LP) 9.6%, Prince JOHNSON (MDR) 8.2%, Alexander B. CUMMINGS (ANC) 7.2%, other 7.8%; percentage of vote in second round - George WEAH 61.5%, Joseph BOAKAI 38.5%

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 runoff on 14 November 2023 (next to be held in October 2029) note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government

President Joseph BOAKAI (since 22 January 2024)

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

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/coalition - CDC 34.3%, UP 12.0%, MDR 7.1%, LRP 1.5%, independent 24.3%; seats by party/coalition - CDC 6, UP 1, MDR 1, LRP 1, independent 6; composition- men 27, women 3, percentage women 10%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - CDC 22.1%, UP 13.1%, CPP 7.6%, MDR 2.8%, PUP 4.3%, ALP 2.5%, LINU 2.3%, MPC 1.0%, NDC 1.0%, VOLT 0.8%, LRP 0.8%, Independent 25.7%; seats by party/coalition - CDC 25, UP 11, CPP 6, MDR 4, PUP 2, ALP 1, LINU 1, MPC 1, NDC 1, VOLT 1 LRP 1, independent 19; composition- men 65, women 8, percentage women 11%; total Parliament percentage women 10.6%

elections

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

All Liberian Party or ALP Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD Alternative National Congress or ANC Coalition for Democratic Change (includes CDC, NPP, and LPDP)Collaborating Political Parties or CPP (coalition includes ANC, LP; CPP dissolved in April 2024)Congress for Democratic Change or CDC Liberia Destiny Party or LDP Liberia National Union or LINU Liberia Transformation Party or LTP Liberian People Democratic Party or LPDP Liberian People's Party or LPP Liberian Restoration Party or LRP Liberty Party or LP Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction or MDR Movement for Economic Empowerment Movement for Progressive Change or MPC National Democratic Coalition or NDC National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL National Patriotic Party or NPP National Reformist Party or NRP National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP People's Unification Party or PUP Unity Party or UP United People's Party Victory for Change Party or VCP 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

cassava, rice, sugarcane, oil palm fruit, bananas, rubber, vegetables, plantains, taro, maize (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$6 million (2019 est.)

revenues

$5 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2020

-$274.971 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$101.746 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$64.806 million (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$835.846 million (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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 2018

144.056 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

186.43 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

191.518 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

166.154 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

152.934 (2022 est.)

Exports

Exports 2020

$731.658 million (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$1.041 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$1.22 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, ships, iron ore, rubber, refined petroleum (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Switzerland 28%, France 8%, Germany 8%, UK 8%, Poland 6% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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

34.9% (2023 est.)

industry

22.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

38.5% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.332 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

35.3 (2016 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27.1% (2016 est.)

lowest 10%

2.9% (2016 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2020

$1.371 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$1.739 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$1.961 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, centrifuges, rice (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 42%, South Korea 23%, Japan 15%, Germany 5%, Brazil 3% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

13.86% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

8.83% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

12.42% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

23.56% (2018 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

2.499 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

50.9% (2016 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

Public debt 2017

34.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$8.095 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$8.484 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$8.884 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.99% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.81% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.71% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$1,600 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$1,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$1,600 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

15.11% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

17.24% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

18.47% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020

$340.966 million (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$700.829 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$599.66 million (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

3.79% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

2.99% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

2.94% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

2.2% (2023 est.)

male

2.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

2.3% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

620,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

620,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

imports

78,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

615.96 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

197,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

179.222 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

14.9%

electrification - total population

31.8% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

53.7%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

32.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

66.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

1.971 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

4,000 bbl/day (2022 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

1.653 million (2021 est.)

Airports

19 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

A8

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 1,895, container ship 1,013, general cargo 170, oil tanker 1,038, other 705

total

4,821 (2023)

Pipelines

4 km oil (2013)

Ports

key ports

Buchanan, Cape Palmas, Greenville, Monrovia

ports with oil terminals

3

small

1

total ports

4 (2024)

very small

3

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

total

10,600 km

unpaved

9,943 km (2021)

Military - note

the AFL is responsible for external defense and 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 two 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 Liberia 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 (2024)

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 (2024)

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 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 (2024)

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 (2024)

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

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Liberia was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/liberia/

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.)