Topic: Photos of Nepal

Topic: Introduction
Background: During the late 18th-early 19th centuries, the principality of Gorkha united many of the other principalities and states of the sub-Himalayan region into a Nepali Kingdom. Nepal retained its independence following the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16 and the subsequent peace treaty laid the foundations for two centuries of amicable relations between Britain and Nepal. (The Brigade of Gurkhas continues to serve in the British Army to the present day.) In 1951, the Nepali monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. An insurgency led by Maoists broke out in 1996. During the ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces, the monarchy dissolved the cabinet and parliament and re-assumed absolute power in 2002, after the crown prince massacred the royal family in 2001. A peace accord in 2006 led to the promulgation of an interim constitution in 2007. Following a nationwide Constituent Assembly (CA) election in 2008, the newly formed CA declared Nepal a federal democratic republic, abolished the monarchy, and elected the country's first president. After the CA failed to draft a constitution by a 2012 deadline set by the Supreme Court, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. Months of negotiations ensued until 2013 when the major political parties agreed to create an interim government headed by then-Chief Justice Khil Raj REGMI with a mandate to hold elections for a new CA. Elections were held in 2013, in which the Nepali Congress (NC) won the largest share of seats in the CA and in 2014 formed a coalition government with the second-place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) with NC President Sushil KOIRALA serving as prime minister. Nepal's new constitution came into effect in 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament. Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI served as the first post-constitution prime minister from 2015 to 2016. OLI resigned ahead of a no-confidence motion against him, and Parliament elected Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (aka "Prachanda") prime minister. The constitution provided for a transitional period during which three sets of elections – local, provincial, and national – needed to take place. The first local elections in 20 years occurred in three phases between May and September 2017, and state and federal elections proceeded in two phases in November and December 2017. The parties headed by OLI and DAHAL ran in coalition and swept the parliamentary elections, and OLI, who led the larger of the two parties, was sworn in as prime minister in February 2018. In May 2018, OLI and DAHAL announced the merger of their parties - the UML and CPN-M - to establish the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), which headed the government for roughly two years before infighting led the party to split. OLI from late 2020 sought to dissolve parliament and hold elections. The supreme court in July 2021 declared OLI's efforts unconstitutional and called for an appointment of the opposition-supported NC leader Sher Bahadur DEUBA as prime minister.  During the late 18th-early 19th centuries, the principality of Gorkha united many of the other principalities and states of the sub-Himalayan region into a Nepali Kingdom. Nepal retained its independence following the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16 and the subsequent peace treaty laid the foundations for two centuries of amicable relations between Britain and Nepal. (The Brigade of Gurkhas continues to serve in the British Army to the present day.) In 1951, the Nepali monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy.An insurgency led by Maoists broke out in 1996. During the ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces, the monarchy dissolved the cabinet and parliament and re-assumed absolute power in 2002, after the crown prince massacred the royal family in 2001. A peace accord in 2006 led to the promulgation of an interim constitution in 2007. Following a nationwide Constituent Assembly (CA) election in 2008, the newly formed CA declared Nepal a federal democratic republic, abolished the monarchy, and elected the country's first president. After the CA failed to draft a constitution by a 2012 deadline set by the Supreme Court, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. Months of negotiations ensued until 2013 when the major political parties agreed to create an interim government headed by then-Chief Justice Khil Raj REGMI with a mandate to hold elections for a new CA. Elections were held in 2013, in which the Nepali Congress (NC) won the largest share of seats in the CA and in 2014 formed a coalition government with the second-place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) with NC President Sushil KOIRALA serving as prime minister. Nepal's new constitution came into effect in 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament. Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI served as the first post-constitution prime minister from 2015 to 2016. OLI resigned ahead of a no-confidence motion against him, and Parliament elected Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (aka "Prachanda") prime minister. The constitution provided for a transitional period during which three sets of elections – local, provincial, and national – needed to take place. The first local elections in 20 years occurred in three phases between May and September 2017, and state and federal elections proceeded in two phases in November and December 2017. The parties headed by OLI and DAHAL ran in coalition and swept the parliamentary elections, and OLI, who led the larger of the two parties, was sworn in as prime minister in February 2018. In May 2018, OLI and DAHAL announced the merger of their parties - the UML and CPN-M - to establish the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), which headed the government for roughly two years before infighting led the party to split. OLI from late 2020 sought to dissolve parliament and hold elections. The supreme court in July 2021 declared OLI's efforts unconstitutional and called for an appointment of the opposition-supported NC leader Sher Bahadur DEUBA as prime minister. Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 147,181 sq km

land: 143,351 sq km

water: 3,830 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than New York state
Land boundaries: total: 3,159 km

border countries (2): China 1,389 km; India 1,770 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Terrain: Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south; central hill region with rugged Himalayas in north
Elevation: highest point: Mount Everest (highest peak in Asia and highest point on earth above sea level) 8,849 m

lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m

mean elevation: 2,565 m
Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Land use: agricultural land: 28.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 15.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 12.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 25.4% (2018 est.)

other: 45.8% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 13,320 sq km (2012)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km)
Major aquifers: Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin
Population distribution: most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is quite low
Natural hazards: severe thunderstorms; flooding; landslides; drought and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
Geography - note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest mountains - on the borders with China and India respectively
Map description: Nepal map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries – China to the north, India to the south.Nepal map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries – China to the north, India to the south.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 30,666,598 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nepali (singular and plural)

adjective: Nepali
Ethnic groups: Chhettri 16.6%, Brahman-Hill 12.2%, Magar 7.1%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.8%, Newar 5%, Kami 4.8%, Muslim 4.4%, Yadav 4%, Rai 2.3%, Gurung 2%, Damai/Dholii 1.8%, Thakuri 1.6%, Limbu 1.5%, Sarki 1.4%, Teli 1.4%, Chamar/Harijan/Ram 1.3%, Koiri/Kushwaha 1.2%, other 19% (2011 est.)

note: 125 caste/ethnic groups were reported in the 2011 national census
Languages: Nepali (official) 44.6%, Maithali 11.7%, Bhojpuri 6%, Tharu 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.2%, Bajjika 3%, Magar 3%, Doteli 3%, Urdu 2.6%, Avadhi 1.9%, Limbu 1.3%, Gurung 1.2%, Baitadeli 1%, other 6.4%, unspecified 0.2%; note - 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2011 national census; many in government and business also speak English (2011 est.)

major-language sample(s):
विश्व तथ्य पुस्तक,आधारभूत जानकारीको लागि अपरिहार्य स्रोत (Nepali)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Hindu 81.3%, Buddhist 9%, Muslim 4.4%, Kirant 3.1%, Christian 1.4%, other 0.5%, unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.36% (male 4,526,786/female 4,073,642)

