| Admin District | Male | Male % | Female | Female % | Total | % of County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voinjama | 30,763 | 50.2% | 30,545 | 49.8% | 61,308 | 16.7% |
| Zorzor | 24,965 | 49.3% | 25,716 | 50.7% | 50,681 | 13.8% |
| Foya | 23,247 | 49.6% | 23,647 | 50.4% | 46,894 | 12.8% |
| Wahasa | 17,368 | 49.9% | 17,428 | 50.1% | 34,796 | 9.5% |
| Kolahun | 14,518 | 49.0% | 15,085 | 51.0% | 29,603 | 8.1% |
| Salayea | 14,303 | 49.4% | 14,657 | 50.6% | 28,960 | 7.9% |
| Vahun | 14,740 | 52.8% | 13,181 | 47.2% | 27,921 | 7.6% |
| Lukameh | 12,363 | 50.6% | 12,054 | 49.4% | 24,417 | 6.6% |
| Waum | 11,342 | 48.8% | 11,919 | 51.2% | 23,261 | 6.3% |
| Quardu Boundi | 11,275 | 49.4% | 11,569 | 50.6% | 22,844 | 6.2% |
| Tengia | 8,216 | 49.2% | 8,475 | 50.8% | 16,691 | 4.5% |
| Total | 183,100 | 49.8% | 184,276 | 50.2% | 367,376 | 100.0% |
Source: 2022 Liberia Population and Housing Census — LISGIS Final Results, Table B: Population Distribution by County, Administrative District, and Sex. Published June 2023.
Source: LISGIS 2022 Census. County total: 367,376.
| County | Lofa |
| Year Established | 1964 — from the former Western Province |
| Capital | Voinjama City |
| Population (2022) | 367,376 — 183,100 males (49.8%) / 184,276 females (50.2%) |
| Area | 9,982 km² (3,854 sq mi) |
| Population Density | 36.8 persons/km² |
| Admin. Districts | 11 — Voinjama, Zorzor, Foya, Wahasa, Kolahun, Salayea, Vahun, Lukameh, Waum, Quardu Boundi, Tengia |
| Electoral Districts | 5 — ED 1, ED 2, ED 3, ED 4, ED 5 |
| Chiefdoms | 7 |
| Clans | 30 |
| % of National Population | 7.00% of 5,250,187 |
| Sex Ratio | 99.4 males per 100 females — the only county in Liberia with a female majority |
| Population Growth (2008–2022) | +32.7% (from 276,863) |
| Ethnic Groups | Lorma/Loma (51%), Gbandi (26%), Kissi (12%), Kpelle (6%), Mandingo (3%), Mende and others |
| Former Name | Western Province (before 1964); Lofa was Liberia’s largest county before Gbarpolu was excised in 2001 |
| Notable Geography | Mount Wuteve (highest mountain in Liberia); Wologizi, Wonegizi & Foya proposed reserves; borders Guinea (NE) & Sierra Leone (NW) |
| Presidential Birthplace | President Joseph Nyuma Boakai born in Worsonga, Lofa County (1944) |
| Superintendent | George Dunor |
| Bordered By | Gbarpolu (W), Bong (S), Nimba (SE), Guinea (N/NE), Sierra Leone (NW) |
| Primary Data Source | LISGIS 2022 Population and Housing Census, Table B |
All population figures are from the 2022 LISGIS Census. Lofa is uniquely the only Liberian county with a female majority (50.2%), and this pattern extends across most of its 11 districts. Only Vahun (52.8% male) and Lukameh (50.6% male) have male majorities. All other nine districts have female majorities — led by Waum (51.2% female) and Kolahun (51.0% female).
The most populous district and home to Voinjama City — Lofa County’s capital and a key commercial hub located four miles from the Guinean border. Voinjama is the northernmost significant city in Liberia, historically a crossroads town with a large weekly market connecting Liberia to Guinea and Sierra Leone. The city had its own airport (destroyed in the civil war) and served as headquarters for county government and international development projects. Near gender parity: 50.2% male / 49.8% female. Covered by Electoral District 4 (Voinjama City, 6 Voinjama communities) and parts of ED 3 (5 communities).
Voinjama’s population is principally Lorma and Mandingo, with other ethnic groups also present. The city features a Mandingo Quarter (a predominantly Muslim area with a mosque) alongside numerous Christian churches. Before the civil war, Voinjama had an electric generating station, a water treatment plant with running water, and was connected by public transport to Zorzor, Gbarnga, Monrovia, Kolahun, Foya, Sierra Leone, and the Guinean border. The Lofa County Agricultural Development Project was based here. LURD rebel forces captured Voinjama in 2000 during the Second Civil War, making it a focal point of conflict in northwestern Liberia.
