Liberia
Introduction
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 United States began sending freed enslaved people and other people of color to Liberia to establish settlements. In 1847, these settlers declared independence from the United States, 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.
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Geography
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates
6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references
Africa
Land boundaries
total: 1,667 km
border countries (3): Guinea 590 km, Cote d'Ivoire 778 km, Sierra Leone 299 km
Coastline
579 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Elevation
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,447 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 243 m
Natural resources
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use
agricultural land: 28.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 5.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 20.8% (2018 est.)
forest: 44.6% (2018 est.)
other: 27.3% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
30 sq km (2012)
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
Natural hazards
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
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
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian
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 .1% (2008 est.)
Languages
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence
Religions
Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.5% (2008 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 – 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. Liberia hosted more than 125,000 Ivoirian refugees escaping post-election violence in 2010-11; as of mid-2017, about 12,000 Ivoirian refugees were still living in Liberia as of October 2017 because of instability.
Age structure
0-14 years: 43.35% (male 1,111,479/female 1,087,871)
15-24 years: 20.35% (male 516,136/female 516,137)
25-54 years: 30.01% (male 747,983/female 774,615)
55-64 years: 3.46% (male 89,150/female 86,231)
65 years and over: 2.83% (male 70,252/female 73,442) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 77.6
youth dependency ratio: 71.7
elderly dependency ratio: 5.9
potential support ratio: 17 (2020 est.)
Median age
total: 18 years
male: 17.7 years
female: 18.2 years (2020 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
Urbanization
urban population: 52.6% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.569 million MONROVIA (capital) (2021)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
19.1 years (2019/20 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio
661 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10Infant mortality rate
total: 45.98 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 50.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 65.1 years
male: 62.86 years
female: 67.4 years (2021 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
24.9% (2019/20)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 93.8% of population
rural: 67.9% of population
total: 81% of population
unimproved: urban: 6.2% of population
rural: 32.1% of population
total: 19% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
6.7% (2018)
Physicians density
0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
Hospital bed density
0.8 beds/1,000 population (2010)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 64.1% of population
rural: 23.5% of population
total: 44.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 35.9% of population
rural: 76.5% of population
total: 55.9% of population (2017 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
animal contact diseases: rabies
aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases: Lassa fever
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.3%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.1% (2017)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 2.3%
male: 2.4%
female: 2.2% (2016 est.)
Environment
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
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 17.19 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 1.39 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 6.56 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Land use
agricultural land: 28.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 5.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 20.8% (2018 est.)
forest: 44.6% (2018 est.)
other: 27.3% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 52.6% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 13.27% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
animal contact diseases: rabies
aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases: Lassa fever
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 564,467 tons (2007 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 80.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 53.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 12.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources
232 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
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
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Monrovia
geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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.
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
Independence
26 July 1847
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution
history: previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revision adopted by referendum 3 July 1984, effective 6 January 1986
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
Legal system
mixed legal system of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
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
head of government: President George WEAH (since 22 January 2018); Vice President Jewel HOWARD-TAYLOR (since 22 January 2018)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate
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 2017 with a run-off on 26 December 2017) (next to be held on 10 October 2023); the runoff originally scheduled for 7 November 2017 was delayed due to allegations of fraud in the first round, which the Supreme Court dismissed
election results: 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%
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)
elections: Senate - general election held on 8 December 2020 with half the seats up for election (next election 2023)
House of Representatives - last held on 10 October 2017 (next to be held in October 2023)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Collaborating Political Parties 40.27%, Congress for Democratic Change 28.02%, People's Unification Party 6.40, Movement for Democracy and Reconstructions 4.30%, All Liberia Coalition 1.09%,Rainbow Alliance 1.09%, Liberia Restoration Party 0,82%, Liberia National Union 0.77%, Movement for Progressive Change 0.74%, United People's Party 0.66%, Liberia Transformation Party 0.16%, National Democratic Coalition 0.07%, Movement for One Liberia 0.01; seats by coalition/party- CPP 13, CDC 5, PUP 2, MDR 1, NDC 1
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for Democratic Change 15.6%, UP 14%, LP 8.7%, ANC 6.1%, PUP 5.9%, ALP 5.1%, MDR 3.4%, other 41.2%; seats by coalition/party - Coalition for Democratic Change 21, UP 20, PUP 5, LP 3, ALP 3, MDR 2, independent 13, other 6; composition - men 64, women 9, percent of women 12.3%; total Parliament percent of women 11.7%
Judicial branch
highest courts: 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
Political parties and leaders
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Marcus S. G. DAHN]
All Liberian Party or ALP [Benoi UREY]
Alternative National Congress or ANC [Orishil GOULD]
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 [Nathaniel BLAMA]
Liberia Transformation Party or LTP [Julius SUKU]
Liberian People Democratic Party or LPDP [Alex J. TYLER]
Liberian People's Party or LPP
Liberty Party or LP [J. Fonati KOFFA]
Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction or MDR [Prince Y. JOHNSON]
Movement for Economic Empowerment [J. Mill JONES, Dr.]
