| Admin District | Male | Male % | Female | Female % | Total | % of County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garr-Bain | 54,178 | 48.5% | 57,618 | 51.5% | 111,796 | 18.0% |
| Buu-Yao | 26,387 | 50.9% | 25,445 | 49.1% | 51,832 | 8.3% |
| Gbehlay-Geh | 25,323 | 50.2% | 25,127 | 49.8% | 50,450 | 8.1% |
| Sanniquellie Mahn | 23,184 | 49.2% | 23,945 | 50.8% | 47,129 | 7.6% |
| Twan River | 23,071 | 50.5% | 22,642 | 49.5% | 45,713 | 7.4% |
| Doe | 23,208 | 51.0% | 22,324 | 49.0% | 45,532 | 7.3% |
| Wee-Gbehyi-Mahn | 22,451 | 49.9% | 22,577 | 50.1% | 45,028 | 7.2% |
| Zoe-Gbao | 19,099 | 49.8% | 19,257 | 50.2% | 38,356 | 6.2% |
| Yarmein | 17,218 | 51.4% | 16,305 | 48.6% | 33,523 | 5.4% |
| Meinpea-Mahn | 15,069 | 51.4% | 14,244 | 48.6% | 29,313 | 4.7% |
| Leewehpea-Mahn | 13,862 | 51.0% | 13,345 | 49.0% | 27,207 | 4.4% |
| Yarwein Mehnsonnoh | 13,035 | 51.4% | 12,315 | 48.6% | 25,350 | 4.1% |
| Boe & Quilla | 10,456 | 50.4% | 10,287 | 49.6% | 20,743 | 3.3% |
| Kparblee | 8,601 | 50.7% | 8,357 | 49.3% | 16,958 | 2.7% |
| Yarpea Mahn | 7,197 | 51.0% | 6,916 | 49.0% | 14,113 | 2.3% |
| Gbor | 5,382 | 50.4% | 5,298 | 49.6% | 10,680 | 1.7% |
| Gbi & Doru | 4,297 | 52.9% | 3,821 | 47.1% | 8,118 | 1.3% |
| Total | 312,018 | 50.2% | 309,823 | 49.8% | 621,841 | 100.0% |
Source: 2022 Liberia Population and Housing Census — LISGIS Final Results as published on LiberiaData.com (liberiadata.com/counties/nimba/). All figures verified: 312,018 + 309,823 = 621,841 ✓.
Source: LISGIS 2022 Census via liberiadata.com/counties/nimba/. County total: 621,841.
| County | Nimba |
| Year Established | 1964 — National Legislature act under President William V.S. Tubman |
| Capital | Sanniquellie City |
| Largest Commercial City | Ganta (Garr-Bain District) |
| Population (2022) | 621,841 — 312,018 males (50.2%) / 309,823 females (49.8%) |
| Area | 11,546 km² — largest county by area in Liberia |
| Population Density | 53.86 persons/km² |
| Admin. Districts | 17 — Garr-Bain, Buu-Yao, Gbehlay-Geh, Sanniquellie Mahn, Twan River, Doe, Wee-Gbehyi-Mahn, Zoe-Gbao, Yarmein, Meinpea-Mahn, Leewehpea-Mahn, Yarwein Mehnsonnoh, Boe & Quilla, Kparblee, Yarpea Mahn, Gbor, Gbi & Doru |
| Electoral Districts | 9 — ED 1 through ED 9 |
| Chiefdoms | 34 |
| Clans | 72 — one of the largest clan counts in Liberia |
| % of National Population | 11.84% of 5,250,187 |
| Sex Ratio | 100.7 males per 100 females |
| Population Growth (2008–2022) | +34.6% (from 462,026) |
| County Name Origin | Named after Mount Nimba — “Neinbaa Tohn” in Mano, meaning “a mountain on which sisters slip” |
| Distance to Monrovia | 298 km (Monrovia to Sanniquellie) |
| Key Resources | Iron ore (ArcelorMittal — Yekepa; formerly LAMCO); rubber; agriculture |
| Dominant Ethnic Groups | Gio/Dan (30%), Mano (35%), Krahn (10%), Gbi (listed); all 16 Liberian groups present |
| Superintendent | Ma Kou Meapeh Gono |
| Senior Senator | Prince Johnson |
| Junior Senator | Nya D. Twayen Jr. |
| Bordered By | Bong (W/SW), Grand Gedeh (S), River Cess (SW), Sinoe (S), Guinea (NW), Côte d’Ivoire (E) |
| Primary Data Source | LISGIS 2022 Population and Housing Census via liberiadata.com/counties/nimba/ |
All population figures are from the 2022 LISGIS Census as published on LiberiaData.com. Nimba County’s most distinctive feature is the exceptional dominance of Garr-Bain District (18.0% of county population), home to Ganta City. Ten of 17 districts have male majorities; Garr-Bain is the notable exception with a female majority (51.5%), consistent with Ganta City’s urban commercial character. Gbi & Doru has the highest male proportion (52.9%).
