Liberia Facts*

23 Apr 2018

Liberia Facts*

Population 4.5 million (2017)

• Official language: English, with some 20 ethnic group languages

• Religions: Christian (86%), Muslim (12%), traditional, other and none (2%)

• Ethnic groups: Kpelle (20.3%), Bassa (13.4%), Grebo (10%), Gio (8%), Mano (7.9%), Kru (6%), Lorma (5%) Other (30%)

• GDP per capita: US$353

• Deficit: 26 per cent of GDP in 2017; -5.34 of GDP in 2016

• Economic growth: -1.6% in 2016; expected to be 2.6% in 2017, 3.6% by 2019

• Unemployment: 85% (2015)

• Exports: iron ore, rubber, gold, timber

• Labor force: 70% agricultural

• Liberia ranked 177 of 188 countries surveyed for the UNDP Human Development Index (2016), but its score increased 10% between 1990 and 2015

• Infant/child mortality under 5 years-old: 10 in 1,000 in 2016; reduced 70% since 1990, highest reduction rate in Africa.

• Life expectancy: 63, increasing by 14 years between 1990 and 2015; or 59 years for both sexes in 2017

• Fertility rate: 5 births per woman

• Median age: 18 years. More than 60% of the population is under 25

• High maternal mortality rate (725/100,000) (Female genital mutilation affects more than 2/3 women and girls)

• Happiness: ranked 38th of 44 African countries surveyed between 2014-2016 (for the UN World Happiness Report of 2017)

*Sources: World Bank, UNDP, US CIA, 2008 Liberian census, Liberia Demographic & Health Survey(2015), Index Mundi, Trading Economics, World Population Review