The second most populous district, home to Zorzor — one of Lofa County’s key secondary towns and a significant Lorma cultural centre. Female majority: 50.7% female / 49.3% male. Covered primarily by Electoral District 5 (Salayea District and Zorzor District except Konia and Barziwen communities) and two communities of ED 4 (Barziwen and Konia). Zorzor City serves as a transit point on the main road connecting Voinjama to Gbarnga and Monrovia.
The Lorma (Loma) people are historically dominant in Zorzor District, which sits in the central-southern part of Lofa County. The district formed part of the original Western Province structure and was one of the four original districts (Kolahun, Voinjama, Zorzor, and Sawn Bopolu) that constituted the province before it became Lofa County in 1964. The Wologizi Mountain range — one of Liberia’s three proposed national forest reserves — lies in the Zorzor-Salayea corridor.
Located in the northern part of Lofa County, Foya borders Sierra Leone and has been a significant cross-border trading hub. Foya Town is the district headquarters and a key commercial centre in the far north. Female majority: 50.4% female / 49.6% male. The district is split between Electoral District 1 (northern communities including Foya, Borliloe, Lepaloe, Fassapoe, Sinagole and others) and parts of ED 2 (Foya Tengia, Kpagamai, Yassadu, Kimbaloe). The Foya Forest Reserve — one of Liberia’s proposed national reserves — is located here.
Foya District’s proximity to Sierra Leone gives it a distinct cross-border commercial character. Before the civil war, Foya Town was a bustling market centre where goods from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia’s interior were traded. The Foya Forest Reserve in Foya District is one of Liberia’s most significant remaining forest blocks, hosting diverse biodiversity including forest elephants and chimpanzees. The Upper Lorma community forms a significant part of the district’s cultural identity. Lorma farmers and Mandingo traders have historically coexisted in Foya, though civil war tensions destabilised these relationships during the 1989–2003 conflict period.
Also referred to as Wanhassa in some NEC documentation. Near gender parity: 49.9% male / 50.1% female. One of the mid-sized districts in Lofa County. Falls within the Electoral District 2 zone (three communities — Kamatahum-Two, Lehuma-Two, and Popalahun-One — are specifically attributed to Wanhassa Administrative District in the ED 2 composition).
Wahasa/Wanhassa District sits in the western part of Lofa County, in the zone between Vahun, Kolahun, and Foya districts. The LiberiaData ED 2 documentation references it as Wanhassa Administrative District, confirming it as a distinct administrative unit with multiple amalgamated towns. Subsistence farming — primarily rice, cassava, and cocoa — forms the primary livelihood. The Lorma and Mandingo communities are both represented in the district’s population.
One of Lofa’s original four districts (established under the Western Province before 1964). Kolahun Town serves as a significant western trading hub on the route toward Sierra Leone. Female majority: 51.0% female / 49.0% male. The district is split between Electoral District 3 (main Kolahun area, excluding Kamatahun, Popalahun and Lehun communities) and ED 2 (communities of Kamatahun, Popalahun and Lehun).
Kolahun District was one of the four districts constituting the original Western Province (with Voinjama, Zorzor and Sawn Bopolu) that became Lofa County in 1964. Kolahun Town’s western location positions it on the trade axis connecting Lofa to Sierra Leone via Vahun District. The Lorma people are the dominant ethnic group in Kolahun, with Mandingo traders also historically active. The civil war severely affected Kolahun District, which sits in the corridor used by ULIMO-K forces operating from Sierra Leone. Post-war resettlement and agricultural recovery have been gradual.
A Lorma-dominated agricultural district in the southern part of Lofa County. Female majority: 50.6% female / 49.4% male. Home to rubber farms and subsistence rice cultivation. Covered by Electoral District 5 (alongside the main part of Zorzor District). Notable as a district mentioned in the context of large commercial rubber farms operated by Liberian entrepreneurs, contributing employment across Lofa County.
Salayea District’s location in the southern section of Lofa County positions it closer to Bong County and the main Monrovia–Gbarnga–Voinjama highway corridor. The district has seen investment in rubber cultivation, including large private plantations employing Lofa residents. The Lorma (Loma) people — who constitute approximately 51% of Lofa County’s population — are the primary ethnic group in Salayea. The Wonegizi Range proposed reserve, one of Liberia’s three proposed national forest reserves, is located in the Salayea-Zorzor corridor.
Located on the Sierra Leone border in the extreme west of Lofa County. The only district in Lofa with a pronounced male majority: 52.8% male / 47.2% female — the highest male proportion in the county. This likely reflects cross-border labour migration and the district’s frontier character. Covered almost entirely by Electoral District 2 (all Vahun District amalgamated towns).