The dominant district by far — home to Ganta City, Nimba’s commercial capital and one of Liberia’s busiest border cities. Ganta sits at the junction of the main Monrovia–Gbarnga highway and the route to Guinea, making it a critical hub for cross-border trade with Guinea. The only district in Nimba with a female majority: 51.5% female / 48.5% male — consistent with Ganta’s urban commercial population dynamics. Garr-Bain’s population (111,796) is more than double the next largest district. Covered by ED 3 and ED 4.
Ganta City is the commercial engine of Nimba County and a key economic gateway linking Liberia to Guinea. The Ganta United Methodist Hospital is one of Liberia’s significant interior health facilities. Ganta’s market draws traders from Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and throughout Liberia, making it one of the most economically active interior cities in the country. The Sanniquellie Summit — at which Liberia’s William Tubman, Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah and Guinea’s Sékou Touré convened in 1959 to lay the groundwork for African continental unity — took place nearby, reflecting Nimba County’s historical role in West African diplomacy.
The second most populous district, located in the western part of Nimba County, bordering Bong County. Male majority: 50.9% male / 49.1% female. Covered by ED 8 (western Nimba, bordering Bong County). The area is predominantly Mano-speaking with established agricultural communities.
Located in the northeastern part of Nimba County, bordering Côte d’Ivoire. Near gender parity: 50.2% male / 49.8% female. Home to communities along the Ivorian border corridor. Covered by ED 4 (northeastern zone, bordering Ivory Coast). The Yekepa iron ore mining area — historically home to the LAMCO and now ArcelorMittal mining operations — is located in Gbehlay-Geh.
Yekepa, located in Gbehlay-Geh District, is the centre of Nimba County’s iron ore mining industry. The Liberia-American Mining Company (LAMCO) operated here from the early 1960s until the civil war, providing employment, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure for thousands of Liberians and expatriates. LAMCO’s Yekepa complex was considered a model of industrial development in West Africa. After LAMCO’s departure and the civil war, the facilities decayed significantly. In 2007, a 25-year mining contract was signed between the Liberian government and ArcelorMittal, which resumed iron ore operations in Yekepa and Tokadeh. Gbehlay-Geh’s “Guest House Hill” in the Yekepa area is the highest point in Liberia at 4,540 feet (1,383 m) above sea level.
Home to Sanniquellie City — the county capital, approximately 298 km from Monrovia. Sanniquellie has special historical significance as the host city of the 1959 Summit between William Tubman, Kwame Nkrumah and Sékou Touré, which led to the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union). Female majority: 50.8% female / 49.2% male — consistent with capital city urban demographics. Covered by ED 1 (northwestern Nimba, bordering Bong County and Guinea).
Sanniquellie City sits on a ridge between mountains and serves as the seat of county government, judiciary, and administrative functions. Sanniquellie’s 1959 Summit — also called the Sanniquellie Declaration — brought together President Tubman of Liberia, President Nkrumah of Ghana and President Touré of Guinea on 25 May 1959. The declaration called for “the Community of Independent African States” and directly influenced the formation of the Organisation of African Unity at Addis Ababa in May 1963. A marker in Sanniquellie commemorates this summit. The city also hosts the main hospital for the county, government offices, and Nimba County’s main lorry park.
