Rivers and Drainage Basins of Liberia

Liberia’s river systems generally descend from northern and northeastern highlands toward the Atlantic, connecting farms, forests, towns, wetlands, estuaries, and coastal communities.

Six major rivers

• Mano
• Lofa
• St. Paul
• St. John
• Cestos
• Cavalla

These six systems are the rivers most often identified as Liberia’s major basins. The Cavalla is the longest and is shared with Côte d’Ivoire.

Uses and public value

Rivers support drinking water, fishing, agriculture, transport, hydropower, biodiversity, and trade. Parts of some rivers form international or county boundaries. Flooding, pollution, mining sediment, deforestation, and changing rainfall make basin-level monitoring essential.

How records will be organized

Each river profile will identify source and mouth, tributaries, basin area where verified, connected counties and communities, major bridges and hydropower facilities, boundary functions, ecological condition, and historical names.

Sources and verification

• Liberian Hydrological Services: River Basins Report
• Liberia EPA: designated wetlands
• Convention on Wetlands: Liberia

← Return to Land, Waters, Boundaries, and Natural Resources

Measurements, legal designations, and resource data can change. Liberia Civic dates its sources and distinguishes confirmed facts from proposals and estimates.