Population
In 2019, Liberia had an average population density of 43
residents per km2. However, the population is
unevenly distributed; 20 per cent live within a 655 km
2 area (corresponding to about 0.6 per cent of the
total area) around the capital Monrovia. The migration
towards the urban areas is extensive. In 2019, 51 percent
were estimated to live in urban areas. The civil wars
(1989–96 and 1999–2003) had a profound effect on the
population distribution - according to estimates, half of
the residents were forced to flee their homes. According to
Countryaah data, the country's
largest city is the capital Monrovia, which in 2010 is
estimated to have 1.1 million residents.
Liberia's indigenous population officially includes 16
ethnic groups, or "tribes," all of which rely predominantly
on agriculture with rice as a base crop. These 16 groups
each have their elected “tribal chief” as head and are
divided into a number of clans, each with his clan chief.
Linguistically, they divide themselves into three major
groups, man, cru, and western Atlantic people.
The male-speaking peoples are located in the central and
northern parts of the country and include first and foremost
kpelle, which is the country's largest group (800,000). The
other men are Dan (or Gio, 250 000), Mano (224 000) and Loma
(196 000). The Mandan people have largely retained their
indigenous African religion; Common to them are the secret
societies of porn (for men) and sande (for
women), who play a significant role as educational
institutions and who have political and legal as well as
religious functions. Also included are the men (124,000) in
the coastal band in the far north, who in the beginning of
the 19th century created a writing language with their own
alphabet.
The Kruger people inhabit the southern half of the
country and include just over a dozen ethnic groups,
including the base (479,000), Grebo (300,000), the actual
Kru (253,000), who live along the south coast and many of
whom traditionally served as sailors on European merchant
vessels, as well as the smaller group of krahn (130,000).
The latter had great political influence during the 1980s,
since President Samuel Doe was a krahn, and the 1990s
massacres were largely manos and dance retaliation for 10
years of kahn's abuse of power.
The western Atlantic peoples are at the far north,
towards the border with Sierra Leone; the most important
group is the breeze (195,000). The so-called
Americo-Liberians are descendants of freed slaves who
immigrated from the United States in 1822–92. They regard
themselves as the founders of the nation, and their role can
be compared to that of European colonizers in other African
countries. Until Do's military coup in 1980, they had the
political power in the country; their number is only
107,000.
Language
The indigenous languages of Liberia are made up of some
thirty Niger-Congo languages, belonging to the three
branches man, cru and atlantic languages. The largest is
kpelle (about 12% of the population). English is an official
language and is also spoken by the American-Liberian
minority. See further Population above.
Religion
As in many other countries in West Africa, the indigenous
African religions have a very strong position; in Liberia
about 70% (1999). Just over 10% of the population is
Christian, and about half of the Christians belong to
independent African churches. Of churches of western origin,
the Protestants are completely dominant. Several of
Liberia's presidents, including Baptist William Tolbert, has
been pastors. The Muslims, who make up at least about 20%,
are found mainly in the northwestern parts of the country
and have at times been harassed by the Christian and
Western-influenced elite.
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