Regional Differences in Liberia

Liberia has stark regional differences in media/ICT use and access, mainly between the central part of the country (where most urban/peri-urban[1] areas are) and the largely rural north and south. Thus, for this analysis, we divide the country’s 15 counties [2] geographically into central, south and north groupings and highlight the differences between them.

Counties Division – (look at map below)

Central – Bong, Grand Bassa, Monteserrado, Margibi, Nimba, River Cess

North – Bomi, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape Mount, Lofa

South – Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Maryland, Sinoe, River Gee

Source: 2008 National Population and Housing Census: Preliminary Results. Government of the Republic of Liberia

Central Region

As mentioned above, most of Liberia is rural. In fact, only one of the 15 counties, in the central region is majorly urban (Monteserrado). Seventy two percent of Liberia’s urban region is in Monteserrado county- which is also the most developed county. The capital, Monrovia is also located in Monteserrado. Otherwise most counties in the country are close to 80 percent rural (See urban-rural breakdown of the Central Region Counties below). As a result, access and use of media and communication technologies in Central Liberia is markedly higher than the North and the South.

Chart 1: Central Liberian Counties- General Information


BBC Liberia 2008: survey of adults (15+) n= 1082; 552 urban residents and 530 rural residents.

ICT and Media Access

In terms of access to media and ICT devices, we measured access both at home and “anywhere”.

Although radio access (both at home or anywhere- see charts 2 and 3) was equally high across rural and urban regions in Central Liberia, television access at home varies greatly between urban and rural residents (chart 2).

Chart 2

Comparing charts 2 and 3, we see that television access “anywhere” is much higher than access at home for both urban and rural residents- possibly signifying group TV viewing in public places, neighbors houses or outdoors. The same is true for cable or satellite connections. In fact access to all devices is higher when home access is compared to access anywhere.

In terms of cable and satellite connections “anywhere”, there are no differences in access between urban and rural respondents.

Due to the presence of Monrovia within this central region cluster of counties, the overall use and access rates to television are inflated and substantially higher than the overall average and when compared to Northern and Southern Liberia.

As a result, television has a strong reach and penetration in urban areas in central Liberia (especially access “anywhere”) and especially areas with stable electricity and could provide strong appeal in advancing development issues in these areas ( see chart 3).

Everywhere else, however, radio is still the most effective way to reach Liberians.

Chart 3


Another important medium in Liberia is the mobile phone- after radio; it is the second most accessible device in both urban and rural regions in central Liberia. Although it should be noted, urban access is slightly higher than rural access (as seen in Chart 2 and 3).

In fact, mobile phones can potentially be an important source of news both in urban and rural areas- currently 28 percent of both urban and rural residents in central Liberia use SMS updates for receiving information (news, weather, sports updates) in the last four weeks. Other methods of receiving information on mobile phones such as via internet or through dial in audio services are still rare in both urban and rural areas.

However the absence of a divide between urban and rural residents in terms of using cell phones for information is encouraging for development professionals, as information can be spread to a large section of the central region via cell phones.

The BBC 2008 survey in Liberia showed that internet access “anywhere” in the Central part of the country as unusually high compared to the national levels. This is because 74 percent of respondents with internet access “anywhere” in central Liberia were in the capital region- Greater Monrovia. In addition, 62 percent of respondents with internet access at “home” in central Liberia were in the capital region as well. Once respondents from Greater Monrovia in Monteserrado County were taken out, access decreased drastically.

Landline phone connections are rare all over Liberia- across regions, urban/rural locations and almost all demographic sub groups.

 

Media and ICT Use

In line with access, weekly radio listenership is highest when compared to other media. Television viewership and newspaper readership is higher than any other region (Central, North and South), and substantially so. However major differences exist when use is broken down by urban and rural locations (Chart 4).

Chart 4


The Northern and Southern regions of Liberia are especially rural in nature and are also characterized by lower economic development.

Northern Region

Chart 5: Northern Liberian Counties General Information

ICT and Media Access

Compared to the central region, respondents in the Northern region of Liberia have half the access to television anywhere and only one fifth the access at home (Compare Charts 2, 3 and 6). With cable/satellite television however, access remains comparable to the central region- only because access everywhere is low overall.

Chart 6


Radio emerges as the most accessible medium here once again. Mobile phones are the second most accessible medium; with 70 percent of Northern Liberians having access (Chart 6). However, compared to Central Liberia, respondents have not yet begun using mobile phones as a source of information (news, sports, weather updates from SMS services). Only seven percent of Northern Liberian had used mobile phones for receiving information (vias SMS updates) updates in the last 4 weeks.

As a result, we need to further investigate how Liberians in less developed areas use their mobile phones, and whether it can be transformed into a future medium of information in more rural parts of the country.

Media and ICT Use

In line with access, television viewership in the North is half that of Central Liberia. Newspaper readership is lowest in the northern counties (see chart 7, in central – 39 percent, in South – 19 percent). This is despite the fact that major differences are not observed in education attainment levels. Radio listenership is in congruence with access, and radio remains the most used medium in Northern Liberia.

Chart 7

Southern Region

Chart 8: Southern Counties in Liberia- General Information

ICT and Media Access

Television access (at home and anywhere) is lowest in Southern Liberia as compared to Northern and Central Liberia. In addition weekly television viewership is the lowest in the South- only six percent weekly. Interestingly television viewership is much lower than access “anywhere” (Compare charts 9 and 10).

Chart 9


Mobile phones are the second most accessible medium; with 75 percent of northern Liberians having access “anywhere”. However, compared to Central Liberia, respondents have not yet begun using mobile phones as a source of information (news, sports, weather updates from SMS services). Only seven percent of Southern Liberians had used mobile phones for information updates in the last 4 weeks.

Media and ICT Use

Even though the southern counties are behind in terms of television viewership, they have higher newspaper readership than the north (Central counties, still higher than both North and South).

Chart 10

 [1] Peri Urban:Immediately adjoining an urban area; between the suburbs and the countryside

[2] "2008 National Population and Housing Census: Preliminary Results". Government of the Republic of Liberia. 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-14. http://www.emansion.gov.lr/doc/census_2008provisionalresults.pdf