15-24 years: 20.93% (male 3,276,431/female 3,070,843)

25-54 years: 38.38% (male 5,251,553/female 6,387,365)

55-64 years: 6.64% (male 954,836/female 1,059,360)

65 years and over: 5.69% (2020 est.) (male 852,969/female 874,092)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 53

youth dependency ratio: 44.1

elderly dependency ratio: 8.9

potential support ratio: 11.2 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 25.3 years

male: 23.9 years

female: 26.9 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.78% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 17.53 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is quite low
Urbanization: urban population: 21.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.521 million KATHMANDU (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.87 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.4 years (2016 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 186 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 25.13 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 26.47 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 23.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.4 years

male: 71.66 years

female: 73.17 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 46.7% (2019)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 92.7% of population

rural: 94.4% of population

total: 94.1% of population

unimproved: urban: 7.3% of population

rural: 5.6% of population

total: 5.9% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 4.5% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.85 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 0.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 95.1% of population

rural: 85.7% of population

total: 87.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 4.9% of population

rural: 14.3% of population

total: 12.3% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 30,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <1000
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 4.1% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 30.4% (2020 est.)

male: 47.9% (2020 est.)

female: 12.8% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 24.4% (2019)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 7.9%

women married by age 18: 32.8%

men married by age 18: 9% (2019 est.)
Education expenditures: 4.4% of GDP (2018 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 67.9%

male: 78.6%

female: 59.7% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 21.4%

male: 19.7%

female: 23.9% (2017 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); forest degradation; soil erosion; contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); unmanaged solid-waste; wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Marine Life Conservation
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 94.33 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 9.11 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 41.15 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Land use: agricultural land: 28.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 15.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 12.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 25.4% (2018 est.)

other: 45.8% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 21.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.45% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and dengue fever
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,768,977 tons (2016 est.)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Indian Ocean drainage: Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Indus (1,081,718 sq km)
Major aquifers: Indus-Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 147.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 29.5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 9.32 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 210.2 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Nepal

local long form: none

local short form: Nepal

etymology: the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas apparently gave their name to the country; the terms "Nepal," "Newar," "Nepar," and "Newal" are phonetically different forms of the same word
Government type: federal parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Kathmandu

geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E

time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: name derives from the Kasthamandap temple that stood in Durbar Square; in Sanskrit, "kastha" means "wood" and "mandapa" means "pavilion"; the three-story structure was made entirely of wood, without iron nails or supports, and dated to the late 16th century; it collapsed during a 2015 earthquake
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (pradesh, singular - pradesh); Bagmati, Gandaki, Karnali, Lumbini, Province No. One, Province No. Two, Sudurpashchim
Independence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 20 September (2015); note - marks the promulgation of Nepal’s constitution in 2015 and replaces the previous 28 May Republic Day as the official national day in Nepal; the Gregorian day fluctuates based on Nepal’s Hindu calendar
Constitution: history: several previous; latest approved by the Second Constituent Assembly 16 September 2015, signed by the president and effective 20 September 2015

amendments: proposed as a bill by either house of the Federal Parliament; bills affecting a state border or powers delegated to a state must be submitted to the affected state assembly; passage of such bills requires a majority vote of that state assembly membership; bills not requiring state assembly consent require at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses of the Federal Parliament; parts of the constitution on the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty vested in the people cannot be amended; amended 2016, 2020
Legal system: English common law and Hindu legal concepts; note - new criminal and civil codes came into effect on 17 August 2018
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 15 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Bidhya Devi BHANDARI (since 29 October 2015); Vice President Nanda Bahadar PUN (since 31 October 2015)

head of government: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA (since 13 July 2021); deputy prime ministers Ishwar POKHREL, Upendra YADAV (since 1 June 2018) (an)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; cabinet dominated by the Nepal Communist Party

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of the Federal Parliament and of the state assemblies for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister indirectly elected by the Federal Parliament

election results: Bidhya Devi BHANDARI reelected president; electoral vote - Bidhya Devi BHANDARI (CPN-UML) 39,275, Kumari Laxmi RAI (NC) 11,730
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of:
National Assembly (59 seats; 56 members, including at least 3 women, 1 Dalit, 1 member with disabilities, or 1 minority indirectly elected by an electoral college of state and municipal government leaders, and 3 members, including 1 woman, nominated by the president of Nepal on the recommendation of the government; members serve 5-year terms with renewal of one-third of the membership every 2 years)
House of Representatives (275 seats statutory, current 271 with 4 vacant; 165 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 110 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed-list proportional representation vote, with a threshold of 3% overall valid vote to be allocated a seat; members serve 5-year terms); note - the House of Representatives was dissolved on 22 May 2021, but on 13 July, the Supreme Court directed its reinstatement

elections:
National Assembly - last held on 26 January 2022 (next to be held in 2024)
first election for House of Representatives held on 26 November and 7 December 2017 (next in November 2022)

election results:
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 42, NC 13, FSFN 2, RJPN 2; composition - men 37, women 22, percent of women 37.3%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 174, NC 63, RJPN 17, FSFN 16, vacant 4, independent 1; composition - men 180, women 91, percent of women 33.6%; note - total Federal Parliament percent of women 33.8%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and up to 20 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, a 5-member, high-level advisory body headed by the prime minister; other judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the Judicial Council, a 5-member advisory body headed by the chief justice; the chief justice serves a 6-year term; judges serve until age 65

subordinate courts: High Court; district courts
Political parties and leaders: the Election Commission of Nepal granted ballot access under the proportional system to 88 political parties for the November-December 2017 House of Representatives election to the Federal Parliament; of these, the following 8 parties won seats:
Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal or FSFN [Upendra YADAV]
Naya Shakti Party, Nepal [Baburam BHATTARAI]
Nepal Communist Party or NCP [Khadga Prasad OLI, Pushpa Kamal DAHAL]
Nepali Congress or NC [Sher Bahadur DEUBA]
Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]
Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra Bahadur K.C.]
Rastriya Janata Party or RJPN [Mahanta THAKUR]
Rastriya Prajatantra party or RPP [Kamal THAPA]the Election Commission of Nepal granted ballot access under the proportional system to 88 political parties for the November-December 2017 House of Representatives election to the Federal Parliament; of these, the following 8 parties won seats:
Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal or FSFN [Upendra YADAV]
Naya Shakti Party, Nepal [Baburam BHATTARAI]
Nepal Communist Party or NCP [Khadga Prasad OLI, Pushpa Kamal DAHAL]
Nepali Congress or NC [Sher Bahadur DEUBA]
Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]
Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra Bahadur K.C.]
Rastriya Janata Party or RJPN [Mahanta THAKUR]
Rastriya Prajatantra party or RPP [Kamal THAPA]
International organization participation: ADB, BIMSTEC, CD, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSOM, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sridhar KHATRI (since 19 April 2022)

chancery: 2730 34th Place NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550

FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534

email address and website:
info@nepalembassyusa.org

https://us.nepalembassy.gov.np/

consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Randy BERRY (since 25 October 2018)

embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

mailing address: 6190 Kathmandu Place, Washington DC  20521-6190

telephone: [977] (1) 423-4000

FAX: [977] (1) 400-7272

email address and website:
usembktm@state.gov

https://np.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: crimson red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle displays a white 12-pointed sun; the color red represents the rhododendron (Nepal's national flower) and is a sign of victory and bravery, the blue border signifies peace and harmony; the two right triangles are a combination of two single pennons (pennants) that originally symbolized the Himalaya Mountains while their charges represented the families of the king (upper) and the prime minister, but today they are understood to denote Hinduism and Buddhism, the country's two main religions; the moon represents the serenity of the Nepalese people and the shade and cool weather in the Himalayas, while the sun depicts the heat and higher temperatures of the lower parts of Nepal; the moon and the sun are also said to express the hope that the nation will endure as long as these heavenly bodies

note: Nepal is the only country in the world whose flag is not rectangular or square
National symbol(s): rhododendron blossom; national color: red
National anthem: name: "Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka" (Hundreds of Flowers)

lyrics/music: Pradeep Kumar RAI/Ambar GURUNG

note: adopted 2007; after the abolition of the monarchy in 2006, a new anthem was required because of the previous anthem's praise for the king
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 4 (2 cultural, 2 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Kathmandu Valley (c); Sagarmatha National Park (n); Chitwan National Park (n); Lumbini, Buddha Birthplace (c)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Nepal is among the least developed countries in the world, with about one-quarter of its population living below the poverty line. Nepal is heavily dependent on remittances, which amount to as much as 30% of GDP. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for almost two-thirds of the population but accounting for less than a third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain.   Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower, with an estimated 42,000 MW of commercially feasible capacity. Nepal has signed trade and investment agreements with India, China, and other countries, but political uncertainty and a difficult business climate have hampered foreign investment. The United States and Nepal signed a $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact in September 2017 which will expand Nepal’s electricity infrastructure and help maintain transportation infrastructure.   Massive earthquakes struck Nepal in early 2015, which damaged or destroyed infrastructure and homes and set back economic development. Although political gridlock and lack of capacity have hindered post-earthquake recovery, government-led reconstruction efforts have progressively picked up speed, although many hard hit areas still have seen little assistance. Additional challenges to Nepal's growth include its landlocked geographic location, inconsistent electricity supply, and underdeveloped transportation infrastructure.Nepal is among the least developed countries in the world, with about one-quarter of its population living below the poverty line. Nepal is heavily dependent on remittances, which amount to as much as 30% of GDP. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for almost two-thirds of the population but accounting for less than a third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower, with an estimated 42,000 MW of commercially feasible capacity. Nepal has signed trade and investment agreements with India, China, and other countries, but political uncertainty and a difficult business climate have hampered foreign investment. The United States and Nepal signed a $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact in September 2017 which will expand Nepal’s electricity infrastructure and help maintain transportation infrastructure. Massive earthquakes struck Nepal in early 2015, which damaged or destroyed infrastructure and homes and set back economic development. Although political gridlock and lack of capacity have hindered post-earthquake recovery, government-led reconstruction efforts have progressively picked up speed, although many hard hit areas still have seen little assistance. Additional challenges to Nepal's growth include its landlocked geographic location, inconsistent electricity supply, and underdeveloped transportation infrastructure.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $110.72 billion (2020 est.)

$113.08 billion (2019 est.)

$106.03 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 7.9% (2017 est.)

0.6% (2016 est.)

3.3% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $3,800 (2020 est.)

$4,000 (2019 est.)

$3,800 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $24.88 billion (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (2017 est.)

9.9% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 27% (2017 est.)

industry: 13.5% (2017 est.)

services: 59.5% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 78% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 11.7% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 33.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 8.7% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 9.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -42% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: rice, vegetables, sugar cane, potatoes, maize, wheat, buffalo milk, milk, fruit, mangoes/guavas
Industries: tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
Industrial production growth rate: 12.4% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 16.81 million (2017 est.)

note: severe lack of skilled labor
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 69%

industry: 12%

services: 19% (2015 est.)
Unemployment rate: 3% (2017 est.)

3.2% (2016 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 21.4%

male: 19.7%

female: 23.9% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25.2% (2011 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 32.8 (2010 est.)

47.2 (2008 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2%

highest 10%: 29.5% (2011)
Budget: revenues: 5.925 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 5.945 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -0.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 26.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

27.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 23.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: 16 July - 15 July
Current account balance: -$93 million (2017 est.)

$1.339 billion (2016 est.)
Exports: $1.79 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.73 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.68 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: India 68%, United States 10% (2019)
Exports - commodities: palm oil, clothing and apparel, carpets, soybean oil, flavored water (2019)
Imports: $10.68 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$13.83 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$14.65 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: India 70%, China 15% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, iron, broadcasting equipment, natural gas, rice (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $9.091 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$8.506 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $5.849 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$4.321 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar -

104 (2017 est.)

107.38 (2016 est.)

107.38 (2015 est.)

102.41 (2014 est.)

99.53 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 93% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 94% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 93% (2019)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 1.392 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 4.676 billion kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 107 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 1.729 billion kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 1.183 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 97.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 28,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 839,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 811,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 1 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 49,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 26,120 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 7.708 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.051 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 6.657 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 5.219 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 726,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 38.213 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: in relation to its telecom sector, Nepal has several topographical and economic constraints which have impeded efforts to expand network infrastructure and improve the quality of service for end-users; the fixed line market remains underdeveloped, and as a result most traffic is channeled via mobile networks; fixed broadband penetration remains very low, though to address this the government has initiated several programs as part of the Digital Nepal Framework and the wider Optical Fiber Backbone Network Expansion Project, started in 2012; supported by the Rural Telecommunications Development Fund, the programs include building out fiber backbone infrastructure and using this to provide broadband to schools and community centers nationally; Telcos have also invested in fiber networks, and competition in the market is intensifying; cheap fiber-based services launched by CG Net in mid-2021 prompted responses from other ISPs to provide faster and more competitively priced offers;
Nepal’s mobile market is relatively developed, with a focus on LTE; in 2021, the regulator considered a range of spectrum bands which could be used for 5G, while Nepal Telecom was charged with trialing services in five cities. (2021)

domestic: 3G coverage is available in 20 major cities (2019); disparity between high coverage in cities and coverage available in underdeveloped rural regions; fixed-line less than 3 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular nearly 131 per 100 persons; fair radiotelephone communication service; 20% of the market share is fixed (wired) broadband, 2% is fixed (wireless) broadband, and 78% is mobile broadband (2019)

international: country code - 977; Nepal, China and Tibet connected across borders with underground and all-dielectric self-supporting (ADSS) fiber-optic cables; radiotelephone communications; microwave and fiber landlines to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: state operates 3 TV stations, as well as national and regional radio stations; 117 television channels are licensed, among those 71 are cable television channels, three are distributed through Direct-To-Home (DTH) system, and four are digital terrestrial; 736 FM radio stations are licensed and at least 314 of those radio stations are community radio stations (2019)
Internet country code: .np
Internet users: total: 11,071,987 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 38% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 1.27 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 39

