Liberia

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<p>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.</p> <p>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. <br><br>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. </p> <p> </p>

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

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6 30 N, 9 30 W

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Africa

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slightly larger than Virginia

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579 km

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

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

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iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

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30 sq km (2012)

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more than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one third living within an 80-km (50-mi) radius of Monrovia, as shown in this population distribution map

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

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

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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.)

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

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

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2.27% (2025 est.)

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31.72 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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8.17 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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-0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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more than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one third living within an 80-km (50-mi) radius of Monrovia, as shown in this population distribution map

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1.678 million MONROVIA (capital) (2023)

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19.1 years (2019/20 est.)

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<strong>note:</strong> data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

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628 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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3.84 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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1.89 (2025 est.)

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0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

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9.9% (2016)

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10.9% (2019 est.)

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51.4% (2020 est.)

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tropical rainforest 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

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

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41.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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232 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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presidential republic

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

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

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accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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18 years of age; universal

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<strong>note:</strong> the president is both chief of state and head of government

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<strong>note: </strong>the Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional cases

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

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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

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26 July 1847

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Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

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<strong>description:</strong> 11 equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white; a five-pointed white star sits on a blue square in the upper-left corner<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the stripes stand for the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence, the blue square for the African mainland, and the star for the freedom granted to ex-slaves; the blue stands for liberty, justice, and fidelity; the white for purity, cleanliness, and guilelessness; the red for steadfastness, valor, and fervor

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<strong>note: </strong>the design is based on the US flag

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white star

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red, white, blue

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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

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$4.75 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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

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cassava, sugarcane, rice, oil palm fruit, bananas, rubber, vegetables, plantains, taro, maize (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

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6.1% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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2.607 million (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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50.9% (2016 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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

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<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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

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

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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Switzerland 30%, UK 13%, France 8%, Germany 7%, Lebanon 4% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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gold, ships, iron ore, rubber, refined petroleum (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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China 48%, Japan 21%, Germany 8%, Brazil 3%, Cote d'Ivoire 3% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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ships, refined petroleum, rice, trucks, centrifuges (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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

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<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

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8 private and 1 state-owned TV station; satellite TV service available; 1 state-owned radio station; about 20 independent radio stations broadcasting in Monrovia, with about 80 more local stations operating in other areas; transmissions of 4 international broadcasters are available (2019)

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.lr

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A8

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19 (2025)

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

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Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Liberian Coast Guard<br><br>Ministry of Justice: Liberia National Police, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (2025)

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approximately 2,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

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the military has a limited inventory; in recent years, it has received small quantities of equipment, including donations, from countries such as China, UAE, and the US (2025)

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18 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service (2025)

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the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) are responsible for external defense and 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, as well as a few coastal patrol craft for the Coast Guard; 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 disarmed<br><br>the 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 1970 (2025)