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Economy of Liberia vs Somalia compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

Liberia has a GDP of $4.78B compared to $12B for Somalia, ranking 163/197 and 150/197 by economy size, respectively.

Liberia vs Somalia GDP by year

Liberia
Somalia
1x
Year GDP, current $
Liberia Somalia
2024 $4,779,300,900 $11,967,000,000
2023 $4,390,000,000 $10,958,000,000
2022 $4,001,047,000 $10,203,000,000
2021 $3,513,049,500 $9,483,000,000
2020 $3,176,126,300 $8,628,000,000
2019 $3,319,596,500 $8,656,000,000
2018 $3,422,754,800 $7,873,000,000
2017 $3,390,703,400 $7,621,501,710
2016 $3,398,419,600 $6,613,743,070
2015 $3,227,075,700 $6,152,149,100
2014 $3,225,652,000 $5,728,399,720
2013 $3,177,198,100 $5,062,881,600
2012 $2,791,614,000 $4,364,670,160
2011 $2,398,000,000 $2,906,000,097
2010 $1,998,000,000 $2,687,807,004
2009 $1,768,000,000 $2,948,594,552
2008 $1,726,000,000 $5,913,620,293
2007 $1,373,000,000 $5,430,713,729
2006 $1,119,000,000 $5,026,743,282
2005 $949,000,000 $4,683,246,454
2004 $897,000,000 $3,859,592,813
2003 $748,000,000 $2,836,724,352
2002 $927,000,000 $2,192,684,135
2001 $906,000,000 $2,252,847,465
2000 $874,000,000 $3,412,797,450
1999 $441,800,000 $3,045,751,528
1998 $359,600,000 $2,962,047,564
1997 $295,900,000 $2,191,749,014
1996 $159,400,000 $1,792,234,297
1995 $134,800,000 $1,534,756,135
1994 $132,200,000 $1,481,205,098
1993 $160,400,000 $1,260,132,956
1992 $223,500,000 $709,297,579
1991 $348,000,000 $717,974,930
1990 $384,400,000 $1,031,282,081
1989 $786,300,000 $1,181,360,844
1988 $1,038,300,000 $1,051,596,967
1987 $972,800,000 $1,018,972,664
1986 $840,964,400 $916,590,786
1985 $851,296,100 $875,702,247
1984 $848,478,300 $787,434,542
1983 $823,374,900 $735,408,642
1982 $863,933,200 $774,578,932
1981 $846,514,500 $699,302,473
1980 $854,711,500 $602,515,548
1979 $814,067,900 $589,566,929
1978 $717,240,400 $564,571,823
1977 $673,010,600 $498,550,725
1976 $596,675,700 $871,344,245
1975 $577,549,300 $757,015,879
1974 $486,955,000 $572,504,036
1973 $386,968,300 $483,699,611
1972 $368,098,000 $447,883,941
1971 $341,543,100 $347,039,446
1970 $323,099,700 $347,985,394
1969 $306,961,800 $306,357,285
1968 $276,820,700 $286,719,885
1967 $261,024,300 $271,781,887
1966 $244,459,500 $257,375,897
1965 $229,260,800 $243,725,898
1964 $218,929,100 $229,529,913
1963 $200,229,600 $216,145,936
1962 $191,861,800 $203,531,928
1961 $183,920,900 $191,659,914
1960 $190,495,600 $180,459,937

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/economy/liberia/somalia | CC BY

GDP per capita in Liberia vs Somalia by year

Liberia
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Somalia
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
1x
Year Current $
Liberia Somalia
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
2024 $851 $1,871 $630 $1,602
2023 $799 $1,795 $597 $1,556
2022 $745 $1,692 $573 $1,486
2021 $668 $1,539 $549 $1,392
2020 $617 $1,660 $518 $1,454
2019 $658 $1,900 $540 $1,548
2018 $692 $1,800 $509 $1,552
2017 $699 $1,665 $511 $1,597
2016 $715 $1,490 $461 $1,469
2015 $693 $1,340 $446 $1,341
2014 $707 $1,419 $429 $1,128
2013 $711 $1,360 $393 $944
2012 $638 $1,157 $350 $1,003
2011 $568 $1,041 $235.3 $881
2010 $492 $980 $219.2 $815
2009 $448 $939 $246.5 $774
2008 $452 $915 $507 $739
2007 $374 $873 $480 $700
2006 $321 $815 $458 $659
2005 $287.5 $774 $440 $619
2004 $284.1 $745 $375 $580
2003 $239.8 $716 $286.3 $547
2002 $299.5 $1,013 $229.6 $517
2001 $300 $987 $244.9 $492
2000 $298.5 $965 $386 $467
1999 $156.6 $762 $359 $444
1998 $134.7 $652 $363 $425
1997 $122.6 $548 $280.1 $411
1996 $71.4 $282.2 $237.2 $413
1995 $62.1 $254.4 $210.7 $389
1994 $61.5 $262.6 $210.8 $380
1993 $74.4 $328 $188.6 $477
1992 $107.8 $497 $109.2 $461
1991 $177.9 $793 $105.4 $469
1990 $172.9 $787 $145.6 -
1989 $312 - $166 -
1988 $424 - $145.3 -
1987 $409 - $141 -
1986 $364 - $131.4 -
1985 $380 - $130.8 -
1984 $390 - $122.5 -
1983 $391 - $118.6 -
1982 $422 - $129 -
1981 $426 - $116.9 -
1980 $443 - $101.5 -
1979 $435 - $108.2 -
1978 $394 - $117.3 -
1977 $381 - $111.2 -
1976 $347 - $199.6 -
1975 $346 - $177.8 -
1974 $299.4 - $137.9 -
1973 $244.4 - $119.6 -
1972 $238.6 - $113.7 -
1971 $227.1 - $90.4 -
1970 $220.3 - $93.1 -
1969 $214.7 - $84.1 -
1968 $198.6 - $80.8 -
1967 $192.2 - $78.7 -
1966 $184.6 - $76.5 -
1965 $177.6 - $74.4 -
1964 $173.9 - $71.9 -
1963 $163.1 - $69.5 -
1962 $160.3 - $67.2 -
1961 $157.5 - $64.9 -
1960 $167.2 - $62.7 -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/economy/liberia/somalia | CC BY

Liberia's GDP per capita is $851, ranking 184/197, compared to $630 in Somalia, ranking 192/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Liberia ranks 188th at $1,871, while Somalia ranks 194th at $1,602.

Economic indicators

Liberia Somalia
Gross domestic product
$4.78B
2024
$12B
2024
GDP rank
163/197
2024
150/197
2024
GDP growth
4.02%
2023-2024
4.11%
2023-2024
GDP per capita
$851
2024
$630
2024
GDP per capita rank
184/197
2024
192/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,871
2024
$1,602
2024
GDP per capita PPP rank
188/197
2024
194/197
2024
Government debt
$2.73B
2024
n/a
Debt-to-GDP ratio
57.2%
2024
n/a
Government debt per person
$487
2024
n/a
Government debt per person rank
167/185
2024
n/a
Average annual personal income after taxes
$1,191
2026
$1,885
2026
Income share by richest 10%
27.1%
2016
n/a
Income share by poorest 10%
2.9%
2016
n/a
Government expenditure, % of GDP
24.3%
2024
13%
2025
Consumer prices inflation
8.2%
2023-2024
5.5%
2023-2024
Unemployment rate
5.93%
2017
11.1%
2022
Population
5887000
20503678

Inflation comparison by year

Inflation
Liberia

Somalia
1x
Year Consumer prices inflation
Liberia Somalia
2024 8.2% 5.5%
2023 10.1% 6.2%
2022 7.6% 6.8%
2021 7.8% 4.6%
2020 17% 4.1%
2019 27% 4.7%
2018 23.5% 4.3%
2017 12.4% 4%
2016 8.8% 0%
2015 7.7% 0.9%
2014 9.9% 1.3%
2013 7.6% 2.8%
2012 6.8% -
2011 8.5% -
2010 7.3% -
2009 7.4% -
2008 17.5% -
2007 11.4% -
2006 9.5% -
2005 6.9% -
2004 3.6% -
2003 10.3% -
2002 14.2% -
2001 12.1% -
2000 5.3% -
1999 2% -

Data sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF) | World Economic Outlook (1999–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/economy/liberia/somalia | CC BY

Over the past 12 years, Liberia has recorded an average annual inflation rate of 12.3%, compared with 3.77% in Somalia. In 2024, inflation was 8.2% in Liberia and 5.5% in Somalia.

Top exports between countries

Liberia
Export category Export value
Somalia
Export category Export value
Processed food, beverages & tobacco $8K
Chemicals & pharma $4K
Miscellaneous $1K

Balance of trade

Liberia Somalia
Current account balance
$64.8M
2022
n/a
Current account balance ranking
73/190
2022
n/a
Current account balance, % of GDP
+1.62%
2022
n/a
Goods imports
$1.53B
2022
n/a
Goods exports
$1.03B
2022
n/a
Service imports
$434M
2022
n/a
Service exports
$192M
2022
n/a
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP n/a
99.1%
2024
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
28.5%
2025
31.2%
2024

Economic freedom indices

The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.

Liberia Somalia
Economic freedom 49.8 29
Economic freedom ranking 163/197 193/197
Property rights 40.4 0.8
Government integrity 25.8 9.6
Judicial effectiveness 23.4 1.7
Tax burden 86.1 99.9
Government spending 79.5 n/a
Fiscal health 56.9 0
Business freedom 38 25.9
Labor freedom 43.4 26.8
Monetary freedom 71.4 n/a
Trade freedom 57.4 n/a
Investment freedom 55 n/a
Financial freedom 20 n/a

Other economic metrics

Liberia Somalia
Services, % of GDP
41.9%
2024
n/a
Industry, % of GDP
22.7%
2024
9.66%
1986
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
33.8%
2024
55.8%
1990
GNI, Atlas method
$4.28B
2024
$11.7B
2024
GNI per capita, PPP
$1,750
2024
$1,630
2024
Total reserves including gold
$600M
2022
$23.1M
1989
Total reserves ranking
153/177
2022
177/177
1989
Net foreign direct investment
-$960M
2022
n/a
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
$472M
2024
$765M
2024
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$74.9M
2024
$0
2024
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
3.09%
2024
0.13%
2024
Poverty at national poverty lines
50.9%
2016
55.4%
2022
Gross capital formation, % of GDP n/a
26.7%
2024

GDP per capita map

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08).

GeoRank.org/economy/liberia/somalia | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Economy & Growth (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  3. International Monetary Fund (IMF) | World Economic Outlook (1999–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  4. The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (2017–2026, retrieved 2026-03-09)
  5. TradeMap (2023, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  6. United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  7. LivingCost (2026, retrieved 2025-10-14)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.

The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.

Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.

A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.

Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.

Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.