Languages spoken in Liberia
Africa · Capital: Monrovia · Population 5.4 million
The official language of Liberia is English. An estimated 83% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 4.5 million people. After English, the most widely spoken are Liberian English at 74% and Kpelle at 20%. English belongs to the Indo-European language family. English is also spoken in one of its three neighbours: Sierra Leone. In total, five languages are recorded in Liberia, and their shares add up to 186.6% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.9 of them.
What languages are spoken in Liberia?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| EnglishIndo-European | 83% | Official | 4.5 million |
| Liberian EnglishCreole | 74% | Spoken | 4 million |
| Kpelle | 20% | Spoken | 1.1 million |
| DanNiger-Congo | 7.9% | Spoken | 429,543 |
| Mende | 1.7% | Spoken | 92,433 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Liberia?
The official language of Liberia is English. English is spoken by an estimated 83% of the population, or roughly 4.5 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak English in Liberia?
An estimated 83% of Liberia's 5.4 million people speak English, which works out at roughly 4.5 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Liberia
- Capital
- Monrovia
- Population
- 5.4 million
- Continent
- Africa
- Area
- 111,369 km²
- Currency
- LRD
- Languages recorded
- 5
- Land borders
- 3
- ISO codes
- LR / LBR / 430
Which countries border Liberia?
Liberia shares a land border with three countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. English, the most widely spoken language in Liberia, is also spoken in Sierra Leone.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.