Liberia — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for Liberia, 1960–2025.
Urban population for Liberia was 56.08% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 58.00% in 1991. The lowest was 18.59% in 1960 (about 3.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.71% per year.
Liberia ranks 138 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 64%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 45.11%, so Liberia sits above it. It peaked in 1991 and has fallen 3% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 11%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 13 of 48 economies; Senegal (55.77%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 34% in 1991. That is 5% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1982. Doubling roughly every 41 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 156th of 217 in 1960 → 152nd of 217 in 1970 → 137th of 217 in 1980 → 133rd of 217 in 1990 → 137th of 217 in 2000 → 142nd of 217 in 2010 → 141st of 217 in 2020 → 138th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 56.08% | +0.5 pp |
| 2024 | 55.54% | +0.5 pp |
| 2023 | 55% | +0.5 pp |
| 2022 | 54.46% | +0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 53.92% | +0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 53.39% | +0.5 pp |
| 2019 | 52.86% | +0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 52.32% | +0.5 pp |
| 2017 | 51.8% | +0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 51.27% | +0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 50.74% | +0.5 pp |
| 2014 | 50.22% | +0.5 pp |
| 2013 | 49.7% | +0.5 pp |
| 2012 | 49.18% | +0.5 pp |
| 2011 | 48.66% | +0.5 pp |
| 2010 | 48.14% | +0.5 pp |
| 2009 | 47.62% | +0.5 pp |
| 2008 | 47.11% | +0.5 pp |
| 2007 | 46.61% | +0.4 pp |
| 2006 | 46.23% | +0.4 pp |
| 2005 | 45.85% | +0.4 pp |
| 2004 | 45.43% | +0.4 pp |
| 2003 | 45% | +0.4 pp |
| 2002 | 44.57% | +0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 44.15% | +0.4 pp |
| 2000 | 43.77% | +0.3 pp |
| 1999 | 43.44% | +0.3 pp |
| 1998 | 43.19% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 43.02% | +0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 42.96% | -1.6 pp |
| 1995 | 44.53% | -3.7 pp |
| 1994 | 48.26% | -4.5 pp |
| 1993 | 52.71% | -3.7 pp |
| 1992 | 56.44% | -1.6 pp |
| 1991 | 58% | +14.7 pp |
| 1990 | 43.34% | +1.5 pp |
| 1989 | 41.87% | +0.5 pp |
| 1988 | 41.32% | +0.6 pp |
| 1987 | 40.75% | +4.0 pp |
| 1986 | 36.74% | -2.8 pp |
| 1985 | 39.51% | +0.4 pp |
| 1984 | 39.09% | +0.6 pp |
| 1983 | 38.46% | +0.8 pp |
| 1982 | 37.7% | +0.9 pp |
| 1981 | 36.82% | +1.0 pp |
| 1980 | 35.84% | +1.0 pp |
| 1979 | 34.79% | +1.1 pp |
| 1978 | 33.71% | +1.1 pp |
| 1977 | 32.61% | +1.1 pp |
| 1976 | 31.52% | +1.0 pp |
| 1975 | 30.48% | +1.0 pp |
| 1974 | 29.52% | +0.9 pp |
| 1973 | 28.64% | +0.9 pp |
| 1972 | 27.77% | +0.8 pp |
| 1971 | 26.92% | +0.8 pp |
| 1970 | 26.09% | +0.8 pp |
| 1969 | 25.26% | +0.8 pp |
| 1968 | 24.45% | +0.8 pp |
| 1967 | 23.66% | +0.8 pp |
| 1966 | 22.88% | +0.8 pp |
| 1965 | 22.12% | +0.7 pp |
| 1964 | 21.37% | +0.7 pp |
| 1963 | 20.64% | +0.7 pp |
| 1962 | 19.92% | +0.7 pp |
| 1961 | 19.25% | +0.7 pp |
| 1960 | 18.59% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Liberia’s Urban population in 1961?
19.25% (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total population, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Liberia’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +201.7% in total — about 1.7% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 56.08%; 2024: 55.54%; 2023: 55%; 2022: 54.46%; 2021: 53.92%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS — Urban Population (% of Total). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.