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 3,296,953 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4.66 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 9N
Airports: total: 47 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 36

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 29 (2021)
Railways: total: 59 km (2018)

narrow gauge: 59 km (2018) 0.762-m gauge
Roadways: total: 27,990 km (2016)

paved: 11,890 km (2016)

unpaved: 16,100 km (2016)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Nepal Army (includes Air Wing); Nepal Armed Police Force (paramilitary force under the Ministry of Home Affairs responsible for border and internal security, including counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism, and assisting the Army in the event of an external invasion) (2022)
Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2019) (approximately $1.1 billion)

2.3% of GDP (2018) (approximately $1.11 billion)

2.6% of GDP (2017) (approximately $1.12 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 95,000 active troops (including a small air wing of about 500 personnel) (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Army's inventory includes a mix of older equipment largely of British, Chinese, Indian, Russian, and South African origin; since 2010, Nepal has received limited amounts of newer hardware from several countries, including China, Italy, and Russia (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (including women); no conscription (2022)

note: as of 2020, women comprised about 5% of the active duty military
Military deployments: 790 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 1,150 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); 400 Golan Heights (UNDOF); 870 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 235 Liberia (UNSMIL); 175 Mali (MINUSMA); 1,750 (plus about 220 police) South Sudan (UNMISS) (May 2022)
Military - note: Nepal became a member of the UN in 1955 and has been an active participant in UN peacekeeping operations since, sending its first military observers to a UN peacekeeping mission in 1958 and its first peacekeeping military contingent to Egypt in 1974

the British began to recruit Nepalese citizens (Gurkhas) into the East India Company Army during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816); the Gurkhas subsequently were brought into the British Indian Army and by 1914, there were 10 Gurkha regiments, collectively known as the Gurkha Brigade; following the partition of India in 1947, an agreement between Nepal, India, and Great Britain allowed for the transfer of the 10 regiments from the British Indian Army to the separate British and Indian armies; four regiments were transferred to the British Army, where they have since served continuously as the Brigade of Gurkhas until merged to form the Royal Gurkha Rifles in 1994; six Gurkha (aka Gorkha in India) regiments went to the new Indian Army; a seventh regiment was later added; Gurkhas are also recruited into the Singaporean Police and a special guard in the Sultanate of Brunei known as the Gurkha Reserve Unit (2022)

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Indian Mujahedeen

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Nepal-China: China may have constructed 11 buildings in Nepal’s Humla region in 2021 Nepal-India: joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 sq km dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; the Kalapani issue resurfaced in November 2019 when India issued a new map showing the contested area within India’s borders and then built a new road in the region through Lipulekh pass, an area controlled by India but claimed by Nepal; Nepal countered by amending its constitution and issuing its own map showing the disputed area within its borders; the countries prime ministers briefly discussed the border dispute in April 2022; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of illegal cross-border activitiesNepal-China: China may have constructed 11 buildings in Nepal’s Humla region in 2021Nepal-India: joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 sq km dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; the Kalapani issue resurfaced in November 2019 when India issued a new map showing the contested area within India’s borders and then built a new road in the region through Lipulekh pass, an area controlled by India but claimed by Nepal; Nepal countered by amending its constitution and issuing its own map showing the disputed area within its borders; the countries prime ministers briefly discussed the border dispute in April 2022; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of illegal cross-border activities
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 12,540 (Tibet/China), 6,365 (Bhutan) (mid-year 2021)

stateless persons: undetermined (mid-year 2021)
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the Westillicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West


US State Dept Travel Advisory: The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens Reconsider Travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo due to crime and civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws, and special circumstances in this country.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html
Passport/Visa Requirements: US citizens should make sure their passport will not expire for at least 6 months after they enter the country even if they do not intend to stay that long. They should also make sure they have at least 1 blank page in their passport for any entry stamp and or visa that will be required. A visa is required. US citizens will need to get in touch with the country’s embassy or nearest consulate to obtain a visa prior to visiting the country.
US Embassy/Consulate: [243] 081 556-0151; US Embassy in Kinshasa, 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa, Gombe, Democratic Republic of the Congo; https://cd.usembassy.gov/; ACSKinshasa@state.gov
Telephone Code: 243
Local Emergency Phone: Local numbers only
Vaccinations: An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. On 18 October 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Travel Health Notice for an Ebola outbreak in the South Kivu (Kivu Sud), North Kivu (Kivu Nord), and Ituri provinces in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; travelers to this area could be infected with Ebola if they come into contact with an infected person’s blood or other body fluids; travelers should seek medical care immediately if they develop fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising during or after travel.  See WHO recommendations. On 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; the Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.

http://www.who.int/
Climate: Tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator -wet season (April - October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)
Currency (Code): Congolese francs (CDF)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s): 220 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, D, E

Major Languages: French, Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Major Religions: Roman Catholic 29.9%, Protestant 26.7%, Kimbanguist 2.8%, other Christian 36.5%, Muslim 1.3%
Time Difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); note: the DRC ha2 time zones
Potable Water: Opt for bottled water
International Driving Permit: Suggested
Road Driving Side: Right
Tourist Destinations: Kinshasa; Lola Ya Bonobo; Kahuzi Biega National Park; Nyiragongo Volcano; Virunga National Park; Lake Kivu
Major Sports: Soccer, basketball, rugby
Cultural Practices: Eat with your right hand and avoid holding bowls or utensils with the left. When eating from a shared bowl only, use the part of the bowl directly in front of you. It is very impolite to start eating before the oldest man has been served and has started eating.
Tipping Guidelines: Tipping 7% is expected in restaurants frequented by Westerners and at fancier eating establishments. Taxis do not typically expect tips.
Souvenirs: Precious stone and seed jewelry, woven baskets, hand-carved wood furniture, ebony statues, bronze sculptures, native pottery, natural perfumes and cosmetics
Traditional Cuisine: Poulet à la moambe — a savory chicken dish made by combining chicken, spices, and palm butter to create a stew-like consistencyPlease visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.

