Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) in Liberia
Liberia: Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) was 0.1% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Armed forces personnel in Liberia, 1990–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel in Liberia is 0.1%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 24.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Liberia peaked at 2.3% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2020.
That places Liberia 166th out of 171 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) in Liberia, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.8% | — |
| 1991 | 0.6% | -28.9% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | -62.3% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | +895.9% |
| 1996 | 2.3% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 2.1% | -7.7% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -42.6% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | -64.2% |
| 2000 | 1.2% | +172.4% |
| 2001 | 1.1% | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 1.1% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 1.0% | -5.4% |
| 2006 | 0.1% | -87.4% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 0.1% | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 0.1% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -1.7% |
Liberia compared with similar countries
- Liberia's 0.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.5%, 16% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Liberia's 0.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.4%, 22% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) 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 | +895.9% | 0.2% | 2.2% |
| 2000 | +172.4% | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| 2006 | -87.4% | 1.0% | 0.1% |
| 1999 | -64.2% | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| 1992 | -62.3% | 0.6% | 0.2% |
| 1998 | -42.6% | 2.1% | 1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.2% | 0.2% | 2.3% | 8 |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 0.1% | 1.2% | 9 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Liberia
More public sector data for Liberia
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 0 SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2022)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 0 SIPRI trend indicator values (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Liberia?
- Armed forces personnel in Liberia was 0.1% in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Liberia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.3% in 1996.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Liberia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2020.
- How does Liberia rank for armed forces personnel?
- Liberia ranks 166th out of 171 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Liberia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.0%. 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, published as part of Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force). 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 the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces. Labor force comprises all people who meet the International Labour Organization's definition of the economically active population.