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.
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
Area
total : 111,369 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,049 sq km
comparison ranking: total 104
Area – comparative
slightly larger than Virginia
Area comparison map:
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: 20% (2022 est.)
arable land: 5.2% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 2.1% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 12.7% (2022 est.)
forest: 78.5% (2022 est.)
other: 1.6% (2022 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 (50-mi) 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
Population
total: 5,437,249 (2024 est.)
male: 2,711,324
female: 2,725,925
comparison rankings: total 121; female 121; male 120
Nationality
noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian
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.)
Languages
English 20% (official) and 27 indigenous languages, including Liberian English variants
Religions
Christian 84.9%, Muslim 12%, Traditional 0.5%, other 0.1%, none 2.6% (2022 est.)
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)
2024 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 72.8 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 67.3 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.5 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 18 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 19.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 19.8 years
female: 20 years
comparison ranking: total 207
Population growth rate
2.32% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 28
Birth rate
32.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 20
Death rate
8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 79
Net migration rate
-0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 139
Population distribution
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
Urbanization
urban population: 53.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas – population
1.678 million MONROVIA (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
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
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother’s mean age at first birth
19.1 years (2019/20 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio
652 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 6
Infant mortality rate
total: 55.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 50.2 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 12
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 61.6 years (2024 est.)
male: 59.9 years
female: 63.3 years
comparison ranking: total population 217
Total fertility rate
3.93 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 26
Gross reproduction rate
1.94 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
24.9% (2019/20)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 96.2% of population
rural: 70.6% of population
total: 84% of population
unimproved:
urban: 3.8% of population
rural: 29.4% of population
total: 16% of population (2020 est.)
Health expenditure
16.6% of GDP (2021)
4.8% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density
1.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: 68% of population
rural: 25.2% of population
total: 47.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 32% of population
rural: 74.8% of population
total: 52.5% of population (2020 est.)
Obesity – adult prevalence rate
9.9% (2016)
comparison ranking: 141
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 3.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 2.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 109
Tobacco use
total: 6.4% (2025 est.)
male: 11.5% (2025 est.)
female: 1.5% (2025 est.)
comparison ranking: total 155
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
10.9% (2019/20)
comparison ranking: 49
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
48.7% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 5.8% (2020)
women married by age 18: 24.9% (2020)
men married by age 18: 8.4% (2020)
Education expenditure
2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
7.4% national budget (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 178
Literacy
total population: 48.3%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.1% (2017)
Environment
Environment – current issues
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
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
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: 20% (2022 est.)
arable land: 5.2% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 2.1% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 12.7% (2022 est.)
forest: 78.5% (2022 est.)
other: 1.6% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 53.6% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 35.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 1.39 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 6.56 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 564,467 tons (2007 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
232 billion cubic meters (2020 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 Liberia’s colonization by freed slaves
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
Legal system
mixed system of common law, based on Anglo-American law and customary law
Constitution
history: previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revision adopted by referendum 3 July 1984, effective 6 January 1986
amendment process: 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
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 Joseph BOAKAI (since 22 January 2024)
head of government: President Joseph BOAKAI (since 22 January 2024)
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 2023 with a runoff on 14 November 2023 (next to be held in October 2029)
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%
note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Legislative branch
legislature name: Legislature
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch – lower chamber
chamber name: House of Representatives
number of seats: 73 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 6 years
most recent election date: 10/10/2023
parties elected and seats per party: Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) (25); Unity Party (UP) (11); Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) (6); Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) (4); Independents (19); Other (8)
percentage of women in chamber: 11%
expected date of next election: October 2029
Legislative branch – upper chamber
chamber name: The Liberian Senate
number of seats: 30 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: partial renewal
term in office: 9 years
most recent election date: 10/10/2023
parties elected and seats per party: Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) (6); Unity Party (UP) (1); Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) (1); Liberia Restoration Party (LRP) (1); Independents (6)
percentage of women in chamber: 10%
expected date of next election: October 2029
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 4 associate justices)
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
note: the Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional cases
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
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Isaac Chennoweth YEAH, Sr. (since 15 January 2025)
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
email address and website:
[email protected]
http://www.liberianembassyus.org/
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark TONER (since 7 August 2024)
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:
[email protected]
https://lr.usembassy.gov/
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
Independence
26 July 1847
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Flag description
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a five-pointed white star sits 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; the blue stands for liberty, justice, and fidelity, the white for purity, cleanliness, and guilelessness, and the red for steadfastness, valor, and fervor; 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
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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$8.882 billion (2023 est.)