Named after the Twah River (also Twan/Tweh), one of Nimba County’s four major rivers. Located in the central-northern part of the county. Male majority: 50.5% male / 49.5% female. Covered by ED 2 (northern Nimba, bordering Guinea).
A significant interior district. Male majority: 51.0% male / 49.0% female. Located in the central part of Nimba County. Covered by ED 7 (central Nimba). The district name reflects one of the Gio/Mano community designations in the county’s administrative geography.
Near gender parity: 50.1% female / 49.9% male. A significant district in the southern zone of Nimba County. Covered by ED 6 (eastern zone, bordering Grand Gedeh County and Côte d’Ivoire).
Located in the central-eastern part of Nimba County. Slight female majority: 50.2% female / 49.8% male. Covered by ED 5 (eastern Nimba, bordering Ivory Coast). Zoe-Gbao is one of the more substantial interior districts, with agricultural communities along the Ivorian border corridor.
Male majority: 51.4% male / 48.6% female. Located in the northern-central part of Nimba County. Covered by ED 3 (northern zone). Yarmein is a Gio/Dan and Mano community district with established farming traditions.
Male majority: 51.4% male / 48.6% female. An interior district in the southern part of Nimba County. Covered by ED 9 (southern Nimba, bordering Bong, Grand Bassa, River Cess and Grand Gedeh counties). The name Meinpea-Mahn reflects a Mano community designation.
Male majority: 51.0% male / 49.0% female. Located in the southern interior of Nimba County. Covered by ED 9. The Leewehpea-Mahn name is a Mano community designation for the district.
Male majority: 51.4% male / 48.6% female. An interior district in the central part of Nimba County. Covered by ED 7 or ED 8. The long compound name is characteristic of Mano/Gio district naming conventions across Nimba County.
A combined-name district reflecting two Gio/Mano community clusters. Male majority: 50.4% male / 49.6% female. Covered by ED 6. The district straddles the eastern section of Nimba County near the Côte d’Ivoire border.
Male majority: 50.7% male / 49.3% female. Located in the southern part of Nimba County, in the corridor bordering Grand Gedeh County. Covered by ED 9. The civil war entry point of Buutuo — from where Charles Taylor launched his NPFL offensive in December 1989 — is in the general Kparblee–southern Nimba corridor.
The border town of Buutuo, in southern Nimba County, was where Charles Taylor and his National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) entered Liberia from Côte d’Ivoire on 24 December 1989, launching the First Liberian Civil War. The NPFL’s initial operations targeted the Gio and Mano communities of Nimba County, capitalising on grievances against Samuel Doe’s Krahn-dominated government following the 1985 coup attempt by General Thomas Quiwonkpa (a Nimba son). Nimba County consequently bore the earliest and some of the heaviest impacts of the civil wars. The county’s post-war recovery — +34.6% population growth 2008–2022 — reflects significant but incomplete reconstruction.
Male majority: 51.0% male / 49.0% female. A smaller district in the northern section of Nimba County bordering Guinea. Covered by ED 2. The Yarpea Mahn designation reflects a Mano community cluster in the upper Nimba zone.
Male majority: 50.4% male / 49.6% female. One of the smaller interior districts. Covered by ED 8 (western Nimba). Subsistence agriculture forms the primary livelihood. The Gbor name is a local Mano/Gio designation.
The smallest administrative district in Nimba County and the one with the highest male proportion: 52.9% male / 47.1% female — the strongest male majority in the county. Located in the remote interior. The Gbi people are one of the five ethnic groups represented in higher numbers in Nimba County. Covered by ED 9.
Nimba operates two distinct district structures, with 17 administrative districts mapped across 9 electoral districts. See also: District Types and Districts Introduction.
Headed by District Commissioners. Nimba has 34 Chiefdoms and 72 Clans. The 17-to-9 AD-to-ED ratio means most EDs cover multiple administrative districts.
