A West African country, embroiled in a brutal civil war until 2003, has the smallest army on the entire continent as it plots a route to continued peace. Liberia, one of the only African states to never be conquered by colonialists, was established in 1816 by the American Colonization Society (ACS), who established the colony in a bid to create a state suitable to repatriate freed slaves to from the United States.
A military coup in 1980 accelerated a path to two civil wars which saw the mass use of child soldiers, presidential executions and over 250,000 people killed. A peace accord in 2003 started the path towards an end to the bloodshed as the war-ravaged country attempted to establish security and democracy. The path to democracy saw the country achieve a peaceful transfer of power in 2017 as former football superstar and the only African to win the coveted Ballon D’Or George Weah assumed the presidency following a free and fair election.
Despite two decades of relative peace, the country has the smallest Army of anywhere in Africa, with just 1,500 soldiers serving in a country bigger than Bulgaria.
The country’s borders are secured by international partnerships, with neighbouring countries acutely aware of the benefits of peace in the nation to avoid violence spreading into their territory.
After years of civil unrest, the country’s focus remains on reconstruction and stability after decades of war.
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office advises: “Liberia is generally stable politically, but protests and demonstrations do occasionally happen. Avoid protests, demonstrations, political rallies and large crowds. Follow the advice of local authorities.”
So low is the number of people serving in Liberia’s army, that it is three times smaller than the second smallest African army Benin which has 4,750 soldiers in its ranks.
The third smallest army on the continent belongs to Gabon who has just 4,800 soldiers whilst the Republic of Congo, itself no stranger to civil war and bloodshed, has the fourth smallest army with just 8,500 active military personnel.
The Central African Republic makes up the top five smallest armies in Africa with a measly 10,000 full-time soldiers forcing the country to be reliant on foreign military assistance and United Nations peacekeeping forces to combat domestic threats and secure its borders.