World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.

US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.

To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs:
American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)

How to get help in an emergency?
Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers:
from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444

Page last updated: Wednesday, July 20, 2022


Topic: Photos of Coral Sea Islands

Topic: Introduction
Background: The widely scattered islands were first charted in 1803, but they were too small to host any permanent human habitation. The 1870s and 1880s, saw attempts at guano mining, but these were soon abandoned. The islands became an Australian territory in 1969 and its boundaries were extended in 1997. A small meteorological staff has operated on the Willis Islets since 1921, and several other islands host unmanned weather stations, beacons, and lighthouses. Much of the territory lies within marine national nature reserves.  The widely scattered islands were first charted in 1803, but they were too small to host any permanent human habitation. The 1870s and 1880s, saw attempts at guano mining, but these were soon abandoned. The islands became an Australian territory in 1969 and its boundaries were extended in 1997. A small meteorological staff has operated on the Willis Islets since 1921, and several other islands host unmanned weather stations, beacons, and lighthouses. Much of the territory lies within marine national nature reserves. Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 152 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 3 sq km less than

land: 3 sq km less than

water: 0 sq km

note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km (300,000 sq mi) with the Willis Islets the most important
Area - comparative: about four times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 3,095 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (cays)
Elevation: highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 9 m

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 100% (2018 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional tropical cyclones
Geography - note: important nesting area for birds and turtles
Map description: Coral Sea Islands map showing the Australian territory in the Coral Sea.Coral Sea Islands map showing the Australian territory in the Coral Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: (July 2021 est.) no indigenous inhabitants

note: there is a staff of four at the meteorological station on Willis Island
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA

15-24 years: NA

25-54 years: NA

55-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: NA

youth dependency ratio: NA

elderly dependency ratio: NA

potential support ratio: NA
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: NA
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA
Current Health Expenditure: NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: NA

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: no permanent freshwater resources; damaging activities include coral mining, destructive fishing practices (overfishing, blast fishing)
Climate: tropical
Land use: agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)

other: 100% (2018 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory

conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

etymology: self-descriptive name to reflect the islands' position in the Coral Sea off the northeastern coast of Australia
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport
Legal system: the common law legal system of Australia applies where applicable
Citizenship: see Australia
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: no economic activity

Topic: Communications
Communications - note: automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relay data to the mainland

Topic: Transportation
Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only

Topic: Military and Security
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: nonenone


Topic: Photos of Liberia

Topic: Introduction
Background: With 28 ethnic groups and languages, Liberia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. For hundreds of years, the Mali and Songhai Empires claimed most of Liberia. Beginning in the 15th century, European traders began establishing outposts along the Liberian coast. Unlike its neighbors, however, Liberia did not fall under European colonial rule. In the early 19th century, the US began sending freed enslaved people and other people of color to Liberia to establish settlements. In 1847, these settlers declared independence from the US, writing their own constitution and establishing Africa’s first republic. Early in Liberia’s history, tensions arose between the Americo-Liberian settlers and the indigenous population. In 1980, Samuel DOE, who was from the indigenous population, led a military coup and ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 permitted an election that brought TAYLOR to power. In 2000, fighting resumed. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted President TAYLOR’s resignation. TAYLOR was later convicted by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague for his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. In late 2005, President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF became president after two years of transitional governments; she was the first female head of state in Africa. In 2011, JOHNSON SIRLEAF won reelection but struggled to rebuild Liberia's economy, particularly following the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic, and to reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. In 2017, former soccer star George WEAH won the presidential runoff election, marking the first successful transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another since the end of Liberia’s civil wars. Like his predecessor, WEAH has struggled to improve the country’s economy. The next presidential election is scheduled for 2023.  With 28 ethnic groups and languages, Liberia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. For hundreds of years, the Mali and Songhai Empires claimed most of Liberia. Beginning in the 15th century, European traders began establishing outposts along the Liberian coast. Unlike its neighbors, however, Liberia did not fall under European colonial rule. In the early 19th century, the US began sending freed enslaved people and other people of color to Liberia to establish settlements. In 1847, these settlers declared independence from the US, writing their own constitution and establishing Africa’s first republic.Early in Liberia’s history, tensions arose between the Americo-Liberian settlers and the indigenous population. In 1980, Samuel DOE, who was from the indigenous population, led a military coup and ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 permitted an election that brought TAYLOR to power. In 2000, fighting resumed. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted President TAYLOR’s resignation. TAYLOR was later convicted by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague for his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. In late 2005, President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF became president after two years of transitional governments; she was the first female head of state in Africa. In 2011, JOHNSON SIRLEAF won reelection but struggled to rebuild Liberia's economy, particularly following the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic, and to reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. In 2017, former soccer star George WEAH won the presidential runoff election, marking the first successful transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another since the end of Liberia’s civil wars. Like his predecessor, WEAH has struggled to improve the country’s economy. The next presidential election is scheduled for 2023. Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 111,369 sq km

land: 96,320 sq km

water: 15,049 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 1,667 km

border countries (3): Guinea 590 km; Cote d'Ivoire 778 km; Sierra Leone 299 km
Coastline: 579 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Elevation: highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,447 m

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 243 m
Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use: agricultural land: 28.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 5.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 20.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 44.6% (2018 est.)

other: 27.3% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: more than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one-third living within an 80-km radius of Monrovia as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Geography - note: facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture
Map description: Liberia map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the North Atlantic Ocean.  Liberia map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the North Atlantic Ocean.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 5,358,483 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Liberian(s)

adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups: Kpelle 20.3%, Bassa 13.4%, Grebo 10%, Gio 8%, Mano 7.9%, Kru 6%, Lorma 5.1%, Kissi 4.8%, Gola 4.4%, Krahn 4%, Vai 4%, Mandingo 3.2%, Gbandi 3%, Mende 1.3%, Sapo 1.3%, other Liberian 1.7%, other African 1.4%, non-African .1% (2008 est.)
Languages: English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence
Religions: Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.5% (2008 est.)
Demographic profile: Liberia’s high fertility rate of nearly 5 children per woman and large youth cohort – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – will sustain a high dependency ratio for many years to come. Significant progress has been made in preventing child deaths, despite a lack of health care workers and infrastructure. Infant and child mortality have dropped nearly 70% since 1990; the annual reduction rate of about 5.4% is the highest in Africa.Nevertheless, Liberia’s high maternal mortality rate remains among the world’s worst; it reflects a high unmet need for family planning services, frequency of early childbearing, lack of quality obstetric care, high adolescent fertility, and a low proportion of births attended by a medical professional. Female mortality is also increased by the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC), which is practiced by 10 of Liberia’s 16 tribes and affects more than two-thirds of women and girls. FGC is an initiation ritual performed in rural bush schools, which teach traditional beliefs on marriage and motherhood and are an obstacle to formal classroom education for Liberian girls.Liberia has been both a source and a destination for refugees. During Liberia’s 14-year civil war (1989-2003), more than 250,000 people became refugees and another half million were internally displaced. Between 2004 and the cessation of refugee status for Liberians in June 2012, the UNHCR helped more than 155,000 Liberians to voluntarily repatriate, while others returned home on their own. Some Liberian refugees spent more than two decades living in other West African countries. Liberia hosted more than 125,000 Ivoirian refugees escaping post-election violence in 2010-11; as of mid-2017, about 12,000 Ivoirian refugees were still living in Liberia as of October 2017 because of instability.Liberia’s high fertility rate of nearly 5 children per woman and large youth cohort – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – will sustain a high dependency ratio for many years to come. Significant progress has been made in preventing child deaths, despite a lack of health care workers and infrastructure. Infant and child mortality have dropped nearly 70% since 1990; the annual reduction rate of about 5.4% is the highest in Africa.Nevertheless, Liberia’s high maternal mortality rate remains among the world’s worst; it reflects a high unmet need for family planning services, frequency of early childbearing, lack of quality obstetric care, high adolescent fertility, and a low proportion of births attended by a medical professional. Female mortality is also increased by the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC), which is practiced by 10 of Liberia’s 16 tribes and affects more than two-thirds of women and girls. FGC is an initiation ritual performed in rural bush schools, which teach traditional beliefs on marriage and motherhood and are an obstacle to formal classroom education for Liberian girls.Liberia has been both a source and a destination for refugees. During Liberia’s 14-year civil war (1989-2003), more than 250,000 people became refugees and another half million were internally displaced. Between 2004 and the cessation of refugee status for Liberians in June 2012, the UNHCR helped more than 155,000 Liberians to voluntarily repatriate, while others returned home on their own. Some Liberian refugees spent more than two decades living in other West African countries. Liberia hosted more than 125,000 Ivoirian refugees escaping post-election violence in 2010-11; as of mid-2017, about 12,000 Ivoirian refugees were still living in Liberia as of October 2017 because of instability.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.35% (male 1,111,479/female 1,087,871)

15-24 years: 20.35% (male 516,136/female 516,137)

25-54 years: 30.01% (male 747,983/female 774,615)

55-64 years: 3.46% (male 89,150/female 86,231)

65 years and over: 2.83% (2020 est.) (male 70,252/female 73,442)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 77.6

youth dependency ratio: 71.7

elderly dependency ratio: 5.9

potential support ratio: 17 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 18 years

male: 17.7 years

female: 18.2 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.73% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 36.64 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: more than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one-third living within an 80-km radius of Monrovia as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 53.1% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.623 million MONROVIA (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 19.1 years (2019/20 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 661 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 44.57 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 48.68 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 40.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.45 years

male: 63.19 years

female: 67.78 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.79 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 24.9% (2019/20)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 96.2% of population

rural: 70.6% of population

total: 84% of population

unimproved: urban: 3.8% of population

rural: 29.4% of population

total: 16% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 8.5% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 68% of population

rural: 25.2% of population

total: 47.5% of population

unimproved: urban: 32% of population

rural: 74.8% of population

total: 52.5% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.1% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 35,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,300 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases: Lassa fever

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Liberia is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 9.9% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 8.2% (2020 est.)

male: 14.3% (2020 est.)

female: 2% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 10.9% (2019/20)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: NA

women married by age 18: NA

men married by age 18: 8.4% (2020 est.)
Education expenditures: 2.3% of GDP (2020 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 48.3%

male: 62.7%

female: 34.1% (2017)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 2.3%

male: 2.4%

female: 2.2% (2016 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; hunting of endangered species for bushmeat; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage; pollution of rivers from industrial run-off; burning and dumping of household waste
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 17.19 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 1.39 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 6.56 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Land use: agricultural land: 28.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 5.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 20.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 44.6% (2018 est.)

other: 27.3% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 53.1% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 13.27% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases: Lassa fever

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Liberia is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Food insecurity: severe localized food insecurity: due to high food prices - production of rice, a main staple food, was estimated at a below-average level in 2021, a factor that is expected to further aggravate food insecurity in 2022 (2022)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 564,467 tons (2007 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 80.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 53.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 12.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 232 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Liberia

conventional short form: Liberia

etymology: name derives from the Latin word "liber" meaning "free"; so named because the nation was created as a homeland for liberated African-American slaves
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Monrovia

geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: named after James Monroe (1758-1831), the fifth president of the United States and supporter of the colonization of Liberia by freed slaves; one of two national capitals named for a US president, the other is Washington, D.C.
Administrative divisions: 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
Independence: 26 July 1847
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution: history: previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revision adopted by referendum 3 July 1984, effective 6 January 1986

amendments: proposed by agreement of at least two thirds of both National Assembly houses or by petition of at least 10,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval of both houses and approval in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of registered voters; amended 2011, 2020
Legal system: mixed legal system of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Liberia

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President George WEAH (since 22 January 2018); Vice President Jewel HOWARD-TAYLOR (since 22 January 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President George WEAH (since 22 January 2018); Vice President Jewel HOWARD-TAYLOR (since 22 January 2018)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 October 2017 with a run-off on 26 December 2017 (next to be held on 10 October 2023); the runoff originally scheduled for 7 November 2017 was delayed due to allegations of fraud in the first round, which the Supreme Court dismissed (2017)

election results: George WEAH elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - George WEAH (Coalition for Democratic Change) 38.4%, Joseph BOAKAI (UP) 28.8%, Charles BRUMSKINE (LP) 9.6%, Prince JOHNSON (MDR) 8.2%, Alexander B. CUMMINGS (ANC) 7.2%, other 7.8%; percentage of vote in second round - George WEAH 61.5%, Joseph BOAKAI 38.5%
Legislative branch: description: bicameral National Assembly consists of:
The Liberian Senate (30 seats; members directly elected in 15 2-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 9-year staggered terms; each district elects 1 senator and elects the second senator 3 years later, followed by a 6-year hiatus, after which the first Senate seat is up for election)
House of Representatives (73 seats; members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms; eligible for a second term)

elections: Senate - general election held on 8 December 2020 with half the seats up for election (next to be hled on 10 October 2023)
House of Representatives - last held on 10 October 2017 (next to be held 10 October 2023)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Collaborating Political Parties 40.27%, Congress for Democratic Change 28.02%, People's Unification Party 6.40, Movement for Democracy and Reconstructions 4.30%, All Liberia Coalition 1.09%,Rainbow Alliance 1.09%, Liberia Restoration Party 0,82%, Liberia National Union 0.77%, Movement for Progressive Change 0.74%, United People's Party 0.66%, Liberia Transformation Party 0.16%, National Democratic Coalition 0.07%, Movement for One Liberia 0.01; seats by coalition/party- CPP 13, CDC 5, PUP 2, MDR 1, NDC 1; composition - men 28, women 2, percent of women 6.7%

