Liberia saw progress across a few sectors in 2016. InJune the country, which had suffered from an out-break of the Ebola virus for more than two years,

was declared free of the virus by the World HealthOrganization. UN sanctions and embargoes, which hadbeen in place since Liberia experienced civil conflict in thelate 20th and early 21st centuries, were finally lifted inMay. By the end of June, the UNpeacekeeping mission, which hadhandled security concerns in thecountry since 2003, handed backfull responsibility for such mattersto Liberia’s army and police.

DemographyPopulation (2016): 4,308,000.Density (2016): persons per sq mi115.1, persons per sq km 44.6.

Sex distribution (2015): male 49.84%;female 50.16%.

Population projection: (2020)4,752,000; (2030) 5,987,000.

Major urban areas (2008):Monrovia (2014) 1,223,880;Gbarnga 56,986; Buchanan50,245; Ganta 42,077;Kakata 34,608.

Urban-rural (2014):

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 population(2015): 34.4 (world avg. 19.5).

Death rate per 1,000 population(2015): 9.7 (world avg. 8.1).

Natural increase rate per 1,000 popu-lation (2015): 24.7 (world avg. 11.4).

Life expectancy at birth (2015): male56.9 years; female 60.3 years.

Adult population (ages 15–49) livingwith HIV (2015): 1.1%2 (world avg.0.8%).

Age breakdown (2015):

Ethnic composition (2008): Religious affiliation (2008):

Liberia

Official name: Republic of Liberia.Form of government: multiparty republicwith two legislative houses (LiberianSenate [30]; House of Representatives[73]).

Head of state and government: PresidentEllen Johnson Sirleaf.

Capital: Monrovia.Official language: English.Official religion: none.Monetary unit: Liberian dollar (L$); valuation (Sept. 1, 2016) 1 U.S.$ =L$94.00; 1 £ = L$125.02.

Area and population area population

2008Counties Capitals sq mi sq km census

Bomi Tubmanburg 746 1,932 84,119Bong Gbarnga 3,380 8,754 333,481Gbarpolu Bopulu 3,843 9,953 83,388Grand Bassa Buchanan 3,017 7,814 221,693Grand Cape Mount Robertsport 1,846 4,781 127,076Grand Gedeh Zwedru 4,191 10,854 125,258Grand Kru Barclayville 1,504 3,895 57,913Lofa Voinjama 3,854 9,982 276,863Margibi Kakata 1,039 2,691 209,923Maryland Harper 887 2,297 135,938Montserrado Bensonville 726 1,880 1,118,241Nimba Sanniquellie 4,460 11,551 462,026River Cess River Cess 2,183 5,654 71,509River Gee Fish Town 1,974 5,113 66,789Sinoe Greenville 3,770 9,764 102,391TOTAL 37,420 96,9171 3,476,608

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National economyBudget (2013–14). Revenue: U.S.$551,400,000 (tax revenue 68.6%, ofwhich income tax 28.7%, import duties 26.8%; nontaxrevenue 16.8%; grants 14.6%). Expenditures:U.S.$628,500,000 (current expenditure 67.9%, of whichwages and salaries 31.8%, transfers 14.3%; capital expen-diture 32.1%).

Public debt (external, outstanding; 2014): U.S.$305,823,000.Population economically active (2014): total 1,554,000; par-

ticipation rates: ages 15–64 (2010) male 61.6%; female56.7%; officially unemployed 3.7%, of which youth (ages15–24) 5.1%.

Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture,forestry, fishing (2014): cassava 524,300, sugarcane266,000, rice 237,000, palm fruit oil 177,000, bananas132,0466, natural rubber 63,0006, plantains 48,3576, taro 27,700, corn(maize) 25,2076, sweet potatoes 22,100, yams 21,200, pineapples8,5146, cacao beans 8,4006, oranges 8,2356, coconuts 6,740; livestock(number of live animals) 345,000 goats, 290,000 pigs, 276,000 sheep,7,600,000 chickens; roundwood 8,561,808 cu m, of which fuelwood94%; fisheries production 9,530 (from aquaculture, negligible). Miningand quarrying (2013): iron ore 4,698,000; diamonds 44,334 carats8;gold 600 kg. Manufacturing (value of sales in L$’000; 2007): cement1,308,767; beer 1,023,734; carbonated beverages 429,776; mattresses200,391; paints and varnishes 41,313; candles 32,163. Internationalmaritime licensing (registration fees earned; 2007): more thanU.S.$12,000,000. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr;2013) 557,000,000 (557,000,000), by source (2012): fossil fuels 100%;coal, none (none); crude petroleum, none (none); petroleum products(metric tons; 2012) none (321,000); natural gas, none (none).

Average household size (2008): 5.1.Gross national income (GNI; 2015): U.S.$1,713,000,000 (U.S.$380 percapita); purchasing power parity GNI (U.S.$720 per capita).

Land use as % of total land area (2011): in temporary crops or left fal-low c. 4.2%, in permanent crops 1.9%, in pasture 20.8%, forest area44.6%.

Foreign trade7

Imports (2013): U.S.$1,210,900,000 (machinery andtransportation equipment 24.8%; refined petrole-um products 22.8%; food and food products15.2%, of which rice 7.3%; beverages and tobacco8.3%; chemicals and chemical products 6.5%). Major import sources (2011):

Exports (2013): U.S.$543,700,000 (iron ore 57.4%;rubber 22.2%; gold 4.0%; diamonds 3.1%; cocoabeans/coffee 1.8%). Major export destinations (2011):

Transport and communicationsTransport. Railroads (2012): route length

166 mi, 267 km. Roads (2014): totallength, n.a. Vehicles (20089): passen-ger cars 7,428; trucks and buses 3,326.

Education and healthLiteracy (2015): total population age 15 andover literate 47.6%; males literate 62.4%;females literate 32.8%.

Health: physicians (2013) 510 (1 per 7,815 per-sons); hospital beds (2010) 3,059 (1 per 1,250persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 livebirths (2014) 69.2; undernourished population(2006–08) 1,100,000 (32% of total populationbased on the consumption of a minimum dailyrequirement of 1,760 calories).

MilitaryTotal active duty personnel (November 2015):

2,050 (army 97.6%, coast guard 2.4%); UNpeacekeeping troops (July 2016) 1,24011.Military expenditure as percentage of GDP(2014): 1.2%; per capita expenditure U.S.$6.

1Detail does not add to total given because of rounding. 2Statistically derived midpoint of range. 3Atconstant prices of 1992. 4Formal employment only. 5Excludes informal sector employment equaling487,000 and an unknown number of unofficially unemployed. 62013. 7Imports c.i.f.; exports f.o.b.8Data reported by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. 9January 1. 10Subscribers. 11InSeptember 2015 the Security Council decided to decrease personnel to 1,240 by June 30, 2016.

Internet resource for further information:• Central Bank of Liberia cbl.org.lr

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2008

in value % of total labour % of labourU.S.$’000,0003 value force4 force4

Agriculture and fishing 182.5 36.0Rubber 31.2 6.2 176,326 59.7Forestry 97.5 19.2Mining and quarrying 0.8 0.2 2,508 0.8Manufacturing 64.3 12.7 2,785 0.9Construction 16.1 3.2 4,300 1.5Public utilities 3.8 0.7 … …Transp. and commun. 34.8 6.9 11,178 3.8Trade, hotels 36.7 7.2 18,928 6.4Finance, real estate 11.9 2.3 18,321 6.2Pub. admin., defense 11.3 2.2 47,681 16.2Services 16.2 3.2 13,327 4.5TOTAL 507.1 100.0 295,3545 100.0

}

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2015 3,65210 81110

Landline 2015 9 2.0

Internet users 2009 20 5.1Broadband 2015 7.010 1.610

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