Liberia/Society

Society in Liberia

An overview of key social indicators. Select a category for detailed trends, charts, and insights.

Explore Social Domains

Demographics

Coming Soon
Population
5.5M(2023)
Population Growth
2.2%(2023)
Fertility Rate
3.95(2023)
Death Rate
8.1 per 1k(2023)
Net Migration
-7.8K(2024)

Public Health

Coming Soon
Life Expectancy
62.2 years(2023)
Under-5 Mortality
72.9 per 1k(2023)
Maternal Mortality
628 per 100k(2023)
Health Expenditure (as share of GDP)
13.5%(2022)

Education & Human Capital

Coming Soon
Literacy Rate
48.3%(2017)
Primary Enrollment
44.3%(2017)
Secondary Enrollment
37.8%(2020)
Tertiary Enrollment
11.3(2012)
Education Expenditure (as share of GDP)
2.3%(2022)

Living Standards & Connectivity

Coming Soon
Internet Users
23.5%(2023)
Access to Electricity
32.5%(2023)
Access to Basic Drinking Water
75.6%(2022)
Urban Population
2.9M(2023)
Rural Population
2.6M(2023)

Current Snapshot Overview

A summary of key social and demographic indicators for Liberia

  • Liberia has an estimated population of 5.5M
    2023
    The nation is experiencing rapid demographic expansion with an annual growth rate of 2.2%
    2023
    , indicative of a dynamic and youthful population structure and potential for a significant demographic dividend. With a fertility rate of 4.0 births per woman
    2023
    , the population maintains momentum, necessitating strategic investments in social infrastructure. Net emigration of approximately 8K individuals annually (or 1.4 per 1,000 inhabitants)
    2024
    adds pressure to demographic transitions and workforce sustainability.
  • Regarding public health, The notably low life expectancy of 62.2 years
    2023
    underscores critical public health challenges that necessitate urgent and comprehensive interventions. Concurrently, Healthcare delivery faces significant systemic challenges, as evidenced by elevated child mortality (under 5 years) (72.9 per 1,000 live births
    2023
    and maternal mortality (628 per 100,000 live births
    2023
    ) rates, suggesting areas for critical intervention and resource allocation. These outcomes are supported by a substantial health investment, with 13.5% of GDP allocated to healthcare expenditure
    2022
    .
  • Critical educational challenges are highlighted by the low literacy rate of 48%
    2017
    , necessitating immediate and sustained interventions to improve foundational education. Complementing this, educational access remains notably limited with 44% primary enrollment
    2017
    , pointing to fundamental infrastructure, accessibility, and retention barriers across the educational system. This educational framework is supported by limited educational investment, at 2.3% of GDP
    2022
    , which may constrain the scale and quality of future human capital development initiatives.
  • In terms of infrastructure and connectivity, a still balanced urban-rural distribution (54% urban population
    2023
    ) creates diverse economic opportunities but necessitates coordinated infrastructure development to bridge potential disparities. Furthermore, critical infrastructure gaps are evident, with electricity access at 33%
    2023
    and internet penetration at 24%
    2023
    severely limiting economic potential, hindering social development, and impeding digital integration.

Key Development Insights

Population Dynamics

A youthful, rapidly growing population presents a "demographic dividend" opportunity if met with sufficient investment in jobs and services.

Public Health System

Addressing critical gaps in the healthcare system is essential to improve lagging indicators like life expectancy and maternal mortality.

Human Capital Formation

Improving foundational literacy and secondary school completion is a critical priority for unlocking future economic potential.

Infrastructure & Connectivity

Expanding access to basic infrastructure, particularly electricity, remains a key bottleneck for broad-based development.

More About This Country

Neighbors & Regional Peers

Note: The information on this page has been compiled from authoritative sources. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please note that some figures may not be current or entirely precise.