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for Democratic Change 15.6%, UP 14%, LP 8.7%, ANC 6.1%, PUP 5.9%, ALP 5.1%, MDR 3.4%, other 41.2%; seats by coalition/party - Coalition for Democratic Change 21, UP 20, PUP 5, LP 3, ALP 3, MDR 2, independent 13, other 6; composition - men 65, women 8, percent of women 11%; total Parliament percent of women 9.7%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 4 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional cases

judge selection and term of office: chief justice and associate justices appointed by the president of Liberia with consent of the Senate; judges can serve until age 70

subordinate courts: judicial circuit courts; special courts, including criminal, civil, labor, traffic; magistrate and traditional or customary courts
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Marcus S. G. DAHN]
All Liberian Party or ALP [Benoi UREY]
Alternative National Congress or ANC [Orishil GOULD]
Coalition for Democratic Change [George WEAH] (includes CDC, NPP, and LPDP)Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]
Liberia Destiny Party or LDP [Nathaniel BARNES]
Liberia National Union or LINU [Nathaniel BLAMA]
Liberia Transformation Party or LTP [Julius SUKU]
Liberian People Democratic Party or LPDP [Alex J. TYLER]
Liberian People's Party or LPP
Liberty Party or LP [J. Fonati KOFFA]
Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction or MDR [Prince Y. JOHNSON]
Movement for Economic Empowerment [J. Mill JONES, Dr.]
Movement for Progressive Change or MPC [Simeon FREEMAN]
National Democratic Coalition or NDC [Dew MAYSON]
National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [D. Nyandeh SIEH]
National Patriotic Party or NPP [Jewel HOWARD TAYLOR]
National Reformist Party or NRP [Maximillian T. W. DIABE]
National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP [Victor BARNEY]
People's Unification Party or PUP [Isobe GBORKORKOLLIE]
Unity Party or UP [Varney SHERMAN]
United People's Party [MacDonald WENTO]
Victory for Change Party [Marcus R. JONES]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador George S.W. PATTEN, Sr. (since 11 January 2019)

chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437

FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436

email address and website:
info@liberiaemb.org

http://www.liberianembassyus.org/

consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael A. MCCARTHY (since 22 January 2021)

embassy: 502 Benson Street, Monrovia

mailing address: 8800 Monrovia Place, Washington DC  20521-8800

telephone: [231] 77-677-7000

FAX: [231] 77-677-7370

email address and website:
ACSMonrovia@state.gov

https://lr.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a white five-pointed star appears on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the stripes symbolize the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence; the blue square represents the African mainland, and the star represents the freedom granted to the ex-slaves; according to the constitution, the blue color signifies liberty, justice, and fidelity, the white color purity, cleanliness, and guilelessness, and the red color steadfastness, valor, and fervor

note: the design is based on the US flag
National symbol(s): white star; national colors: red, white, blue
National anthem: name: "All Hail, Liberia Hail!"

lyrics/music: Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA

note: lyrics adopted 1847, music adopted 1860; the anthem's author later became the third president of Liberia

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Liberia is a low-income country that relies heavily on foreign assistance and remittances from the diaspora. It is richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture. Its principal exports are iron ore, rubber, diamonds, and gold. Palm oil and cocoa are emerging as new export products. The government has attempted to revive raw timber extraction and is encouraging oil exploration.   In the 1990s and early 2000s, civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially infrastructure in and around the capital. Much of the conflict was fueled by control over Liberia’s natural resources. With the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically elected government in 2006, businesses that had fled the country began to return. The country achieved high growth during the period 2010-13 due to favorable world prices for its commodities. However, during the 2014-2015 Ebola crisis, the economy declined and many foreign-owned businesses departed with their capital and expertise. The epidemic forced the government to divert scarce resources to combat the spread of the virus, reducing funds available for needed public investment. The cost of addressing the Ebola epidemic coincided with decreased economic activity reducing government revenue, although higher donor support significantly offset this loss. During the same period, global commodities prices for key exports fell and have yet to recover to pre-Ebola levels.   In 2017, gold was a key driver of growth, as a new mining project began its first full year of production; iron ore exports are also increased as Arcelor Mittal opened new mines at Mount Gangra. The completion of the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydroelectric Dam increased electricity production to support ongoing and future economic activity, although electricity tariffs remain high relative to other countries in the region and transmission infrastructure is limited. Presidential and legislative elections in October 2017 generated election-related spending pressures.   Revitalizing the economy in the future will depend on economic diversification, increasing investment and trade, higher global commodity prices, sustained foreign aid and remittances, development of infrastructure and institutions, combating corruption, and maintaining political stability and security.Liberia is a low-income country that relies heavily on foreign assistance and remittances from the diaspora. It is richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture. Its principal exports are iron ore, rubber, diamonds, and gold. Palm oil and cocoa are emerging as new export products. The government has attempted to revive raw timber extraction and is encouraging oil exploration. In the 1990s and early 2000s, civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially infrastructure in and around the capital. Much of the conflict was fueled by control over Liberia’s natural resources. With the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically elected government in 2006, businesses that had fled the country began to return. The country achieved high growth during the period 2010-13 due to favorable world prices for its commodities. However, during the 2014-2015 Ebola crisis, the economy declined and many foreign-owned businesses departed with their capital and expertise. The epidemic forced the government to divert scarce resources to combat the spread of the virus, reducing funds available for needed public investment. The cost of addressing the Ebola epidemic coincided with decreased economic activity reducing government revenue, although higher donor support significantly offset this loss. During the same period, global commodities prices for key exports fell and have yet to recover to pre-Ebola levels. In 2017, gold was a key driver of growth, as a new mining project began its first full year of production; iron ore exports are also increased as Arcelor Mittal opened new mines at Mount Gangra. The completion of the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydroelectric Dam increased electricity production to support ongoing and future economic activity, although electricity tariffs remain high relative to other countries in the region and transmission infrastructure is limited. Presidential and legislative elections in October 2017 generated election-related spending pressures. Revitalizing the economy in the future will depend on economic diversification, increasing investment and trade, higher global commodity prices, sustained foreign aid and remittances, development of infrastructure and institutions, combating corruption, and maintaining political stability and security.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $6.85 billion (2020 est.)