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 [Varney SHERMAN]
United People's Party [MacDonald WENTO]
Victory for Change Party [Marcus R. JONES]
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, MINUSMA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador George S.W. PATTEN, Sr. (since 11 January 2019)
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
email address and website:
info@liberiaemb.org
http://www.liberianembassyus.org/
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael A. MCCARTHY (since 22 January 2021)
embassy: 502 Benson Street, Monrovia
mailing address: 8800 Monrovia Place, Washington DC 20521-8800
telephone: [231] 77-677-7000
FAX: [231] 77-677-7370
email address and website:
ACSMonrovia@state.gov
https://lr.usembassy.gov/
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: the design is based on the US flag
National symbol(s)
white star; national colors: red, white, blue
National anthem
name: All Hail, Liberia Hail!
lyrics/music: Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA
note: lyrics adopted 1847, music adopted 1860; the anthem's author later became the third president of Liberia
Economy
Economic overview
Liberia is a low-income country that relies heavily on foreign assistance and remittances from the diaspora. It is richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture. Its principal exports are iron ore, rubber, diamonds, and gold. Palm oil and cocoa are emerging as new export products. The government has attempted to revive raw timber extraction and is encouraging oil exploration.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially infrastructure in and around the capital. Much of the conflict was fueled by control over Liberia’s natural resources. With the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically elected government in 2006, businesses that had fled the country began to return. The country achieved high growth during the period 2010-13 due to favorable world prices for its commodities. However, during the 2014-2015 Ebola crisis, the economy declined and many foreign-owned businesses departed with their capital and expertise. The epidemic forced the government to divert scarce resources to combat the spread of the virus, reducing funds available for needed public investment. The cost of addressing the Ebola epidemic coincided with decreased economic activity reducing government revenue, although higher donor support significantly offset this loss. During the same period, global commodities prices for key exports fell and have yet to recover to pre-Ebola levels.
In 2017, gold was a key driver of growth, as a new mining project began its first full year of production; iron ore exports are also increased as Arcelor Mittal opened new mines at Mount Gangra. The completion of the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydroelectric Dam increased electricity production to support ongoing and future economic activity, although electricity tariffs remain high relative to other countries in the region and transmission infrastructure is limited. Presidential and legislative elections in October 2017 generated election-related spending pressures.
Revitalizing the economy in the future will depend on economic diversification, increasing investment and trade, higher global commodity prices, sustained foreign aid and remittances, development of infrastructure and institutions, combating corruption, and maintaining political stability and security.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$6.85 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$7.05 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$7.21 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
2.5% (2017 est.)
-1.6% (2016 est.)
0% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$1,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$1,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$1,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$3.071 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
12.4% (2017 est.)
8.8% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 34% (2017 est.)
industry: 13.8% (2017 est.)
services: 52.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 128.8% (2016 est.)
government consumption: 16.7% (2016 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 19.5% (2016 est.)
investment in inventories: 6.7% (2016 est.)
exports of goods and services: 17.5% (2016 est.)
imports of goods and services: -89.2% (2016 est.)
Agricultural products
cassava, sugar cane, oil palm fruit, rice, bananas, vegetables, plantains, rubber, taro, maize
Industries
mining (iron ore and gold), rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 70%
industry: 8%
services: 22% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line
50.9% (2016 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
35.3 (2016 est.)
38.2 (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 30.1% (2007)
Budget
revenues: 553.6 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: 693.8 million (2017 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$627 million (2017 est.)
