According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects[3][4], Liberia's total population was 5,193,416 in 2021. This is compared to 911,000 in 1950.[5]
43.5% of Liberians were below the age of 15 in 2010.[5] 53.7% were between 15 and 65 years of age, while 2.8% were 65 years or older.[5]
Estimates of Liberia's population prior to the 20th century are unreliable due to the lack of historical censuses.[6] Estimates by scholars of pre-World War II demographics in Liberia differ wildly.[6]
Total population
Population Age (%)
0–14
15–64
65+
1950
911 000
41.0
55.9
3.0
1955
997 000
41.1
56.1
2.8
1960
1 116 000
41.4
55.9
2.7
1965
1 262 000
43.0
54.3
2.6
1970
1 440 000
44.1
53.3
2.6
1975
1 658 000
44.8
52.6
2.6
1980
1 923 000
45.5
51.9
2.6
1985
2 212 000
45.9
51.5
2.6
1990
2 127 000
45.6
52.8
2.6
1995
2 095 000
44.5
52.8
2.6
2000
2 847 000
43.6
53.8
2.6
2005
3 183 000
43.3
54.0
2.7
2010
3 994 000
43.5
53.7
2.8
Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 21.III.2008):[7]
Liberia's population from 1961-2013.[8] Liberia's population tripled in 40 years.[8]
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
%
Total
1 739 945
1 736 663
3 476 608
100
0–14
736 834
721 238
1 458 072
41.94
0–4
270 564
263 911
534 475
15.37
5–9
251 411
250 520
501 931
14.44
10–14
214 859
206 807
421 666
12.13
15–64
945 641
954 784
1 900 425
54.66
15–19
189 407
186 288
375 695
10.81
20–24
161 951
180 979
342 930
9.86
25–29
141 006
150 852
291 858
8.39
30–34
107 326
112 306
219 632
6.32
35–39
99 136
104 400
203 536
5.85
40–44
81 670
74 067
155 737
4.48
45–49
63 827
54 980
118 807
3.42
50–54
44 870
38 070
82 940
2.39
55–59
30 975
25 485
56 460
1.62
60–64
25 473
27 357
52 830
1.52
65-85+
57 470
60 641
118 111
3.40
65-69
19 250
20 557
39 807
1.14
70-74
12 343
13 403
25 746
0.74
75-79
11 580
11 333
22 913
0.66
80-84
5 408
6 599
12 007
0.35
85+
8 889
8 749
17 638
0.51
Vital statistics
Registration of vital events is in Liberia not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.
[9]
Year
Mid-year population*
Live births per year*
Deaths per year*
Natural change per year*
CBR**
CDR**
NC**
TFR**
IMR**
Life expectancy (years)
1950
916
40
22
18
43.1
24.0
19.1
6.00
199.3
38.5
1951
933
41
23
18
43.7
24.2
19.6
6.04
198.8
38.6
1952
952
42
23
19
44.3
24.2
20.2
6.09
198.0
38.7
1953
971
44
24
20
44.9
24.2
20.6
6.12
197.3
38.8
1954
992
45
24
21
45.4
24.3
21.1
6.16
196.6
39.0
1955
1 014
46
25
22
45.8
24.5
21.3
6.19
197.2
38.8
1956
1 037
48
26
22
46.4
24.7
21.6
6.24
198.0
38.8
1957
1 061
50
26
23
46.8
24.9
21.9
6.28
198.7
38.7
1958
1 085
51
27
24
47.2
25.2
22.1
6.31
199.4
38.5
1959
1 110
53
28
25
47.7
25.4
22.3
6.35
200.1
38.4
1960
1 137
55
29
26
48.0
25.6
22.5
6.39
200.6
38.3
1961
1 165
56
30
26
48.4
25.7
22.7
6.45
200.7
38.3
1962
1 194
58
31
27
48.7
25.7
23.0
6.50
200.5
38.4
1963
1 224
60
31
28
48.9
25.7
23.2
6.56
200.0
38.5
1964
1 255
61
32
29
49.0
25.7
23.4
6.59
199.0
38.6
1965
1 287
63
33
30
49.1
25.5
23.6
6.62
197.5
38.8
1966
1 320
65
33
31
49.0
25.3
23.7
6.63
195.8
39.1
1967
1 354
66
34
33
49.0
25.0
24.0
6.65
193.7
39.4
1968
1 389
68
34
34
49.0
24.7
24.2
6.66
191.3
39.8
1969
1 426
70
35
35
49.1
24.4
24.7
6.64
188.5
40.2
1970
1 464
71
35
36
48.5
24.0
24.5
6.58
185.6
40.6
1971
1 502
