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Physical geography
Mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast.
Local timeMonrovia ·
Africa / Western Africa · Card 028
Liberia
Liberia is a country in Western Africa. Its capital is Monrovia.
Find Liberia
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Monrovia
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Liberian dollar (LRD)
- Population
- 5.7 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 111,369 km²43,000 square miles
- Independence
- 1847
Liberia in context
Africa and its surrounding islands. The dot marks Monrovia; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
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Languages
Languages used in public life include English.
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Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone.
Flag
11 equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white; a five-pointed white star sits on a blue square in the upper-left corner
History & independence
Liberia was founded through settlements organized by the American Colonization Society on land already inhabited by African communities. Settler leaders declared a republic on 26 July 1847. Liberia was not a European colony; its political development was shaped by unequal relations between settlers and indigenous communities.
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The Republic of Liberia is declared
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The first civil war begins
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A peace agreement ends the second civil war
Economy
Main activities
Iron ore, gold, rubber, agriculture and services contribute to the economy. Infrastructure rebuilding and access to electricity remain important after civil wars and the Ebola epidemic disrupted development.
Industry and production
mining (iron ore and gold), rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people5.72025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1,466,676 | 1.467 |
| 1980 | 1,929,253 | 1.929 |
| 1990 | 2,223,667 | 2.224 |
| 2000 | 2,928,117 | 2.928 |
| 2010 | 4,058,890 | 4.059 |
| 2020 | 5,149,463 | 5.149 |
| 2025 | 5,731,206 | 5.731 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars3.92025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,676,942,910 | 1.677 |
| 1991 | 1,438,394,192 | 1.438 |
| 1992 | 933,723,839 | 0.934 |
| 1993 | 625,824,712 | 0.626 |
| 1994 | 489,630,571 | 0.490 |
| 1995 | 468,741,927 | 0.469 |
| 1996 | 525,559,091 | 0.526 |
| 1997 | 1,084,122,317 | 1.084 |
| 1998 | 1,411,615,368 | 1.412 |
| 1999 | 1,718,520,972 | 1.719 |
| 2000 | 2,210,291,804 | 2.210 |
| 2001 | 2,274,838,397 | 2.275 |
| 2002 | 2,360,440,967 | 2.360 |
| 2003 | 1,648,882,905 | 1.649 |
| 2004 | 1,692,081,112 | 1.692 |
| 2005 | 1,781,443,511 | 1.781 |
| 2006 | 1,924,741,223 | 1.925 |
| 2007 | 2,108,270,598 | 2.108 |
| 2008 | 2,258,921,103 | 2.259 |
| 2009 | 2,378,656,131 | 2.379 |
| 2010 | 2,523,749,999 | 2.524 |
| 2011 | 2,730,716,886 | 2.731 |
| 2012 | 2,949,005,327 | 2.949 |
| 2013 | 3,205,193,908 | 3.205 |
| 2014 | 3,227,674,917 | 3.228 |
| 2015 | 3,227,075,700 | 3.227 |
| 2016 | 3,176,896,008 | 3.177 |
| 2017 | 3,254,893,759 | 3.255 |
| 2018 | 3,292,571,599 | 3.293 |
| 2019 | 3,211,334,058 | 3.211 |
| 2020 | 3,115,556,300 | 3.116 |
| 2021 | 3,270,920,146 | 3.271 |
| 2022 | 3,428,189,426 | 3.428 |
| 2023 | 3,588,757,485 | 3.589 |
| 2024 | 3,733,092,095 | 3.733 |
| 2025 | 3,920,364,940 | 3.920 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.510Low human developmentRank 177 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
20000.443
20100.467
20200.498
20230.510
62.2 yearsLife expectancy at birth
6.2 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Presidential republic. Legislature has two chambers (a bicameral legislature). The president holds executive responsibilities; the legislature makes national laws.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Liberia.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which currency is listed for Liberia?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.