$7.05 billion (2019 est.)

$7.21 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 2.5% (2017 est.)

-1.6% (2016 est.)

0% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $1,400 (2020 est.)

$1,400 (2019 est.)

$1,500 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $3.071 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.4% (2017 est.)

8.8% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 34% (2017 est.)

industry: 13.8% (2017 est.)

services: 52.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 128.8% (2016 est.)

government consumption: 16.7% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 19.5% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories: 6.7% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services: 17.5% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services: -89.2% (2016 est.)
Agricultural products: cassava, sugar cane, oil palm fruit, rice, bananas, vegetables, plantains, rubber, taro, maize
Industries: mining (iron ore and gold), rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate: 9% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 1.677 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 70%

industry: 8%

services: 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.8% (2014 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 2.3%

male: 2.4%

female: 2.2% (2016 est.)
Population below poverty line: 50.9% (2016 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 35.3 (2016 est.)

38.2 (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4%

highest 10%: 30.1% (2007)
Budget: revenues: 553.6 million (2017 est.)

expenditures: 693.8 million (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -4.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 34.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

28.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 16.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$627 million (2017 est.)

-$464 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $550 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$530 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$359 million (2017 est.)
Exports - partners: Guyana 32%, Poland 10%, Switzerland 8%, Japan 7%, China 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: ships, iron, gold, rubber, crude petroleum (2019)
Imports: $1.24 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.25 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.118 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - partners: China 41%, Japan 21%, South Korea 18% (2019)
Imports - commodities: ships, refined petroleum, iron structures, boat propellers, centrifuges (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $459.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$528.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $826 million (2019 est.)

$679 million (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar -

109.4 (2017 est.)

93.4 (2016 est.)

93.4 (2015 est.)

85.3 (2014 est.)

83.893 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 12% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 18% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 6% (2019)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 196,000 kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 292 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 26 million kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 40.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 59.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 9,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 8,181 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.346 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 1.346 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 3.79 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 6,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 1.653 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Liberia has a telecom market which is mainly based on mobile networks; this is due to the civil war which destroyed much of the fixed-line infrastructure; the fixed-line incumbent telco– rebranded as LTC Mobile in January 2022–has struggled with mismanagement and government neglect; its revenue is inadequate to allow it to invest in network infrastructure, and it has failed to make inroads in the market; to facilitate LTC Mobile’s market entry, the government in January 2022 set in train amendments to telecom legislation; LTC Mobile soon afterwards launched LTE services; internet services are available from a number of wireless ISPs as well as the mobile operators; the high cost and limited bandwidth of connections means that internet access is expensive and rates are very low; additional bandwidth is available from an international submarine cable but considerable investment is still needed in domestic fixed-line infrastructure before end-users can make full use of the cable. (2022)

domestic: fixed-line less than 1 per 100; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity approached 57 per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 231; landing point for the ACE submarine cable linking 20 West African countries and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: 8 private and 1 government-owned TV station; satellite TV service available; 1 state-owned radio station; approximately 20 independent radio stations broadcasting in Monrovia, with approximately 80 more local stations operating in other areas; transmissions of 4 international (including the British Broadcasting Corporation and Radio France Internationale) broadcasters are available (2019)
Internet country code: .lr
Internet users: total: 1,314,996 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 26% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 13,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.3 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: A8
Airports: total: 29 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 14 (2021)
Pipelines: 4 km oil (2013)
Railways: total: 429 km (2008)

standard gauge: 345 km (2008) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 84 km (2008) 1.067-m gauge

note: most sections of the railways inoperable due to damage sustained during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003, but many are being rebuilt
Roadways: total: 10,600 km (2018)

paved: 657 km (2018)

unpaved: 9,943 km (2018)
Merchant marine: total: 3,942

by type: bulk carrier 1,487, container ship 878, general cargo 131, oil tanker 851, other 595 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Buchanan, Monrovia

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Liberian Coast Guard, Air Wing (2022)

note: the AFL Air Wing was previously disbanded in 2005 and has been under redevelopment since 2019; the Liberian National Police and the Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency are under the Ministry of Justice
Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.6% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $25 million)

0.5% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $20 million)

0.4% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $19 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 2,000 active personnel (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the AFL is poorly armed; it has received limited quantities of equipment since 2010, including donations, from countries such as China and the US (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18-35 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); no conscription (2021)

note: as of 2020, women made up about .4% of the active military
Military deployments: 160 Mali (MINUSMA) (May 2022)
Military - note: the first militia unit established for defense of the colony was raised in 1832; the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) traces its origins to the 1908 establishment of the Liberia Frontier Force, which became the Liberian National Guard in 1965; the AFL was established in 1970; at the end of the second civil war in 2003, military and police forces were disbanded and approximately 100,000 military, police, and rebel combatants were disarmed; the AFL began to rebuild in 2003 with US assistance and the first infantry battalion of the restructured AFL was re-activated in late 2007; a second battalion was added in 2008 the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was established in 2003 as a peacekeeping force; at its height, UNMIL was comprised of about 15,000 personnel, including more than 3,000 troops absorbed from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) peacekeeping mission; Liberian forces reassumed full control of the country’s security in June of 2016, and the UNMIL mission was ended in 2018  the first militia unit established for defense of the colony was raised in 1832; the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) traces its origins to the 1908 establishment of the Liberia Frontier Force, which became the Liberian National Guard in 1965; the AFL was established in 1970; at the end of the second civil war in 2003, military and police forces were disbanded and approximately 100,000 military, police, and rebel combatants were disarmed; the AFL began to rebuild in 2003 with US assistance and the first infantry battalion of the restructured AFL was re-activated in late 2007; a second battalion was added in 2008the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was established in 2003 as a peacekeeping force; at its height, UNMIL was comprised of about 15,000 personnel, including more than 3,000 troops absorbed from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) peacekeeping mission; Liberian forces reassumed full control of the country’s security in June of 2016, and the UNMIL mission was ended in 2018
Maritime threats: the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide; Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Liberia-Guinea: none identified Liberia-Sierra Leone: none identifiedLiberia-Guinea: none identifiedLiberia-Sierra Leone: none identified
Illicit drugs: not a significant transit country for illicit narcotics but proximity to major drug routes contribute to trafficking; not a significant producer of illicit narcotics; local drug use involves marijuana, heroin, cocaine, the synthetic opioid tramadol, and amphetamine-type stimulantsnot a significant transit country for illicit narcotics but proximity to major drug routes contribute to trafficking; not a significant producer of illicit narcotics; local drug use involves marijuana, heroin, cocaine, the synthetic opioid tramadol, and amphetamine-type stimulants