Liberia

Location

• Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
• facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Monrovia	1,542,549	Capital
Gbarnga	86,031
Buchanan	75,854
Ganta	63,523
Kakata	52,247
Zwedru	38,269
Harbel	38,208
Harper	35,503
Pleebo City	35,423
Foya Kamara	31,052

Size

• 43,000 square miles
• 111,370 square kilometers
• slightly larger than Virginia

History

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.   

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

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.)

Government

presidential republic

• Constitution: history: previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revision adopted by referendum 3 July 1984, effective 6 January 1986amendment 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
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: mixed system of common law, based on Anglo-American law and customary law
• 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 Senateelection/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term)most recent election date: 10 October 2023, with a runoff on 14 November 2023election 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%expected date of next election: October 2029note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
• 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 70subordinate courts: judicial circuit courts; special courts, including criminal, civil, labor, traffic; magistrate and traditional or customary courtsnote: the Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional cases
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: Legislaturelegislative structure: bicameral

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• 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
• Budget: revenues: $5 million (2019 est.)expenditures: $6 million (2019 est.)
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
• Industries: mining (iron ore and gold), rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds
• Agricultural Products: cassava, sugarcane, rice, oil palm fruit, bananas, rubber, vegetables, plantains, taro, maize (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• 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.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, rice, trucks, centrifuges (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import 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
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: gold, ships, iron ore, rubber, refined petroleum (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: Switzerland 30%, UK 13%, France 8%, Germany 7%, Lebanon 4% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports