Updated
Overview
Guinea has 2.6 times the population of Liberia: 15.10 million people against 5.73 million (2025).
Guinea's economy is 5.4 times the size of Liberia's, at $28.35B versus $5.25B.
Per person, Guinea is the wealthier of the two: $1,877 against $915 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Guinea | Liberia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $28.35B | $5.25B | 2025 | $25.33B / $4.75B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $1,877 | $915 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 7.4% | 5.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.5% | 8.3% | 2025 | 8.1% / 10.1% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | Lower: 2.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $192 | — | 2019 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $46 | Higher: $91 | 2020 / 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 15.10 million | 5.73 million | 2025 | 14.37 million / 5.56 million |
| Population growth | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 18.3 yrs | 18.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 4.04 | 3.79 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 60.9 yrs | Higher: 62.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 39% | 56% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 33% | 32% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 245,857 km² | 111,369 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 61.4/km² | 51.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 4.03 Mt | Lower: 0.86 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 0.3 t | Lower: 0.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $562.46M | $33.83M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.1% | 0.7% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 13,000 | 2,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Guinea is growing faster: 7.4% annual GDP growth versus 5.0%.
Liberia runs the hotter price environment: 8.3% inflation versus 3.5%.
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 18.3 (Guinea) and 18.8 (Liberia).
Life expectancy is 1.4 years longer in Liberia (62.3 vs 60.9).
Liberia is considerably more urbanized: 56% of people live in cities, against 39%.
Geography
By land area, Guinea is 2.2 times the size of Liberia: 245,857 km² versus 111,369 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Guinea spends 17 times as much on defence as Liberia: $562.46M versus $33.83M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Guinea carries the heavier military burden: 2.1% of GDP versus 0.7%.
Guinea fields the larger armed forces: 13,000 personnel against 2,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Guinea bigger than Liberia?
- Guinea is larger by land area. Guinea covers 245,857 km² while Liberia covers 111,369 km², so Guinea is 2.2 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Guinea or Liberia?
- Guinea has the larger population: 15.10 million versus 5.73 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Guinea richer than Liberia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Guinea is richer: $1,877 against $915. Total GDP tells the same story: $28.35B for Guinea versus $5.25B for Liberia.
- Who spends more on their military, Guinea or Liberia?
- Guinea spends more: $562.46M versus $33.83M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).