Each elects one Representative. Total: 307,254 registered voters (NEC, July 2023). ED 3 (39,525) is the largest electorate; ED 9 (27,645) is the smallest. Note: ED 5 Rep. Samuel G. Kogar resigned in 2025 after election to Senate; by-election won by Kortor Kwagrue (MDR).
| Electoral District | Location / Border | Male | Female | Total | Representative (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ED 1 | NW Nimba — borders Bong County & Guinea | 16,960 | 19,237 | 36,197 | Samuel N. Brown Sr. (IND) |
| ED 2 | N Nimba — borders Republic of Guinea | 18,659 | 20,003 | 38,662 | Nyahn Garsaye Flomo (CPP) |
| ED 3 | N Nimba — borders Guinea & Côte d’Ivoire | 19,934 | 19,591 | 39,525 | Nehker E. Gaye (MDR) |
| ED 4 | NE Nimba — borders Côte d’Ivoire | 17,522 | 17,828 | 35,350 | Ernest M. Manseah Sr. (MDR) |
| ED 5 | E Nimba — borders Côte d’Ivoire | 14,732 | 15,091 | 29,823 | Kortor Kwagrue (MDR) — by-election 2025 |
| ED 6 | E Nimba — borders Grand Gedeh & Côte d’Ivoire | 14,993 | 15,001 | 29,994 | Dorwohn Twain Gleekia (MDR) |
| ED 7 | Central Nimba | 18,045 | 17,730 | 35,775 | Musa Hassan Bility (CPP) |
| ED 8 | W Nimba — borders Bong County | 16,931 | 17,352 | 34,283 | Saye S. Mianah (MDR) |
| ED 9 | S Nimba — borders Bong, Grand Bassa, River Cess & Grand Gedeh | 14,141 | 13,504 | 27,645 | Taa Z. Wongbe (IND) |
| County Total | — | 151,917 | 155,337 | 307,254 | 9 Representatives |
Source: LiberiaData.com — Nimba County page (liberiadata.com/counties/nimba/); NEC July 2023; Wikipedia — Nimba-1 through Nimba-9. Note: ED 5 Rep. Samuel G. Kogar (PUP) resigned in 2025 after election to the Senate; by-election won by Kortor Kwagrue (MDR) in August 2025.
Ma Kou Meapeh Gono is the County Superintendent of Nimba County. The superintendent is a presidential appointee heading county administration.
Appointed by the President for each of Nimba’s 17 administrative districts. Handle day-to-day administration, public order, and development coordination.
ED 1: Samuel N. Brown Sr. (IND); ED 2: Nyahn Garsaye Flomo (CPP); ED 3: Nehker E. Gaye (MDR); ED 4: Ernest M. Manseah Sr. (MDR); ED 5: Kortor Kwagrue (MDR, by-election 2025); ED 6: Dorwohn Twain Gleekia (MDR); ED 7: Musa Hassan Bility (CPP); ED 8: Saye S. Mianah (MDR); ED 9: Taa Z. Wongbe (IND).
Prince Johnson (Senior Senator) — one of Liberia’s most prominent political figures, previously warlord of INPFL during the First Civil War; elected senator multiple times from Nimba. Nya D. Twayen Jr. is Junior Senator (elected 2023). Note: former ED 5 Rep. Samuel G. Kogar was also elected to the Senate in 2025.
Lead Nimba’s 34 chiefdoms across the 17 administrative districts, reflecting the county’s diverse Gio, Mano, Krahn, Gbi and Mandingo community governance structures.
With 72 clans, Nimba has one of the largest clan counts in Liberia, reflecting the diversity and depth of indigenous governance structures across the county’s extensive territory.
Nimba County was established in 1964 by an act of the National Legislature under President William V.S. Tubman. It was formed from two provincial districts — Sanniquellie and Tappita — previously designated as Districts II and III in the Central Province. The county is named after Mount Nimba — “Neinbaa Tohn” in Mano, meaning “a mountain on which sisters slip.”