Vahun District’s male-majority demographic (52.8%) stands out sharply against Lofa County’s overall female-majority profile (50.2% female). This pattern likely reflects Vahun’s position as a frontier district on the Sierra Leone border, with higher rates of male economic migration in and out of the district. The Gbandi people — who form approximately 26% of Lofa County’s population — are significantly represented in Vahun and the western districts. During the civil wars, Vahun District was heavily affected by armed factions crossing from Sierra Leone, including ULIMO forces. The district was nearly depopulated at points during the conflict.
One of the newer administrative districts created as part of Lofa County’s post-2001 restructuring following the excision of Gbarpolu County. Slight male majority: 50.6% male / 49.4% female — one of only two Lofa districts with a male majority. Located in the eastern corridor of Lofa County, in the zone bordering Nimba County.
Lukameh District is part of the expanded administrative structure that replaced the original six-district configuration of Lofa County following the separation of Gbarpolu County in 2001. The district’s proximity to Nimba County means it sits within the Lorma-Kpelle-Mende transition zone of Lofa’s eastern interior. Subsistence agriculture and forest-product gathering are the primary livelihoods. The district contributes to Lofa’s role as Liberia’s leading rice-producing region.
One of Lofa’s newer administrative districts. The strongest female majority of any Lofa district: 51.2% female / 48.8% male. Located in the interior section of the county. The Lorma (Loma) subgroup known as Wubomai has dialect and community clusters in the Waum zone, reflecting the highly localised nature of Lorma identity across Lofa County.
Also written Quardu Gboni or Quardu Gbondi. Located in the Voinjama area. Per Wikipedia, the NEC electoral boundary places Quardu Gboni District within Electoral District 4 (alongside Voinjama City and six Voinjama communities). Female majority: 50.6% female / 49.4% male. The district was created as a seventh administrative district from a chiefdom in Voinjama District, formalising a previously transitional administrative status.
The smallest administrative district in Lofa County. Female majority: 50.8% female / 49.2% male. Tengia is in the northern part of the county near Foya District. The NEC ED 2 boundary documentation references Foya Tengia and Kpagamai One as amalgamated towns in Tengia Administrative District, confirming its distinct status within the ED 2 composition.
Tengia District’s small size (16,691 residents — 4.5% of county) and location adjacent to Foya District in the northern zone suggests it was created as part of the restructuring that gave Lofa County its current 11-district configuration. The district’s communities (including Foya Tengia and Kpagamai areas) are in the sphere of influence of Foya Town’s commercial activity and Sierra Leone trade connections. Subsistence rice cultivation and forest-product gathering are the primary livelihoods.
Lofa operates two distinct district structures. See also: District Types and Districts Introduction.
Headed by District Commissioners appointed by the President. Lofa has 7 Chiefdoms and 30 Clans. Several districts span multiple EDs due to community-level boundary splits.
Each elects one Representative to the House of Representatives. Total: 177,129 registered voters (NEC, July 2023). All 5 EDs have female-majority voter registrations except ED 2 (51.15% male).
| Electoral District | AD Composition (summary) | Male | Female | Total | Representative (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ED 1 | Northern Foya District (Borliloe, Lepaloe, Ndehuma, Yelayaloe, Konkpama, Bandenin, Ndama, Foya, Fassapoe, Sinagole) | 18,975 | 20,869 | 39,844 | Thomas P. Fallah (CDC) |
| ED 2 | Vahun District + 3 Kolahun communities + 4 Foya communities + 3 Wanhassa communities | 13,662 | 13,048 | 26,710 | Julie Fatorma Wiah (CDC) |
| ED 3 | Kolahun District (excl. Kamatahun, Popalahun, Lehun) + 5 Voinjama communities | 13,699 | 15,907 | 29,606 | Momo Siafa Kpoto (CDC) |
| ED 4 | Voinjama City + Quardu Gboni District + 6 Voinjama communities + Barziwen & Konia (Zorzor) | 20,579 | 22,482 | 43,061 | Gizzie K. Kollince (UP) |
| ED 5 | Salayea District + Zorzor District (excl. Konia & Barziwen) | 18,386 | 19,522 | 37,908 | Augustine B. Chiewolo (UP) |
| County Total | — | 85,301 | 91,828 | 177,129 | 5 Representatives |
Source: National Elections Commission (NEC), Republic of Liberia — Electoral Districts & Eligible Voter Registrants Summary Report, July 28, 2023; LiberiaData.com — Lofa Electoral Districts 1–5; Wikipedia — Lofa-1 through Lofa-5.
Presidential appointee heading the county. George Dunor is the confirmed County Superintendent of Lofa County.
Appointed by the President for each of Lofa’s 11 administrative districts. Handle day-to-day administration, public order, and development implementation.
ED 1: Thomas P. Fallah (CDC); ED 2: Julie Fatorma Wiah (CDC); ED 3: Momo Siafa Kpoto (CDC); ED 4: Gizzie K. Kollince (UP); ED 5: Augustine B. Chiewolo (UP) — 2023 elections.
