Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Liberia
Liberia: Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas was 2.11 million people in 2020. ▲ Rising
Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Liberia, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Liberia is 2.11 million people, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Liberia peaked at 2.11 million people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 566,140 people, in 1950.
Liberia ranks 101st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Liberia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 566,140 people | — |
| 1955 | 625,054 people | +10.4% |
| 1960 | 695,268 people | +11.2% |
| 1965 | 777,418 people | +11.8% |
| 1970 | 868,766 people | +11.8% |
| 1975 | 970,356 people | +11.7% |
| 1980 | 1.10 million people | +13.0% |
| 1985 | 1.19 million people | +8.6% |
| 1990 | 855,618 people | -28.2% |
| 1995 | 1.17 million people | +37.1% |
| 2000 | 1.40 million people | +19.5% |
| 2005 | 1.37 million people | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 1.85 million people | +35.4% |
| 2015 | 2.02 million people | +9.2% |
| 2020 | 2.11 million people | +4.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 595,597 people | 566,140 people | 625,054 people | 2 |
| 1960s | 736,343 people | 695,268 people | 777,418 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 919,561 people | 868,766 people | 970,356 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 1.14 million people | 1.10 million people | 1.19 million people | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.01 million people | 855,618 people | 1.17 million people | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.38 million people | 1.37 million people | 1.40 million people | 2 |
| 2010s | 1.93 million people | 1.85 million people | 2.02 million people | 2 |
| 2020s | 2.11 million people | 2.11 million people | 2.11 million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Liberia
- 98 Central African Republic 2.21 million people compare
- 99 Finland 2.16 million people compare
- 100 Azerbaijan 2.15 million people compare
- 102 Switzerland 2.07 million people compare
- 103 Denmark 2.05 million people compare
- 104 Cuba 2.00 million people compare
More population data for Liberia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1439 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.7859 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1439 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2874 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 8,891 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.07 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3986 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 131.49 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 852,118 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Liberia?
- Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Liberia was 2.11 million people in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas recorded in Liberia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.11 million people in 2020.
- What is the lowest number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas recorded in Liberia?
- The lowest recorded value was 566,140 people in 1950.
- How does Liberia rank for number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas?
- Liberia ranks 101st out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas rising or falling in Liberia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Liberia data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of people living in rural areas. Rural areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.