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The twenty imports Liberia is best placed to replace.

Liberia imported USD 19bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 494m. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well and where one country supplies most of them.

USD 481mthe twenty, imported in 2024
19products imported at scale, not yet exported well, and close to existing strengths
43products Liberia already exports well
44product lines imported at USD 10m or more
The twenty

Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.

Each line shows the import bill, where it comes from, the nearest thing Liberia already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Liberia would pay. That reason is not in any trade record, and it is the maker's question.

This edition is trade and capability only, scored out of 8. The UK edition adds which public bodies buy each product and which region holds the capability; those layers are built only where a country publishes contract awards and regional trade, and Liberia does not publish them in a form this record can read yet.

  1. 1

    Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, n.e.c. in heading 7308HS 730890

    Comes fromChina 96%, 22 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 1k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 37m
    Countries that export it well33

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 209m, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 25 per cent (2); China supplies 96 per cent (2).

    USD 209mup 106% on 2022
  2. 2

    Paints and varnishes: based on polymers n.e.c. in heading no. 3208, dispersed or dissolved in a non-aqueous mediumHS 320890

    Comes fromChina 86%, 18 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 4k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 13m
    Countries that export it well34

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 40m, top 16 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 30 per cent (1); China supplies 86 per cent (2).

    USD 40mup 66% on 2022
  3. 3

    Cement clinkers (whether or not coloured)HS 252310

    Comes fromEgypt 54%, 4 source countries
    Nearest export strengthQuartz: other than natural sands (exports USD 934k)
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well36

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 29m, top 27 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 2 per cent (3); Egypt supplies 54 per cent (1).

    USD 29mup 438% on 2022
  4. 4

    Sauces and preparations therefor: mixed condiments and mixed seasoningsHS 210390

    Comes fromChina 65%, 18 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 46k
    Countries that export it well45

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 23m, top 32 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2); China supplies 65 per cent (2).

    USD 23mdown 7% on 2022
  5. 5

    Footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or...HS 640299

    Comes fromChina 97%, 12 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 1k
    Countries that export it well16

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 19m, top 43 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 11 per cent (2); China supplies 97 per cent (2).

    USD 19mdown 13% on 2022
  6. 6

    DredgersHS 890510

    Comes fromNigeria 100%, 1 source country
    Nearest export strengthVessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and... (exports USD 345m)
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well15

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 19m, top 45 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 20 per cent (2); Nigeria supplies 100 per cent (2).

    USD 19mfrom USD 27k in 2022
  7. 7

    T-shirts, singlets and other vests: of textile materials (other than cotton), knitted or crochetedHS 610990

    Comes fromChina 100%, 11 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well41

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 10m, top 98 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 9 per cent (3); China supplies 100 per cent (2).

    USD 10mup 304% on 2022
  8. 8

    Cruise ships, excursion boats and similar vessels, principally designed for the transport of persons, ferry boats of...HS 890110

    Comes fromGermany 93%, 2 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and... (exports USD 345m)
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well18

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 20m, top 36 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 34 per cent (1); Germany supplies 93 per cent (2).

    USD 20mup 210% on 2022
  9. 9

    Sugars: sucrose, chemically pure, in solid form, not containing added flavouring or colouring matterHS 170199

    Comes fromMorocco 50%, 10 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well44

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 19m, top 41 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 16 per cent (2); Morocco supplies 50 per cent (1).

    USD 19mup 74% on 2022
  10. 10

    Clothing: worn, and other worn articlesHS 630900

    Comes fromUnited States 62%, 19 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 39k
    Countries that export it well29

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 12m, top 86 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 23 per cent (2); United States supplies 62 per cent (2).

    USD 12mdown 5% on 2022
  11. 11

    Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses...HS 300490

    Comes fromIndia 77%, 25 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 21k
    Countries that export it well32

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 17m, top 52 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 43 per cent (1); India supplies 77 per cent (2).

    USD 17mup 16% on 2022
  12. 12

    Machines: for crushing or grinding earth, stone, ores or other mineral substancesHS 847420

    Comes fromChina 68%, 11 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 24m
    Countries that export it well23

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 14m, top 70 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 43 per cent (1); China supplies 68 per cent (2).

    USD 14mup 73% on 2022
  13. 13

    Turbines: gas-turbines (excluding turbo-jets and turbo-propellers), of a power exceeding 5000kWHS 841182

    Comes fromUnited Kingdom 100%, 1 source country
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well19

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 10m, top 95 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 30 per cent (1); United Kingdom supplies 100 per cent (2).

    USD 10ma year
  14. 14

    Boring or sinking machinery: self-propelled, n.e.c. in heading no. 8430HS 843041

    Comes fromTurkey 43%, 6 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well17

    Score 2 of 8: import bill USD 15m, top 66 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 36 per cent (1); Turkey supplies 43 per cent (1).

    USD 15mup 248% on 2022
  15. 15

    Food preparations: of flour, meal, starch, malt extract or milk products, for uses n.e.c. in heading no. 1901HS 190190

    Comes fromMalaysia 35%, 18 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 3k
    Countries that export it well39

    Score 2 of 8: import bill USD 13m, top 77 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 14 per cent (2).

    USD 13mup 18% on 2022
  16. 16

    Boards, panels, consoles, desks and other bases: for electric control or the distribution of electricity, (other than...HS 853710

    Comes fromTurkey 42%, 28 source countries
    Nearest export strengthWaste and scrap of lead-acid accumulators: spent lead-acid... (exports USD 2m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 20k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 11m
    Countries that export it well29

    Score 2 of 8: import bill USD 10m, top 100 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Liberia's export strengths in the top 48 per cent (1); Turkey supplies 42 per cent (1).

    USD 10mup 116% on 2022

One line per customs heading. Products Liberia already exports well and still imports are below, because they are a different conversation. No employment figures appear on this page, by decision.

Made here already, still imported

Scale conversations, not capability ones.

  • Vessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and other... imports USD 14bn, exports USD 345m, top source China 54%
  • Tankers imports USD 2.3bn, exports USD 110m, top source China 59%
How the twenty were chosen

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 44 lines imported at USD 10m or more: above the median one point, top quarter two, top tenth three.

Proximity to export strengths, 0 to 3, on the same percentiles: the product-space method (Hidalgo, Klinger, Barabasi and Hausmann, Science 2007) on CEPII's BACI file of every bilateral trade flow for 2024, 157 countries and 5,388 products. Two products are close when the countries that export one well tend to export the other well. Only products in the upper half for proximity can enter the list at all: best placed is a proximity claim.

Supply concentration, 0 to 2: one point when a single country supplies 40 per cent or more, two at 60 per cent.

Scope. Manufactured goods, customs chapters 16 to 96, excluding ores, fuels and precious metals. Primary agriculture is out of scope for a page about manufacture.

What it cannot tell you

A map of where to look.

Trade data says what crossed the border, not why. Cost, scale, patents, tariffs and the plain fact that a supplier is good at it are all invisible here. The world file reconciles what each pair of countries reports, so a national customs file would differ in detail. Nothing on this page is a forecast or a promise.

Source: CEPII BACI, HS22, version 202601, years 2022 to 2024. Edition of 2026-11-02. The UK edition with its procurement and regional layers is at /made-here/.

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