Liberia population pyramid 2026
5,853,949 people in 2026 (projected). Liberia’s life expectancy fell to about 38 years during the civil-war era and then rose by more than 20 years, yet its pyramid shows a smooth, wide-based triangle.
- 2026 population
- 5.9Mrank 117 of 237
- Median age
- 19.0 yearsoldest rank 209
- Fertility rate
- 3.71births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful3.4% age 65+
Liberia population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Liberia age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 38.6% of the population, while 3.4% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 58.0% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Liberia’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 72.4: about 72 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (66.6 children and 5.8 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Liberia’s population pyramid
Mortality that went backwards
In Liberia the UN estimates that life expectancy fell over a sustained period. It was about 40 years in 1970 and around 38 in 1990, as the economy deteriorated and the first of two civil wars (1989–97 and 1999–2003) began. Large numbers of people fled to neighbouring countries during the fighting and many later returned, which is consistent with a net outflow of about 130,000 over 1950–99 followed by a small net inflow of about 19,000 over 2000–23. After the wars ended, survival improved remarkably quickly: life expectancy reached about 59 by 2010 and 62 in 2023, and infant mortality fell from 128 per 1,000 births in 2000 to about 56. The Ebola epidemic of 2014–16 was a severe shock to the health system but does not appear as a distinct gap in the five-year bands.
Why the wars leave little visible trace
Despite this history, the 2026 pyramid has no notable notches or bulges. Fertility stayed between about 6 and 7 children per woman from 1950 to 1990, so each new cohort was larger than the last, and wartime losses were spread across many ages rather than concentrated in one group of births. The UN reconstruction for this period also relies on limited data, which tends to produce smooth estimates; the chart alone cannot show how much irregularity is hidden. Similar smooth shapes appear in Sierra Leone, which went through a civil war in the same years, and in Guinea-Bissau, Togo and Nigeria.
The 1950 pyramid has one oddity: men outnumber women by about a fifth to a quarter at ages 30–49. The chart alone cannot establish why. Today the sexes are closely balanced at almost every age, and even at 80–84 there are 87 men per 100 women, reflecting a gap of under three years between female and male life expectancy.
Growth with falling fertility
Fertility has fallen to about 3.7 in 2026, but births still outnumber deaths almost four to one. Under the medium scenario the population rises from about 5.9 million in 2026 to 8.9 million by 2050 and 12.7 million by 2100, showing how growth and fertility can move apart when a large young generation is entering parenthood.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Liberia’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Liberia is projected to record 174,971 births (about 479 births a day) and 46,361 deaths, a natural increase of 128,610. Net migration adds −1,051 people, ranking #113 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 3,649,223 births, 1,002,475 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +19,064. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −94,734 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 64.0 years39.0 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 61.3 years37.0 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 12.4 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 53.5per 1,000 births · 186 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 68.2per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.2 yearssex ratio at birth 103.8
Women in Liberia are projected to live 2.7 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 186 to 53.5 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #10 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.2 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Liberia
The median age of 19.0 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 3.71 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 62.6 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,853,949 | #117 | Largest first |
| Median age | 19.0 years | #209 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 3.71 | #29 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.2% | #32 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 62.6 years | #222 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 3.4% | #201 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Liberia
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 799,859 | 13.7% | 405.2K / 394.6K |
| 2 | 5–9 | 744,610 | 12.7% | 376.9K / 367.7K |
| 3 | 10–14 | 717,105 | 12.2% | 362.9K / 354.2K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 667,113 | 11.4% | 337.2K / 329.9K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 567,955 | 9.7% | 286.2K / 281.7K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Liberia has 2,923,694 males and 2,930,255 females. That is 99.8 males per 100 females, ranking #80 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.9% of the population and females for 50.1%. There are 6,561 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 84.6 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 103.8 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Liberia has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 918,902 in 1950 to 5,853,949 in 2026, a change of 537%. Over the same span, median age moved from 17.9 to 19.0 years.