$8.484 billion (2022 est.)
$8.095 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 169
Real GDP growth rate
4.68% (2023 est.)
4.81% (2022 est.)
4.99% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 63
Real GDP per capita
$1,600 (2023 est.)
$1,600 (2022 est.)
$1,500 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 213
GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.24 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
10.1% (2023 est.)
7.6% (2022 est.)
7.8% (2021 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 188
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 35.8% (2023 est.)
industry: 24.2% (2023 est.)
services: 36.3% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 206; industry 105; agriculture 6
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, sugarcane, rice, oil palm fruit, bananas, rubber, vegetables, plantains, taro, maize (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
mining (iron ore and gold), rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate
13.83% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 7
Labor force
2.607 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 120
Unemployment rate
2.9% (2024 est.)
2.9% (2023 est.)
3% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 39
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 2.1% (2024 est.)
male: 2.2% (2024 est.)
female: 2% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 192
Population below poverty line
50.9% (2016 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income
35.3 (2016 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 74
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.9% (2016 est.)
highest 10%: 27.1% (2016 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
18.87% of GDP (2023 est.)
17.24% of GDP (2022 est.)
15.11% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $5 million (2019 est.)
expenditures: $6 million (2019 est.)
Public debt
34.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 157
Current account balance
$64.806 million (2022 est.)
-$101.746 million (2021 est.)
-$274.971 million (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 81
Exports
$1.22 billion (2022 est.)
$1.041 billion (2021 est.)
$731.658 million (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 177
Exports – partners
Switzerland 30%, UK 13%, France 8%, Germany 7%, Lebanon 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
gold, ships, iron ore, rubber, refined petroleum (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$1.961 billion (2022 est.)
$1.739 billion (2021 est.)
$1.371 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 179
Imports – partners
China 48%, Japan 21%, Germany 8%, Brazil 3%, Cote d’Ivoire 3% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
ships, refined petroleum, rice, trucks, centrifuges (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$599.66 million (2022 est.)
$700.829 million (2021 est.)
$340.966 million (2020 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
comparison ranking: 162
Debt – external
$1.335 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 102
Exchange rates
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
174.956 (2023 est.)
152.934 (2022 est.)
166.154 (2021 est.)
191.518 (2020 est.)
186.43 (2019 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 31.8% (2022 est.)
electrification – urban areas: 53.7%
electrification – rural areas: 14.9%
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 199,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 215.96 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 179.222 million kWh (2023 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 62; consumption 188; installed generating capacity 173
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 66.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 1.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 32.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
imports: 75,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
671,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 4 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 671,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 183
Energy consumption per capita
1.822 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: 186
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 6,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 199
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 1.65 million (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 156
Broadcast media
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)
Internet country code
.lr
Internet users
percent of population: 24% (2023 est.)
Broadband – fixed subscriptions
total: 15,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
comparison ranking: total 178
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
A8
Airports
19 (2025)
comparison ranking: 141
Railways
total: 429 km (2008)
standard gauge: 345 km (2008) 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 84 km (2008) 1.067-m gauge
note: most sections of the railways inoperable due to damage sustained during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003, but many are being rebuilt
Merchant marine
total: 4,821 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 1,895, container ship 1,013, general cargo 170, oil tanker 1,038, other 705
comparison ranking: total 5
Ports
total ports: 4 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 1
very small: 3
ports with oil terminals: 3
key ports: Buchanan, Cape Palmas, Greenville, Monrovia
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Liberian Coast Guard
Ministry of Justice: Liberia National Police, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (2025)
Military expenditures
0.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 2,000 active Armed Forces (2025)
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 service age and obligation
18-35 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2024)
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 disarmed
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
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 (2025)
Transnational Issues
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/
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