All 16 of Liberia’s ethnic groups are found in Nimba County, but five are represented in higher numbers: Mano (35%), Gio/Dan (30%), Krahn (10%), Gbi, and Mandingo. The Gio (Dan) and Mano are the two principal groups and members of the Mende Fu language group. Nimba is overwhelmingly Christian, with Islam practiced in nearly every district alongside the Bahá’í Faith and African traditional practices.
Dialects spoken include Mano (35%), Gio (30%), Sapo (12%), Krahn (10%), Gola (5%), Bassa (2%), Kpelle (1%) and others. The county’s flag features an orange stripe (mineral deposits), white (peace), blue (sky), a brown mountain (Mount Nimba), a sun (harmony), a pickaxe (iron ore mining), and a green field (rich vegetation). Mount Nimba’s highest point on the Liberian side (at the “Guest House Hill” in Yekepa) stands at 4,540 feet — the highest elevation in Liberia. The county contains four major rivers: St. John (forming the natural Liberia–Guinea boundary in its upper stretch), Yah, Cestos (forming the Liberia–Côte d’Ivoire boundary), and Twah.
Nimba County’s economy rests on two pillars: iron ore mining (ArcelorMittal, Yekepa — one of the largest iron ore deposits in West Africa) and agriculture (rice, rubber, cocoa, coffee, oil palm). Ganta City is the commercial hub for cross-border trade with Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire.
Spanning 11,546 km² — Liberia’s largest county by land area — Nimba is bordered by Bong (W/SW), Grand Gedeh (S), River Cess (SW), Sinoe (S), Guinea (NW), and Côte d’Ivoire (E). The county stretches 230 km north to south and 100 km east to west. It is 298 km from Monrovia to Sanniquellie.
| Indicator | Nimba County | Liberia National |
|---|---|---|
| Total Population (2022) | 621,841 | 5,250,187 |
| % of National Population | 11.84% | 100% |
| Land Area | 11,546 km² — largest county in Liberia | 97,098 km² |
| Population Density | 53.86 persons/km² | 54.1 persons/km² |
| Male Population | 312,018 (50.2%) | 2,648,553 (50.4%) |
| Female Population | 309,823 (49.8%) | 2,601,634 (49.6%) |
| Sex Ratio | 100.7 males per 100 females | 101.8 males per 100 females |
| Population Growth (2008–2022) | +34.6% (from 462,026) | +51.0% |
| National Rank | 2nd most populous; 1st by land area | — |
| Administrative Districts | 17 | 136 (national) |
| Electoral Districts | 9 | 73 (national) |
| Chiefdoms | 34 | — |
| Clans | 72 | — |
| Largest District | Garr-Bain — 111,796 (18.0% of county) | — |
| Smallest District | Gbi & Doru — 8,118 (1.3% of county) | — |
| Highest Point | Mount Nimba — 4,540 ft (1,383 m) — highest in Liberia | — |
| Year Established | 1964 (Districts II & III of Central Province before 1964) | — |
Source: LISGIS 2022 Population and Housing Census via liberiadata.com/counties/nimba/. Published June 2023.
Republic of Liberia — Ministry of Internal Affairs
Liberian Government Gazette (1964 Establishment Act)
National Archives of Liberia; Nimba 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 as published on liberiadata.com/counties/nimba/. County total: 621,841 (M: 312,018 / F: 309,823). 17 districts verified. Published June 2023. lisgis.gov.lr
2008 National Population and Housing Census: LISGIS — Nimba County Total: 462,026
National Elections Commission (NEC), Republic of Liberia — Electoral Districts & Eligible Voter Registrants Summary Report, July 28, 2023. necliberia.org
LiberiaData.com — Nimba County
Wikipedia — Nimba County (Liberia); Nimba-1 through Nimba-9; Sanniquellie; Ganta; Yekepa entries
Senate.gov.lr — Republic of Liberia Legislature
Liberian Observer — “MDR Candidate Wins Nimba By-Election” (August 14, 2025)