Editing Liberia (section)

== Demographics ==
{{main|Demographics of Liberia}}
{{See also|Liberian nationality law}}
As of the 2017 national census, Liberia was home to 4,694,608 people.<ref name="census2017final">{{cite web |url=http://www.emansion.gov.lr/doc/Population_by_County.pdf |title=2008 National Population and Housing Census Final Results: Population by County |author=Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services |date=May 2009 |work=2017 Population and Housing Census |publisher=Republic of Liberia |access-date=June 10, 2009 |archive-date=September 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911055748/http://www.emansion.gov.lr/doc/Population_by_County.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Of those, 1,118,241 lived in [[Montserrado County]], the most populous county in the country and location of the capital Monrovia. The [[Greater Monrovia District]] has 970,824 residents.<ref name="census2008final">{{cite web |url=http://www.emansion.gov.lr/doc/Population_by_County.pdf |title=2008 National Population and Housing Census Final Results: Population by County |author=Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services |date=May 2009 |work=2008 Population and Housing Census |publisher=Republic of Liberia |access-date=June 10, 2009 |archive-date=September 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911055748/http://www.emansion.gov.lr/doc/Population_by_County.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Nimba County]] is the next most populous county, with 462,026 residents.<ref name="census2008final"/> As revealed in the 2008 census, Monrovia is more than four times more populous than all the county capitals combined.<ref name="census2008"/>

Prior to the 2008 census, the last census had been taken in 1984 and listed the country's population as 2,101,628.<ref name="census2008final"/> The population of Liberia was 1,016,443 in 1962 and increased to 1,503,368 in 1974.<ref name="census2008"/> {{As of|2006}}, Liberia had the [[List of countries by population growth rate|highest population growth rate in the world]] (4.50% per annum).<ref>[https://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2006/WPP2006_Highlights_rev.pdf United Nations World Population Prospects: 2006 revision] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171031153622/http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2006/WPP2006_Highlights_rev.pdf |date=October 31, 2017 }} – Table A.8</ref> In 2010 some 43.5% of Liberians were below the age of 15.<ref name="WPP 2010">{{Cite web|url=https://population.un.org/wpp/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816232627/http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm|url-status=dead|title=World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations|archive-date=August 16, 2015|website=population.un.org|access-date=September 1, 2019}}</ref>

{{Largest cities of Liberia|class=info}}

=== Ethnic groups ===
{{bar box
|title=Ethnic groups in Liberia
|titlebar=#ddd
|left1=Ethnic groups
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|Kpelle|darkgreen|20.3}}
{{bar percent|Bassa|purple|13.4}}
{{bar percent|Grebo|red|10.0}}
{{bar percent|Gio|black|8.0}}
{{bar percent|Mano|orange|7.9}}
{{bar percent|Kru|darkblue|6.0}}
{{bar percent|Lorma|lightgrey|5.1}}
{{bar percent|Kissi|maroon|4.8}}
{{bar percent|Gola|darkgray|4.4}}
{{bar percent|Krahn|gray|4.0}}
{{bar percent|Vai|tan|4.0}}
{{bar percent|Mandinka|lime|3.2}}
{{bar percent|Gbandi|Violet|3.0}}
{{bar percent|Mende|darkgreen|1.3}}
{{bar percent|Sapo|purple|1.2}}
{{bar percent|Belle|red|0.8}}
{{bar percent|Dey|black|0.3}}
{{bar percent|Other Liberian|orange|0.6}}
{{bar percent|Other African|darkblue|1.4}}{{bar percent|Non African|white|0.1}}
}}
The population includes 16 indigenous [[ethnic group]]s and various foreign minorities. Indigenous peoples comprise about 95 percent of the population. The 16 officially recognized ethnic groups include the [[Kpelle people|Kpelle]], [[Bassa (Liberia)|Bassa]], [[Mano people|Mano]], [[Gio people|Gio]] or Dan, [[Kru people|Kru]], [[Grebo people|Grebo]], [[Krahn]], [[Vai people|Vai]], [[Gola people|Gola]], Mandingo or [[Mandinka people|Mandinka]], [[Mende people|Mende]], [[Kissi people|Kissi]], [[Gbandi]], [[Loma people|Loma]], [[Dei people|Dei]] or Dewoin, and [[Belleh people|Belleh]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/outofdate/bgn/liberia/74187.htm |title=Liberia (09/06) |publisher=United States Department of States |access-date=31 March 2025}}</ref> The [[Americo-Liberians]], or ''Congo people'',{{efn|So named because many immigrants including those freed from slave ships arrived from ports at the mouth of the [[Congo River]]}} are a historical community in Liberia.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://aaregistry.org/story/the-americo-liberian-community-a-brief-story/ |title=The Americo-Liberian Community, a story |publisher=African American Registry |access-date=31 March 2025}}</ref>