The under-15 share changed from 41.8% to 38.6%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 3.0% to 3.4%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Liberia’s population is projected to grow by about 52%, reaching 8,910,530 in 2050. The median age changes from 19.0 to 24.7 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 1.6 percentage points to 5.0%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 30.4%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 12,665,394. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 918,902 | 17.9 | 6.00 | 38.0 | 40,283 | 22,729 | −615 | +1.8% |
| 1960 | 1,139,522 | 18.2 | 6.39 | 38.1 | 55,103 | 29,389 | +1,886 | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 1,466,676 | 17.6 | 6.58 | 40.4 | 70,236 | 35,041 | +2,285 | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 1,929,253 | 16.9 | 6.87 | 44.1 | 93,852 | 40,401 | +4,016 | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 2,223,667 | 16.8 | 6.37 | 37.6 | 117,675 | 64,905 | −712,544 | -29.9% |
| 2000 | 2,928,116 | 17.2 | 5.87 | 51.9 | 126,606 | 43,462 | −2,060 | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 4,058,890 | 17.4 | 5.06 | 59.4 | 154,104 | 39,853 | +2,850 | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 5,149,464 | 17.9 | 4.17 | 61.3 | 164,386 | 43,754 | −10,107 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 5,493,031 | 18.4 | 3.95 | 62.2 | 170,065 | 44,333 | −5,002 | +2.2% |
| 2024* | 5,612,817 | 18.5 | 3.86 | 62.3 | 171,626 | 44,990 | −7,779 | +2.1% |
| 2026* | 5,853,949 | 19.0 | 3.71 | 62.6 | 174,971 | 46,361 | −1,051 | +2.2% |
| 2030* | 6,366,291 | 20.0 | 3.43 | 63.2 | 181,051 | 49,488 | −16,024 | +1.8% |
| 2040* | 7,681,688 | 22.4 | 2.94 | 64.5 | 191,535 | 58,501 | −3,577 | +1.7% |
| 2050* | 8,910,530 | 24.7 | 2.62 | 65.8 | 193,464 | 69,378 | −16,506 | +1.2% |
| 2060* | 10,038,635 | 27.1 | 2.40 | 67.1 | 193,394 | 82,875 | −2,674 | +1.1% |
| 2070* | 11,024,770 | 29.5 | 2.26 | 68.2 | 191,961 | 99,093 | −4,114 | +0.8% |
| 2080* | 11,888,868 | 31.7 | 2.14 | 69.4 | 188,430 | 118,389 | +7,168 | +0.7% |
| 2090* | 12,402,844 | 33.6 | 2.04 | 70.5 | 180,477 | 136,114 | −233 | +0.4% |
| 2100* | 12,665,394 | 35.2 | 1.97 | 71.5 | 173,066 | 148,231 | −882 | +0.2% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 405,214 | 394,645 | 799,859 | 13.7% |
| 5–9 | 376,896 | 367,714 | 744,610 | 12.7% |
| 10–14 | 362,886 | 354,219 | 717,105 | 12.2% |
| 15–19 | 337,178 | 329,935 | 667,113 | 11.4% |
| 20–24 | 286,239 | 281,716 | 567,955 | 9.7% |
| 25–29 | 232,991 | 231,128 | 464,119 | 7.9% |
| 30–34 | 186,729 | 187,516 | 374,245 | 6.4% |
| 35–39 | 162,210 | 164,357 | 326,567 | 5.6% |
| 40–44 | 143,608 | 146,548 | 290,156 | 5.0% |
| 45–49 | 120,035 | 124,090 | 244,125 | 4.2% |
| 50–54 | 92,398 | 98,371 | 190,769 | 3.3% |
| 55–59 | 71,520 | 79,689 | 151,209 | 2.6% |
| 60–64 | 55,435 | 63,529 | 118,964 | 2.0% |
| 65–69 | 39,581 | 46,527 | 86,108 | 1.5% |
| 70–74 | 25,605 | 30,721 | 56,326 | 1.0% |
| 75–79 | 14,534 | 17,349 | 31,883 | 0.5% |
| 80–84 | 7,507 | 8,675 | 16,182 | 0.3% |
| 85–89 | 2,549 | 2,897 | 5,446 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 524 | 573 | 1,097 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 55 | 57 | 112 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Liberia’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Nigeria99% overlap · median age 18.3
- Guinea-Bissau98% overlap · median age 19.6
- Sierra Leone98% overlap · median age 19.9
- Togo98% overlap · median age 19.2
- Senegal98% overlap · median age 19.8
- Gambia98% overlap · median age 18.8
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Liberia.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Liberia Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/liberia/
MLA
“Liberia Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/liberia/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Liberia Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/liberia/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Liberia in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Liberia's population in 2026 is projected at 5,853,949.
What is the median age in Liberia?
The projected median age in Liberia in 2026 is 19.0 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Liberia?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 3.71 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Liberia's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 52%, from 5.9M to 8.9M.
What share of Liberia is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 3.4% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 5.0%.
How many babies are born in Liberia each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 174,971 births and 46,361 deaths in 2026, about 479 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 128,610.
What is life expectancy in Liberia for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 64.0 years for women and 61.3 years for men, a gap of 2.7 years in favour of women.
Does Liberia have more immigrants or emigrants?
Liberia is projected to lose about 1,051 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +19,064.
What is the sex ratio in Liberia?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 99.8 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.