MigrantoLiberian Diaspora
145.9K Liberians live abroad — 3% of the population of Liberia
Liberian diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 69% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Ghana | 39038 |
| Israel | 38437 |
| Nigeria | 23602 |
| Ivory Coast | 16014 |
| Sierra Leone | 8462 |
| Cameroon | 5501 |
| Australia | 3630 |
| Guinea | 2567 |
| Italy | 2038 |
| Mali | 1473 |
| Gambia | 1185 |
| Norway | 1062 |
| China | 794 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 532 |
| Senegal | 459 |
| South Africa | 384 |
| Denmark | 171 |
| Togo | 169 |
| Finland | 134 |
| Brazil | 46 |
| Eswatini | 45 |
| Luxembourg | 45 |
| Portugal | 34 |
| Greece | 32 |
| Hungary | 25 |
| Slovenia | 14 |
| Iceland | 9 |
| Bulgaria | 8 |
| Lithuania | 5 |
| Slovakia | 2 |
| Bolivia | 2 |
By region
68% of the diaspora lives in Africa
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Key facts
The Liberian diaspora in numbers
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 64% to 27%.
Most Liberians abroad live in Ghana
27% of the diaspora lives in Ghana, while the next country accounts for just 26%.
The share of the diaspora living in Africa has declined since 1990
95.1% of the diaspora lived in Africa in 1990, compared with 68.1% today.
Liberian diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 539145 |
| 1995 | 562699 |
| 2000 | 270603 |
| 2005 | 349718 |
| 2010 | 186132 |
| 2015 | 150490 |
| 2020 | 147341 |
| 2024 | 145919 |
Largest communities over time
Liberians living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Ghana | Israel | Nigeria | Ivory Coast | Sierra Leone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9824 | 26234 | 7823 | 16988 | 130316 |
| 1995 | 14538 | 31357 | 7931 | 45781 | 8925 |
| 2000 | 13084 | 34091 | 8358 | 62474 | 10813 |
| 2005 | 50459 | 35057 | 16611 | 52795 | 79156 |
| 2010 | 24718 | 35907 | 16968 | 43116 | 22552 |
| 2015 | 30418 | 36756 | 20541 | 33436 | 10917 |
| 2020 | 34940 | 37675 | 22009 | 23757 | 9097 |
| 2024 | 39038 | 38437 | 23602 | 16014 | 8462 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Liberians in each country has changed since the selected year
Liberians among immigrants in other countries
Where Liberians make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Liberians live outside Liberia?
Around 145.9K Liberians live abroad, the world's #143 largest diaspora.
Where do most Liberians abroad live?
Most Liberians live in Ghana, Israel and Nigeria — these three countries account for about 69% of all Liberians living abroad.
Which country has the largest Liberian population outside Liberia?
Ghana is home to the largest Liberian community abroad — 39K people, about 27% of all Liberians living abroad.
What share of the population of Liberia lives abroad?
About 3% of the population of Liberia lives abroad — that's 145.9K out of a total population of 5.6M.
Is the Liberian diaspora growing?
Barely — over the past decade, the number of Liberians living abroad has changed from 150.5K to 145.9K, about 3%.
Where does the data on the Liberian diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Liberia who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
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Living in Liberia
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