The [[Kpelle people|Kpelle]] comprise more than 20% of the population and are the largest ethnic group in Liberia, residing mostly in [[Bong County]] and adjacent areas in central Liberia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/anthro/faculty/fiske/135b/kpelle.htm|title=Kpelle|first=Alan|last=Fiske|website=www.sscnet.ucla.edu|access-date=November 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102030436/http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/anthro/faculty/fiske/135b/kpelle.htm|archive-date=November 2, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Americo-Liberians, who are descendants of [[African American]] and [[West Indian]], mostly [[Barbadians|Barbadian]] (Bajan) [[settler]]s, make up 2.5%. Congo people, descendants of repatriated [[Kongo people|Congo]] and Afro-Caribbean slaves who arrived in 1825, make up an estimated 2.5%.<ref name="CIA"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theperspective.org/rewriting_history.html |title=Liberia's Ugly Past: Re-writing Liberian History |publisher=Theperspective.org |access-date=January 3, 2010 |archive-date=April 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420074423/http://www.theperspective.org/rewriting_history.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason= The ref provided "Liberia's Ugly Past" seems irrelevant here as it does not address population/demographics|date=May 2022}} These latter two groups established political control in the 19th century which they kept well into the 20th century.

The Liberian constitution exercises ''jus sanguinis'', which means it usually restricts its citizenship to "Negroes or persons of Negro descent."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.liberianlegal.com/constitution1986.htm#_CITIZENSHIP|title=The Constitution of the Republic of Liberia – Chapter IV: Citizenship|website=www.liberianlegal.com|access-date=November 29, 2018|archive-date=October 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016145448/http://www.liberianlegal.com/constitution1986.htm#_CITIZENSHIP|url-status=live}}</ref> That being said, numerous immigrants have come as merchants and become a major part of the business community, including [[Lebanese people|Lebanese]], [[Indian people|Indians]], and other West African nationals. There is a high prevalence of interracial marriage between ethnic Liberians and the Lebanese, resulting in a significant [[mixed-race]] population especially in and around [[Monrovia]]. A small minority of Liberians who are [[White Africans of European descent]] reside in the country.{{Better source needed|reason= CIA Fact Book is no authority to populations in Liberia|date=November 2015}}<ref name="CIA"/>

=== Languages ===
{{Further|Languages of Liberia}}
English is the official language and serves as the ''[[lingua franca]]'' of Liberia.<ref name=pulitzer>{{cite web |first=Jina |last=Moore |url=http://pulitzercenter.org/blog/untold-stories/liberia-ma-ellen-talk-plenty-plenty-liberian-english |title=Liberia: Ma Ellen talk plenty plenty Liberian English |work=Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting |date=October 19, 2009 |access-date=July 22, 2011 |archive-date=October 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005210518/http://pulitzercenter.org/blog/untold-stories/liberia-ma-ellen-talk-plenty-plenty-liberian-english |url-status=dead }}</ref> As of 2022, 27 indigenous languages are spoken in Liberia, but each is a [[first language]] for only a small percentage of the population.<ref name=e25>Liberia in {{e25}}</ref> Liberians also speak a variety of [[English-based creole languages|creolized dialects]] collectively known as [[Liberian English]].<ref name=pulitzer/>

