Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Liberia
Liberia: Armed forces personnel as a share of total population was 0.0% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Liberia, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Liberia recorded 0.0% for armed forces personnel as a share of total population in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 30 years on record.
The figure is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 22.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Liberia peaked at 1.0% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2020.
Liberia ranks 166th of 173 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Liberia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.3% | — |
| 1989 | 0.3% | -8.4% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | +29.4% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -29.0% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -62.2% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | +903.2% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 0.9% | -7.5% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | -42.5% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -64.2% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | +172.7% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 0.5% | -5.5% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | -87.4% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | -4.9% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 0.0% | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 0.0% | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 0.0% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 0.0% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 0.0% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 0.0% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 0.0% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -6.6% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | -2.1% |
Liberia compared with similar countries
- Liberia's 0.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.2%, 24% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Liberia's 0.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1%, 30% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Liberia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +903.2% | 0.1% | 1.0% |
| 2000 | +172.7% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| 2006 | -87.4% | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| 1999 | -64.2% | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| 1992 | -62.2% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| 1998 | -42.5% | 0.9% | 0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.5% | 0.1% | 1.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 9 |
| 2010s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Liberia
- 163 Tanzania 0.0% compare
- 164 Niger 0.0% compare
- 165 Papua New Guinea 0.0% compare
- 167 Mozambique 0.0% compare
- 168 Haiti 0.0% compare
- 169 Antigua and Barbuda 0.0% compare
- 169 Iceland 0.0% compare
- 169 Libya 0.0% compare
- 169 Palestine 0.0% compare
- 169 Seychelles 0.0% compare
More reference data data for Liberia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0476 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.1282 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.229 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.229 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1597 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.183 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5564 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2896 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Liberia?
- Armed forces personnel as a share of total population in Liberia was 0.0% in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Liberia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.0% in 1996.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel as a share of total population recorded in Liberia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2020.
- How does Liberia rank for armed forces personnel as a share of total population?
- Liberia ranks 166th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Liberia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Liberia data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.