Lofa County elects two senators to the Liberian Senate. Senators Albert Tugbe Chie (Senior) and Numene T. H. Bartekwa (Junior) represent Lofa in the 55th Legislature.
Lead Lofa’s 7 chiefdoms across the 11 administrative districts. The chiefdom structure reflects the traditional governance of Lorma, Gbandi, Kissi, Mandingo, Mende, and Kpelle communities.
Govern at the sub-chiefdom level across Lofa’s 30 clans — the most granular tier of traditional governance in the county.
Lofa County was established in 1964 by an act of the Legislature from the former Western Province, which comprised four districts: Kolahun, Voinjama, Zorzor, and Sawn Bopolu. Before 2001, Lofa was the largest county in Liberia. When Gbarpolu County was excised in 2001, five administrative districts were redesignated from Lofa to the new county, reducing Lofa to its current six core districts — with subsequent reorganisation bringing the total to 11.
Lofa County is home to at least six major ethnic groups: Lorma/Loma (51%) — the majority group; Gbandi (26%); Kissi (12%); Kpelle (6%); Mandingo (3%); and Mende and others. The county’s unique status as the only Liberian county with a female majority population (50.2% female, sex ratio 99.4:100) is a defining demographic feature, extending to all 11 districts except Vahun and Lukameh.
Six major dialects are spoken in the county: Lorma (51%), Gbandi (26%), Kissi (12%), Kpelle (6%), Mandingo (3%), and Mende. The Lorma and Kissi have been known for farming, hunting, and weaving; the Mandingo for trade and Islamic scholarship — and Mandingo communities across the county have established mosques and Quranic schools alongside Lorma Christian church networks. The Poro (men’s) and Sande (women’s) societies remain active across Lorma, Gbandi, and Kissi communities. Lofa County is the birthplace of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, born in Worsonga, Voinjama District, in 1944 — who took office as President of Liberia in January 2024.
Lofa County is historically known as Liberia’s “breadbasket” — its principal rice-producing region. Agriculture remains the primary livelihood for over 71.5% of households. Key crops include rice, cocoa, coffee, rubber, and palm oil. The county also contains three of Liberia’s proposed national forest reserves: Wologizi Mountain, Wonegizi Range, and Foya Forest. Mount Wuteve — the highest mountain in Liberia — lies in the north-central part of the county.
Spanning 9,982 km², Lofa is bordered by Gbarpolu (W), Bong (S), Nimba (SE), Guinea (N/NE), and Sierra Leone (NW). The western part of the county has coastal plains rising to 30 m above sea level. The north-central part features Mount Wuteve, Liberia’s highest peak. The county receives 107–160 inches of annual rainfall.
| Indicator | Lofa County | Liberia National |
|---|---|---|
| Total Population (2022) | 367,376 | 5,250,187 |
| % of National Population | 7.00% | 100% |
| Land Area | 9,982 km² | 97,098 km² |
| Population Density | 36.8 persons/km² | 54.1 persons/km² |
| Male Population | 183,100 (49.8%) | 2,648,553 (50.4%) |
| Female Population | 184,276 (50.2%) | 2,601,634 (49.6%) |
| Sex Ratio | 99.4 males per 100 females — only female-majority county in Liberia | 101.8 males per 100 females |
| Population Growth (2008–2022) | +32.7% (from 276,863) | +51.0% |
| Administrative Districts | 11 | 136 (national) |
| Electoral Districts | 5 | 73 (national) |
| Chiefdoms | 7 | — |
| Clans | 30 | — |
| HDI (2018) | 0.418 — 8th of 15 counties (low) | — |
| Year Established | 1964 (Western Province before 1964) | — |
| Former Distinction | Largest county in Liberia before 2001 (when Gbarpolu was excised) | — |
Source: LISGIS 2022 Population and Housing Census, Table B; Tables A3, A4, A8, A10. Published June 2023.
Republic of Liberia — Ministry of Internal Affairs
Liberian Government Gazette (1964 Establishment Act)
National Archives of Liberia
Lofa County Administration Official County Publications; County Development Agenda (CDA)
2022 Housing and Population Census: Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) — Final Results, Table B: Population Distribution by County, Administrative District, and Sex (Lofa County, 11 districts). Published June 2023. lisgis.gov.lr
2008 National Population and Housing Census: LISGIS — Lofa County Total: 276,863
National Elections Commission (NEC), Republic of Liberia — Electoral Districts & Eligible Voter Registrants Summary Report, July 28, 2023. necliberia.org
Wikipedia — Lofa County; Lofa-1 through Lofa-5; Voinjama entries
Grokipedia — Lofa County (January 2026)
101 Last Tribes — Loma (Lorma) People
Liberia Positive — History of Lofa County