=== Religion ===
{{main|Religion in Liberia}}
{{bar box |float=right |titlebar=#ddd
|title=[[Religion in Liberia]] (2010)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/countries/liberia#/?affiliations_religion_id=0&affiliations_year=2010&region_name=All+Countries&restrictions_year=2015|title=Religions in Liberia – PEW-GRF|website=www.globalreligiousfutures.org|access-date=October 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106235755/http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/countries/liberia#/?affiliations_religion_id=0&affiliations_year=2010&region_name=All+Countries&restrictions_year=2015|archive-date=November 6, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percent
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Protestantism]]|lightBlue|76.3}}
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|green|12.2}}
{{bar percent|[[Roman Catholicism]]|red|7.2}}
{{bar percent|Other [[Christians|Christian]]|blue|1.6}}
{{bar percent|[[Irreligion|Unaffiliated]]|Lavender|1.4}}
{{bar percent|Other faith|grey|1.3}}
}}
According to the 2008 National Census, 85.6% of the population practiced [[Christianity]], while Muslims represented a minority of 12.2%.<ref name="Census 2008">{{cite web|url=https://www.lisgis.net/pg_img/NPHC%202008%20Final%20Report.pdf|title=2008 Population and Housing Census: Final Results|publisher=Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services|date=May 2009|page=A4-84|access-date=April 21, 2018|archive-date=April 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412091820/https://www.lisgis.net/pg_img/NPHC|url-status=dead}}</ref> A multitude of diverse [[Protestant]] confessions such as [[Lutheran]], [[Baptist]], [[Anglican|Episcopal]], [[Presbyterian]], [[Pentecostal]], [[United Methodist]], [[African Methodist Episcopal]] (AME) and [[African Methodist Episcopal Zion]] (AME Zion) denominations form the bulk of the Christian population, followed by adherents of the [[Catholic Church]] and other non-Protestant Christians. Most of these Christian denominations were brought by [[African American|African-American]] [[settler]]s moving from the United States into Liberia via the [[American Colonization Society]], while some are indigenous—especially [[Pentecostal]] and [[evangelical Protestant]] ones. Protestantism was originally associated with Black American settlers and their [[Americo-Liberian]] descendants, while native peoples initially held to their own [[animist]] forms of [[African traditional religion]] before largely adopting Christianity. While Christian, many Liberians also participate in traditional, gender-based indigenous religious [[secret societies]], such as [[Poro]] for men and [[Sande society|Sande]] for women. The all-female Sande society practices [[female circumcision]].<ref name=irfr>{{cite web |url=https://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2010/148698.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123105613/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2010/148698.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 23, 2010 |title=International Religious Freedom Report 2010: Liberia |work=United States Department of State |date=November 17, 2010 |access-date=July 22, 2011}}</ref>

[[Muslims]] comprised 12.2% of the population in 2008, largely represented by the [[Mandinka people|Mandingo]] and [[Vai people|Vai]] ethnic groups. Liberian Muslims are divided between [[Sunnis]], [[Shia]]s, [[Ahmadiyya]]s, [[Sufi]]s, and [[non-denominational Muslim]]s.<ref>Pew Forum on Religious & Public life. August 9, 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2013</ref>

In 2008, 0.5% identified adherence to [[African traditional religion|traditional indigenous religions]], while 1.5% claimed no religion. A small number of people were [[Baháʼí]], [[Hindu]], [[Sikh]], or [[Buddhist]].