72
35
37
48.0
23.6
24.5
6.54
183.1
40.9
1972
1 541
74
36
39
48.2
23.1
25.1
6.60
180.3
41.5
1973
1 583
77
36
40
48.4
22.8
25.6
6.65
177.7
41.9
1974
1 626
79
36
42
48.5
22.4
26.0
6.69
175.1
42.4
1975
1 672
81
37
44
48.6
22.1
26.5
6.74
172.4
42.8
1976
1 718
84
37
46
48.7
21.8
26.9
6.79
169.9
43.2
1977
1 768
86
38
48
48.7
21.4
27.3
6.84
167.6
43.6
1978
1 821
88
38
50
48.6
21.0
27.6
6.88
165.4
44.0
1979
1 876
91
39
52
48.5
20.7
27.8
6.92
163.4
44.3
1980
1 932
93
39
54
48.0
20.3
27.7
6.87
161.6
44.6
1981
1 990
94
40
55
47.5
19.9
27.5
6.83
159.9
45.0
1982
2 048
96
40
56
46.9
19.6
27.3
6.79
158.6
45.2
1983
2 109
98
41
57
46.5
19.4
27.0
6.76
157.8
45.4
1984
2 174
100
42
58
45.9
19.3
26.6
6.73
157.8
45.4
1985
2 240
102
44
58
45.7
19.7
26.1
6.69
159.9
44.7
1986
2 306
105
45
60
45.5
19.4
26.0
6.64
161.0
45.0
1987
2 372
107
47
60
45.0
19.7
25.3
6.57
164.0
44.5
1988
2 440
109
49
60
44.7
20.1
24.6
6.51
167.4
44.0
1989
2 508
111
51
60
44.5
20.5
24.0
6.43
170.6
43.5
1990
2 210
114
65
49
44.4
25.5
18.9
6.37
173.2
36.7
1991
1 939
85
40
45
44.6
21.0
23.6
6.32
175.0
42.8
1992
2 053
90
43
48
44.5
21.0
23.5
6.28
173.9
42.7
1993
2 133
95
46
49
44.6
21.5
23.1
6.25
174.8
42.2
1994
2 125
97
48
50
44.6
21.8
22.8
6.21
172.9
41.8
1995
2 142
94
43
52
44.7
20.2
24.4
6.17
166.1
43.9
1996
2 204
99
44
55
44.6
19.9
24.7
6.13
161.2
44.4
1997
2 383
100
39
60
44.4
17.6
26.8
6.08
151.5
47.8
1998
2 639
115
44
71
44.3
16.9
27.4
6.02
144.6
48.9
1999
2 790
122
45
77
44.1
16.1
27.9
5.95
137.3
50.0
2000
2 895
126
44
82
43.6
15.2
28.4
5.88
129.8
51.4
2001
2 982
128
43
86
43.0
14.3
28.7
5.77
122.0
52.8
2002
3 061
130
42
88
42.3
13.6
28.7
5.65
114.2
53.8
2003
3 085
131
43
88
41.7
13.9
27.9
5.55
108.9
53.0
2004
3 122
129
38
92
41.5
12.1
29.3
5.51
99.5
56.0
2005
3 266
133
37
96
41.5
11.6
29.9
5.52
93.2
56.9
2006
3 455
141
38
103
41.3
11.2
30.2
5.53
87.8
57.6
2007
3 633
147
39
108
40.9
10.8
30.1
5.46
83.3
58.3
2008
3 784
151
39
111
39.9
10.4
29.5
5.33
79.6
58.8
2009
3 905
152
39
113
38.9
10.1
28.8
5.17
76.5
59.2
2010
4 020
153
40
113
38.1
9.9
28.2
5.06
74.0
59.4
2011
4 181
155
40
114
37.4
9.7
27.7
4.97
72.0
59.6
2012
4 332
162
42
121
37.3
9.6
27.7
4.88
70.3
59.9
2013
4 427
160
42
118
36.1
9.5
26.7
4.75
68.8
59.9
2014
4 519
159
44
115
35.1
9.8
25.3
4.62
68.7
59.1
2015
4 612
158
45
113
34.2
9.7
24.5
4.52
67.7
59.1
2016
4 706
159
43
116
33.7
9.1
24.7
4.46
65.0
60.4
2017
4 797
159
43
116
33.2
9.0
24.2
4.40
63.7
60.6
2018
4 889
160
43
117
32.7
8.8
23.9
4.34
62.4
60.9
2019
4 985
161
43
118
32.2
8.7
23.5
4.26
61.1
61.1
2020
5 088
161
45
117
31.7
8.8
23.0
4.17
59.6
60.9
2021
5 193
163
46
117
31.3
8.8
22.4
4.09
58.0
60.7
* In thousands
** CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)
Fertility and births
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):[10][11]
Year
CBR
TFR
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
(Rural)
2007
37.6
32.5
40.4
5.2 (4.6)
3.8 (3.3)
6.2 (5.6)
2013
34.4
31.1
38.5
4.7 (4.0)
3.8 (3.3)
6.1 (5.1)
2019-20
30.1
27.5
33.6
4.2 (3.7)
3.4 (3.1)
5.5 (4.8)
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
The Gola ethnic group originated somewhere in central Africa. During the Empire of Ancient Ghana they were involved in the land-surveying and jurisprudence of the empire.