-$464 million (2016 est.)
Exports
$550 million note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)
$530 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
$359 million (2017 est.)
Exports - partners
Guyana 32%, Poland 10%, Switzerland 8%, Japan 7%, China 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
ships, iron, gold, rubber, crude petroleum (2019)
Imports
$1.24 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)
$1.25 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
$2.118 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - partners
China 41%, Japan 21%, South Korea 18% (2019)
Imports - commodities
ships, refined petroleum, iron structures, boat propellers, centrifuges (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$459.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$528.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar -
109.4 (2017 est.)
93.4 (2016 est.)
93.4 (2015 est.)
85.3 (2014 est.)
83.893 (2013 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 2.3%
male: 2.4%
female: 2.2% (2016 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 12% (2019)
electrification - urban areas: 18% (2019)
electrification - rural areas: 6% (2019)
Electricity - production
300 million kWh (2016 est.)
note: according to a 2014 household survey, only 4.5% of Liberians use Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) power, 4.9% use a community generator, 4.4% have their own generator, 3.9% use vehicle batteries, and 0.8% use other sources of electricity, and 81.3% have no access to electricity; LEC accounts for roughly 70 million kWh of ouput.
Electricity - installed generating capacity
151,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173Electricity - from fossil fuels
57% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
43% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46Electricity - from other renewable sources
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197Refined petroleum products - consumption
8,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 8,000 (2018)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 2.66 million (2018)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 56.57 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: due to history of civil war and ruin of infrastructure, almost entirely wireless telecom market; good competition for mobile services; high cost and limited bandwidth means Internet access is low; additional investment needed for increased submarine cable access; progress in creating an attractive business-friendly environment is hampered by a weak regulatory environment, corruption, lack of transparency, poor infrastructure, and low private sector capacity; rural areas have little access; fixed-line service is stagnant and extremely limited; operators introducing e-commerce; importer of broadcast equipment from China (2020)
domestic: fixed-line less than 1 per 100; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity approached 57 per 100 persons (2019)
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)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
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 users
total: 761,000 (2021 est.)
percent of population: 7.98% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 9,000 (2017 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.)
Transportation
Airports - with paved runways
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2019)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 14 (2013)
Pipelines
4 km oil (2013)
Railways
total: 429 km (2008)
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
note: most sections of the railways inoperable due to damage sustained during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003, but many are being rebuilt
Roadways
total: 10,600 km (2018)
paved: 657 km (2018)
unpaved: 9,943 km (2018)
Merchant marine
total: 3,942
by type: bulk carrier 1,487, container ship 878, general cargo 131, oil tanker 851, other 595 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Buchanan, Monrovia
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Liberian Coast Guard, Air Wing (2021)
note(s) - the AFL Air Wing was previously disbanded in 2005 and has been under development since 2019; the Liberian National Police and the Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency are under the Ministry of Justice
Military expenditures
0.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
0.5% of GDP (2019 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2018 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
0.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) have approximately 2,000 personnel (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the AFL is poorly armed; it has received limited quantities of equipment since 2010, including donations, from countries such as China and the US (2020)
Military deployments
150 Mali (MINUSMA) (Sep 2021)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)
Military - note
the first militia unit established for defense of the colony was raised in 1832; the Armed Forces of Liberia (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; at the end of the second civil war in 2003, military and police forces were disbanded and approximately 100,000 military, police, and rebel combatants were disarmed; the AFL began to rebuild in 2003 with US assistance and the first infantry battalion of the restructured AFL was re-activated in late 2007; a second battalion was added in 2008
the 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
as of 2021, the AFL was comprised mostly of a small ground force consisting of 2 infantry battalions, while the Coast Guard had only a few small patrol boats; the AFL had no aircraft
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
as the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) continues to drawdown prior to the 1 March 2018 closure date, the peacekeeping force is being reduced to 434 soldiers and two police units; some Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia shelters 8,804 Ivoirian refugees, as of 2019
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 8,295 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2021)
Illicit drugs
not a significant transit country for illicit narcotics but proximity to major drug routes contribute to trafficking; not a significant producer of illicit narcotics; local drug use involves marijuana, heroin, cocaine, the synthetic opioid tramadol, and amphetamine-type stimulants