Country page · Sub-Saharan Africa
If you were born in Liberia
1 in 765 babies · 0.13% of births · about 175,243 a year
Right now, about 0.13% of the world's babies are born in Liberia — 1 in 765, or roughly 175,243 a year and 480 a day. Life expectancy there is 62.3 years.
How the 1 in 765 is calculated
This number is not based on population. It uses births: Liberia has about 175,243 births a year, and the world has about 134,147,481. Divide one by the other and you get 0.13% — 1 in 765. Using population instead would understate young countries and overstate ageing ones, so every draw is weighted by births.
Birth odds, country by country
Population and births
Liberia has 5,731,206 people — 0.07% of the 8,185,260,817 people in this 172-country group, ranking 116th of 172 by population. Its 175,243 births a year are 0.13% of the world's births, so its birth share is 1.87× its population share. A ratio below 1 usually means an older age structure than the group average; above 1 means younger. Population is the 2025 estimate; births use the latest birth rate (2024).
| Measure | Value | Share of world | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) | 5,731,206 | 0.07% | 116th of 172 |
| Births per year (2024) | 175,243 | 0.13% | 89th of 172 |
| Birth share ÷ population share | 1.87× | — | — |
How the population is changing
Liberia is changing by 2.09% a year. About 175,243 babies are born and 45,941 people die each year, a natural change of +129.3K; net migration is -9.9K. Population density is 58 people per km². About 3.2M people live in cities. 39.1% of the population is under 15 and 3.3% is 65 or older.
| Measure | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Annual population growth | 2.09% | 2025 |
| Deaths per year | 45,941 | 2024 |
| Natural change (births − deaths) | +129,302 | 2024 |
| Net migration | -9,870 | 2025 |
| Population density | 58 /km² | 2024 |
| Urban population | 3,214,173 | 2025 |
| Age 0–14 | 39.1% | 2025 |
| Age 15–64 | 57.6% | 2025 |
| Age 65+ | 3.3% | 2025 |
Components use the latest available year for each series and may not add exactly to the published growth rate.
Median age and the 2050 outlook
Liberia's median age is 18.8 years, against a world median of 30.9. The UN projects 24.7 years by 2050, 8,910,530 people (55.5% more than in 2025), and life expectancy at birth of 65.8 years (women 67.7, men 64.1).
| Year | Population (UN WPP 2024) |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 1,466,676 |
| 2000 | 2,928,116 |
| 2030 | 6,366,291 |
| 2050 | 8,910,530 |
Median age, 2050 population and 2050 life expectancy: UN WPP 2024. The population table above uses the World Bank snapshot; the projection table above uses UN WPP 2024.
Age structure in 2025
Male and female shares of the total population in Liberia, by age group.
UN WPP 2024, 2025 estimate. Male and female shares are of the total population, so they add to 100%.
Life in Liberia, in numbers
| Indicator | Value | Year | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy women 63.6 · men 61.0 | 62.3 years | 2024 | 158th highest of 172 countries |
| Chance of dying before 5 86.4 / 1,000 | 8.6% | 2024 | 161st lowest of 170 countries |
| Chance of dying before 1 63.2 / 1,000 | 6.3% | 2024 | 166th lowest of 170 countries |
| Mothers who die giving birth per 100,000 births | 628 | 2023 | 166th lowest of 170 countries |
| Children per woman | 3.86 | 2024 | 144th lowest of 172 countries |
| Expected years of schooling | 10.8 years | 2000 | 121st highest of 168 countries |
| Tertiary enrollment | 10.8% | 2012 | 132nd highest of 168 countries |
| Income per person (PPP) GDP per capita, PPP | $1,981 | 2025 | 161st highest of 170 countries |
| Income inequality closer to 0 = more equal | 35.30 | 2016 | 81st highest of 157 countries |
| People living in cities | 56.1% | 2025 | 107th highest of 172 countries |
| People working in farming | 41.1% | 2025 | 133rd lowest of 171 countries |
| People using the internet | 32.2% | 2024 | 145th highest of 172 countries |
| Homicide per 100,000 people | 3.1 | 2012 | 89th lowest of 155 countries |
| Health costs paid out of pocket share of health spending | 63.2% | 2023 | 155th lowest of 168 countries |
| Adults living with HIV | 0.90% | 2024 | 40th highest of 142 countries |
| People who smoke | 5.2% | 2024 | 4th lowest of 151 countries |
Chance of reaching each age
Of 100 babies born in Liberia, about 93.1% reach age 5 and 21.4% reach 80. The world averages are 96.5% and 48.3%.
| Age | This country | World |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 93.1% | 96.5% |
| 20 | 91.3% | 95.1% |
| 40 | 85.1% | 92.0% |
| 60 | 67.9% | 82.9% |
| 80 | 21.4% | 48.3% |
UN WPP 2024 life table, 2025, both sexes combined.
How to read these numbers
Income is shown in purchasing-power-parity dollars, so it compares what money buys locally rather than market exchange rates. The under-5 rate is the share of babies who die before their fifth birthday; the maternal mortality ratio is per 100,000 live births. A Gini index closer to 0 means a more equal income distribution, and a higher number means a more unequal one.
Each indicator uses the most recent year with a non-empty value, which can differ by country; the rank compares this country with the other 171 in the dataset, not with every country on Earth. Where a value is missing, the page shows a dash rather than an estimate. World and regional figures are weighted by population; the under-5 rate is weighted by births.
Liberia compared with Sub-Saharan Africa
Life expectancy in Liberia is 62.3 years, against a Sub-Saharan Africa average of 62.8. The under-5 death rate is 8.6%, versus 7.1% across the region. Income per person is $1,981, against $5,782 regionally; expected schooling is 10.8 years against 9.4. 56.1% of people live in cities, against 44.7% in the region.
| Indicator | Liberia | Sub-Saharan Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy | 62.3 years old | 62.8 years old | 73.4 years old |
| Under-5 deaths | 8.6% | 7.1% | 3.8% |
| Income per person (PPP) | $1,981 | $5,782 | $25,560 |
| Expected schooling | 10.8 years | 9.4 years | 12.5 years |
| People in cities | 56.1% | 44.7% | 57.8% |
What a life there looks like
Put those numbers together and you get a life: about 62.3 years on average, with roughly 86.4 of every 1,000 babies dying before their fifth birthday. A child can expect 10.8 years of school, and income per person is around $1,981. These are averages — every life still lands somewhere on the distribution.
If you play as someone born in Liberia
The game draws Liberia in about 1 of every 765 births. From there the life runs year by year: 62.3 years of life expectancy on average, a 8.6% chance of dying before five, and an income of about $1,981 per person. Choices move the odds; the starting statistics do not.
How the life simulator works · How a life is played · Install it on your home screen
Frequently asked questions
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Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, with UN World Population Prospects 2024 and UN IGME for births and mortality. Values are the most recent non-empty year for each indicator; the year is noted where it differs. Page updated Oct 25, 2026.