The other ethnic groups that fall under the Mande-Tan, Mande-Fu were also members of Ancient Ghana. Because of their influence in the judicial aspects of the Ghana, the Gola's social structure dominated through the Poro.
With the influx of Islam many groups adopted it while others resisted. The Golas fought three wars with pro-Islamic elements in a changing Ghana. These wars were known as the Kumba Wars. The Golas lost the third of these wars and were forced to retreat toward Sierra Leone. They were pursued by the Mende, Gbandi and Loma. Their battles with the Mende in Sierra Leone forced them to retreat yet again and settle finally in Liberia where they encountered the Dei.
Immigrants from Mali
The Kpelle, Gio, Mano, Mandingo and Vai groups migrated from the Empire of Mali for various reasons, some escaping political intrigue, others looking for a better life. The Vais, settled in Grand Cape Mount county in the west of Liberia, were the first to invent a form of writing in 1833 or 1834. The reported inventor was Dwalu Bukele of Bandakor along the Robertsport (provincial capital) highway.
Immigrants from Côte d'Ivoire
In the 16th century; Kru (Tajuasohn), Bassa, Belleh, Krahn, Grebo.
Congos is an eponymic term for "recaptives," people rescued from slave ships after the slave trade, not slavery itself, was abolished by Great Britain and the United States. These people were "repatriated" to Liberia (and Sierra Leone if rescued by the British) and their descendants. The term was used because many of these rescued Africans were thought to be from the Congo River Basin.[13][14][15]
Immigrants from Lebanon
In the late 19th century to early 20th century Lebanese merchants, families and businessmen began arriving in Liberia. Lebanese currently own many major businesses such as supermarkets, restaurants, textiles, construction works, factories and other production based companies across the country.
urban population: 53.1% of total population (2022)
urban population: 51.2% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
15–64 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.96 male(s)/female
total population:1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
Development of life expectancy
total population: 65.45 years. Country comparison to the world: 201st
male: 63.19 years
female: 67.78 years (2022 est.)
total population: 63.8 years (2018 est.)
male: 61.6 years (2018 est.)
female: 66 years (2018 est.)
total population: 57 years (2011 est.)
male: 55.44 years
female: 58.6 years
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vector borne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
animal contact diseases: rabies
aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases: Lassa fever
note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Liberia is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
There are also more or less nomadic groups like the Fula, who engage mostly in trade, and the Fanti, who are often fishermen or traders of fish, usually from Ghana, living seasonally and more and more often permanently in Liberia.
Then there are Americo-Liberians, who are descendants of free-born and formerly enslaved African Americans who arrived in Liberia from 1822 onward and Congo People (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean), making up an estimated 5% of the population. They used to dominate political life in Liberia and still have a lot of influence.
There are about 5,000 people of European descent, many of them having settled down as miners, missionaries, business people, and so on. There also is a sizeable number of Lebanese, Indians, and other people with Asian roots who make up a significant part of Liberia's business community. Because of the civil war and its accompanying problem of insecurity, the number of non-Africans in Liberia is low and confined largely to Monrovia and its immediate surroundings.
The Liberian Constitution restricts citizenship of Liberia only to people who are either 'Negroes or of Negro descent' wherein the Liberian Constitution / Chapter 4 / Article 27b states: "In order to preserve, foster and maintain the positive Liberian culture, values and character, only persons who are Negroes or of Negro descent shall qualify by birth or by naturalization to be citizens of Liberia."[21]