The Liberian constitution provides for [[freedom of religion]], and the government generally respects this right.<ref name=irfr/> While [[separation of church and state]] is mandated by the Constitution, Liberia is considered a [[Christian state]] in practice.<ref name="freedom">{{cite web |date=July 7, 2011 |title=Freedom in the World 2011 – Liberia |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/4e16b8f91a.html |access-date=January 23, 2023 |work=[[Freedom House]] |publisher=[[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]] |archive-date=October 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019035608/http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4e16b8f91a.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Public schools offer [[biblical studies]], though parents may opt their children out. Commerce is prohibited by law on Sunday and major [[Christian holiday]]s. The government does not require businesses or schools to excuse Muslims for [[Friday prayer]]s.<ref name=irfr/>
{{clear}}

=== Education ===
{{main|Education in Liberia}}
[[File:Liberian students.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|Students studying by candlelight in [[Bong County]]]]
In 2010, the [[literacy rate]] of Liberia was estimated at 60.8% (64.8% for males and 56.8% for females).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/document.aspx?ReportId=121&IF_Language=eng&BR_Country=4300&BR_Region=40540 |title=Education profile – Liberia |work=Institute for Statistics |publisher=UNESCO |year=2010 |access-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-date=September 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930035337/http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/document.aspx?ReportId=121&IF_Language=eng&BR_Country=4300&BR_Region=40540 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In some areas primary and secondary education is free and compulsory from the ages of 6 to 16, though enforcement of attendance is lax.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=74422|title=Liberia: Go to school or go to jail|date=September 21, 2007|work=IRN|publisher=UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs|access-date=April 8, 2009|archive-date=March 10, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310014617/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=74422|url-status=live}}</ref> In other areas children are required to pay a tuition fee to attend school. On average, children attain 10 years of education (11 for boys and 8 for girls).<ref name=CIA/> The country's education sector is hampered by inadequate schools and supplies, as well as a lack of qualified teachers.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Sidiki |last1=Trawally |first2=Derek |last2=Reeves |url=http://www.liftliberia.gov.lr/press.php?news_id=100&related=Press%20Release |title=Making Quality Education Affordable And Assessable To All{{snd}}Prez. Sirleaf's Vision With Passion |work=Lift Liberia |year=2009 |access-date=July 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512060404/http://www.liftliberia.gov.lr/press.php?news_id=100&related=Press%20Release |archive-date=May 12, 2013 }}</ref>

Higher education is provided by a number of public and private universities. The [[University of Liberia]] is the country's largest and oldest university. Located in Monrovia, the university opened in 1862. Today it has six colleges, including a medical school and the nation's only law school, [[Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law]].<ref>Jallah, David A. B. [http://www.ialsnet.org/meetings/enriching/JallahDavid.pdf "Notes, Presented by Professor and Dean of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, David A. B. Jallah to the International Association of Law Schools Conference Learning From Each Other: Enriching the Law School Curriculum in an Interrelated World Held at Soochow University Kenneth Wang School of Law, Suzhou, China, October 17–19, 2007."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914053358/http://www.ialsnet.org/meetings/enriching/JallahDavid.pdf |date=September 14, 2013 }} International Association of Law Schools. Retrieved on September 1, 2008.</ref>

