soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of
coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation

Liberia People

Population: 3,225,837 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.21% (male 698,178; female 695,599)

15-64 years: 53.34% (male 840,103; female 880,403)

65 years and over: 3.45% (male 56,073; female 55,481) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.92% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 46.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 16.36 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

note: by the end of 1999, all Liberian refugees, who had fled the
domestic strife, were assumed to have returned

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 132.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.41 years

male: 49.96 years

female: 52.91 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.36 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.8% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 39,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,500 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Liberian(s)

adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle,
Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai,
and Bella), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from
the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of
immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages: English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages,
of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 38.3%

male: 53.9%

female: 22.4% (1995 est.)

note: these figures are increasing because of the improving school
system

Liberia Government

Country name: co