If you lived in Liberia instead of Democratic Republic of the Congo, you would:

Health

see 4.0 times more spent on your healthcare

Democratic Republic of the Congo spends $58 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Liberia spends $233 as of 2023.

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be 31.9% less likely to die by suicide

Democratic Republic of the Congo has a suicide rate of 8.8 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Liberia, it is 6.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.7 times more likely to be obese

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, 6.7% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Liberia, that number is 17.8% of people as of 2024.

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have 14.4% fewer doctors per person

Democratic Republic of the Congo has 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Liberia has 1.8 as of 2022.

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Economy

be 35.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, 4.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Liberia, that number is 2.9% as of 2025.

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make 13.5% more money

Democratic Republic of the Congo has a GDP per capita of $807 as of 2025, while in Liberia, the GDP per capita is $915 as of 2025.

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Life

be 47.1% more likely to die during childbirth

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 427.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Liberia, 628.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 12.1% more likely to die during infancy

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 56.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Liberia, on the other hand, 63.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 25.2% fewer children

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are approximately 40.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Liberia, there are 30.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 47.1% more likely to have access to electricity

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 22% of people have electricity access (56% in urban areas, and 1% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Liberia, that number is 32% of people on average (53% in urban areas, and 9% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 63.9% more likely to have internet access

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 19.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Liberia, about 32.2% do as of 2024.

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be 2.2 times more likely to have access to drinking water

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 36% of people have access to drinking water (59% in urban areas, and 14% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Liberia, that number is 79% of people on average (86% in urban areas, and 70% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 20.1% less on education

Democratic Republic of the Congo spends 2.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Liberia spends 2.3% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 3.5 times more on healthcare

Democratic Republic of the Congo spends 3.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Liberia, that number is 13.0% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 15.6 times more coastline

Democratic Republic of the Congo has a total of 37 km of coastline. In Liberia, that number is 579 km.

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Infrastructure

find 9.0 times more home broadband

Democratic Republic of the Congo has 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Liberia has 0.3 as of 2022.

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live with 13.0% more strain on fresh water

Democratic Republic of the Congo withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Liberia withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 16.7% less likely to die from air pollution

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, air pollution causes 72.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Liberia, it causes 60.0 as of 2019.

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emit 2.5 times more CO2

Democratic Republic of the Congo emits 0.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Liberia emits 0.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators (2019). How we calculate this

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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