In 2009, [[Tubman University]] in [[Harper, Liberia|Harper]], [[Maryland County]] was established as the second public university in Liberia.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thenewdawnliberia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=340:ellen-describes-tubman-universitys-opening-as-prs-success&catid=3:general&Itemid=68 |title=Ellen Describes Tubman University's Opening As PRS Success |newspaper=The New Dawn |date=March 3, 2010 |access-date=July 22, 2010 |archive-date=September 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919003247/http://www.thenewdawnliberia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=340:ellen-describes-tubman-universitys-opening-as-prs-success&catid=3:general&Itemid=68 |url-status=live }}</ref> Since 2006, the government has also opened [[community college]]s in [[Buchanan, Liberia|Buchanan]], [[Sanniquellie]], and [[Voinjama]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.emansion.gov.lr/doc/20101023President_Remarks_GBCC_Launch_Ground_Breaking.pdf |title=Remarks by H.E. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf At Official Launch and Fundraising Program Of the Grand Bassa Community College |publisher=The Executive Mansion |date=October 21, 2010 |access-date=July 22, 2011 |archive-date=October 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004060217/http://www.emansion.gov.lr/doc/20101023President_Remarks_GBCC_Launch_Ground_Breaking.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Peter A. |last=Fahn |url=http://www.micat.gov.lr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=156:government-moves-ahead-with-education-decentralization-plans&catid=47:new-liberia&Itemid=91 |title=Government Moves Ahead With Education Decentralization Plans |date=July 7, 2011 |access-date=August 3, 2011 |archive-date=October 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003220056/http://www.micat.gov.lr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=156:government-moves-ahead-with-education-decentralization-plans&catid=47:new-liberia&Itemid=91 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004060405/http://www.emansion.gov.lr/press.php?news_id=1951 |url=http://www.emansion.gov.lr/press.php?news_id=1951 |title=July 26 Celebrations Kick Off in Lofa As President Sirleaf Arrives |work=The Executive Mansion |date=July 25, 2011 |archive-date=October 4, 2011 |access-date=August 29, 2013}}</ref>

Due to student protests late in October 2018, newly elected president George Weah abolished tuition fees for undergraduate students in public universities in Liberia.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2018-10-25-liberias-weah-announces-free-tuition-for-undergrads|title=Liberia's Weah announces free tuition for undergrads|date=October 25, 2018|work=Mail & Guardian|access-date=March 20, 2018|agency=Agence France-Presse|archive-date=April 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422213915/https://mg.co.za/article/2018-10-25-liberias-weah-announces-free-tuition-for-undergrads/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Health ===
{{Further|Health in Liberia}}
[[File:Life expectancy in Liberia.svg|thumb|Development of life expectancy]]
[[List of hospitals in Liberia|Hospitals in Liberia]] include the [[John F. Kennedy Medical Center (Liberia)|John F. Kennedy Medical Center]] in [[Monrovia]] and several others. [[Life expectancy]] in Liberia is estimated to be 64.4 years in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?end=2020&locations=LR&start=2020&view=bar |title=The WorldBank: Life Expectancy ranks |access-date=August 4, 2022 |archive-date=August 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804235643/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?end=2020&locations=LR&start=2020&view=bar |url-status=live }}</ref> With a fertility rate of 5.9 births per woman, the [[maternal mortality]] rate stood at 990 per 100,000 births in 2010, and 1,072 per 100,000 births in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unfpa.org/sowmy/resources/docs/country_info/profile/en_Liberia_SoWMy_Profile.pdf |title=The State of the World's Midwifery 2011: Liberia |work=United Nations Population Fund |access-date=August 2, 2011 |archive-date=December 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206210251/http://www.unfpa.org/sowmy/resources/docs/country_info/profile/en_Liberia_SoWMy_Profile.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Maternal health gets a new boost in Liberia |url=https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2017/7/feature-maternal-health-gets-a-new-boost-in-liberia |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=UN Women – Headquarters |date=July 17, 2017 |language=en |archive-date=December 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212173610/https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2017/7/feature-maternal-health-gets-a-new-boost-in-liberia |url-status=live }}</ref> A number of highly communicable diseases are widespread, including [[tuberculosis]], [[diarrheal diseases]] and [[malaria]]. In 2007, the [[HIV]] infection rates stood at 2% of the population aged 15–49<ref>{{cite web |url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.DYN.AIDS.ZS/countries |title=Data: Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population ages 15–49) |publisher=The World Bank |access-date=February 23, 2011 |archive-date=June 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629102325/http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.DYN.AIDS.ZS/countries |url-status=live }}</ref> whereas the incidence of tuberculosis was 420 per 100,000 people in 2008.<ref name="profile">{{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/gho/countries/lbr.pdf |title=Liberia: Health profile |publisher=World Health Organization |access-date=February 23, 2011 |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220210455/http://www.who.int/gho/countries/lbr.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Approximately 58.2%<ref>{{cite news|title=Female genital mutilation (FGM)|url=https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/fgm/prevalence/en/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101029201427/http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/fgm/prevalence/en/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 29, 2010|agency=World Health Organization}}</ref> – 66%<ref name=UNICEF2013p27>[http://www.unicef.org/media/files/FGCM_Lo_res.pdf UNICEF 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405083031/http://www.unicef.org/media/files/FGCM_Lo_res.pdf |date=April 5, 2015 }}, p. 27.</ref> of women are estimated to have undergone [[female genital mutilation]].

