Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Liberia

Liberia: Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 55.2% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
55.2%
World rank
24th
of 72 countries
All-time high
55.2%
in 2020
All-time low
12.6%
in 1986
Years of data
6
1986–2020

Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Liberia, 1986–2020

1020304050601986200320201986: 12.6 % of children under 6 months2000: 35.4 % of children under 6 months2007: 27.8 % of children under 6 months2010: 34 % of children under 6 months2013: 54.6 % of children under 6 months2020: 55.2 % of children under 6 months

Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 6 months.

Analysis

In 2020, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Liberia stood at 55.2%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 62.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Liberia peaked at 55.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.6%, in 1986.

That places Liberia 24th out of 72 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 12.6% 12.6% 12.6% 1
2000s 31.6% 27.8% 35.4% 2
2010s 44.3% 34.0% 54.6% 2
2020s 55.2% 55.2% 55.2% 1

Countries ranked near Liberia

  1. 21 Burkina Faso 57.9% compare
  2. 22 Tanzania 57.8% compare
  3. 23 Bolivia 55.7% compare
  4. 25 Philippines 54.9% compare
  5. 26 Sierra Leone 54.0% compare
  6. 27 Gambia 53.6% compare

See the full ranking of 72 places →

More reference data data for Liberia

All data for Liberia →

Frequently asked questions

What is exclusive breastfeeding rate in Liberia?
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Liberia was 55.2% in 2020, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Liberia?
The highest recorded value was 55.2% in 2020.
What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Liberia?
The lowest recorded value was 12.6% in 1986.
How does Liberia rank for exclusive breastfeeding rate?
Liberia ranks 24th out of 72 countries with data for 2020.
Is exclusive breastfeeding rate rising or falling in Liberia?
Over the last ten years it is up 62.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Liberia data come from?
The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Exclusive breastfeeding rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Exclusive breastfeeding rate
Unit
% of children under 6 months
Source
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
72 places, 509 data points, 1986–2020
Last refreshed

The share of infants less than six months old who were fed only with breast milk in the past 24 hours. WHO and UNICEF recommend that children be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.