Liberia

presidential republic

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

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 election/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 2023 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% expected date of next election: October 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

legislature name: Legislature legislative structure: bicameral

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

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

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

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.)

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

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

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 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)

$9.308 billion (2024 est.) $8.882 billion (2023 est.) $8.484 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$1,700 (2024 est.) $1,600 (2023 est.) $1,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4.8% (2024 est.) 4.7% (2023 est.) 4.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

10.1% (2023 est.) 7.6% (2022 est.) 7.8% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

28.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

$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

$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

2.9% (2024 est.) 3% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $5 million (2019 est.) expenditures: $6 million (2019 est.)

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

cassava, sugarcane, rice, oil palm fruit, bananas, rubber, vegetables, plantains, taro, maize (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 5,563,541 (2025 est.) male: 2,774,006 female: 2,789,535

2.27% (2025 est.)

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)

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

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

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

total population: 61.6 years (2024 est.) male: 59.9 years female: 63.3 years

urban population: 53.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

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.)

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

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

iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

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 remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/liberia/

refugees: 1,854 (2024 est.)

19 (2025)

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

total: 4,821 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1,895, container ship 1,013, general cargo 170, oil tanker 1,038, other 705

total subscriptions: 1.72 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2022 est.)

percent of population: 24% (2023 est.)