Liberia imports 90% of its rice, a staple food, and is extremely vulnerable to food shortages.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irinnews.org/IndepthMain.aspx?InDepthID=72&ReportID=77811 |title=Liberia: Nurtitional "crisis" in Monrovia |date=February 23, 2007 |publisher=Integrated Regional Information Networks. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |access-date=February 24, 2011 |archive-date=October 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016172049/http://www.irinnews.org/indepthmain.aspx?InDepthID=72&ReportID=77811 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2007, 20.4% of children under the age of five were malnourished.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.MALN.ZS/countries |title=Data: Malnutrition prevalence, weight for age (% of children under 5). The |publisher=World Bank |access-date=February 23, 2011 |archive-date=May 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160522050449/http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.MALN.ZS/countries |url-status=live }}</ref> Liberia has a high level of hunger and food insecurity<ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Hunger Index Scores by 2024 GHI Rank |url=https://www.globalhungerindex.org/ranking.html |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=Global Hunger Index (GHI) - peer-reviewed annual publication designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and country levels |language=en}}</ref>

Approximately 95% of the country's healthcare facilities had been destroyed by the time civil war ended in 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=60788 |title=Liberia: Breathing Life into ailing healthcare system |date=September 2006 |publisher=Integrated Regional Information Networks. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |access-date=February 24, 2011 |archive-date=September 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910203141/http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=60788 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2009, government expenditure on health care per capita was US$22, (~${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=22|start_year=2009}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}) <ref>{{cite web |url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.PCAP/countries |title=Data: Health expenditure per capita (current US$) |publisher=World Bank |access-date=February 23, 2011 |archive-date=June 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609191024/http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.PCAP/countries |url-status=live }}</ref> accounting for 10.6% of total GDP.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.TOTL.ZS/countries |title=Data: Health expenditure, total (% of GDP) |publisher=World Bank |access-date=February 23, 2011 |archive-date=June 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609021820/http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.TOTL.ZS/countries |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2008, Liberia had only one doctor and 27 nurses per 100,000 people.<ref name="profile"/>

In 2014, an [[2014 West Africa Ebola outbreak|outbreak of Ebola virus]] in Guinea [[Ebola virus epidemic in Liberia|spread to Liberia]].<ref>{{cite news |first= Alphonso |last= Toweh |date= March 30, 2014 |title= Liberian health authorities confirm two cases of Ebola: WHO |url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-liberia-ebola-idUSBREA2T0ON20140330 |work= Reuters |access-date= March 30, 2014 |archive-date= September 24, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924195329/http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/30/us-liberia-ebola-idUSBREA2T0ON20140330 |url-status= live }}</ref> {{as of|2014|November|17|df=US}}, there were 2,812 confirmed deaths from the ongoing outbreak.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/17/how-liberia-might-have-beat-ebola.html |title=How Liberia (Might Have) Beat Ebola |newspaper=The Daily Beast |date=November 17, 2014 |access-date=November 17, 2014 |last1=Haglage |first1=Abby |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054112/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/17/how-liberia-might-have-beat-ebola.html |url-status=live }}</ref>