Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Liberia instead of United States, you would:

Health

be 72.7% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Liberia, that number is 9.9% of people as of 2016.

live 15.1 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2022. In Liberia, that number is 65 years (63 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 19.0% less likely to be unemployed

In United States, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Liberia, that number is 2.9% as of 2023.

make 97.8% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $73,600 as of 2023, while in Liberia, the GDP per capita is $1,600 as of 2023.

be 3.4 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Liberia, however, that number is 50.9% as of 2016.

Life

have 2.7 times more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Liberia, there are 32.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 31.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 21.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Liberia, 652.0 women do as of 2020.

be 8.6 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Liberia, on the other hand, 44.6 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 68.2% less likely to have access to electricity

In United States, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Liberia, 32% of the population do as of 2022.

be 63.0% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 92.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Liberia, about 34.0% do as of 2021.

be 15.9% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In United States, approximately 100% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Liberia, that number is 84% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 71% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 55.7% less on education

United States spends 6.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Liberia spends 2.7% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 49.5% less on healthcare

United States spends 18.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Liberia, that number is 9.5% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 97.1% less coastline

United States has a total of 19,924 km of coastline. In Liberia, that number is 579 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Liberia: At a glance

Liberia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 96,320 sq km. Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendants of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. She subsequently won reelection in 2011 in a second round vote that was boycotted by the opposition and remains challenged to build Liberia's economy and reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. The United Nations Security Council in September 2012 passed Resolution 2066 which calls for a reduction of UN troops in Liberia by half by 2015, bringing the troop total down to fewer than 4000, and challenging Liberia's security sector to fill the gaps.
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