Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003, peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for former combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates
6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references
Africa
Area
total
111,370 sq km
land
96,320 sq km
water
15,050 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries
total
1,585 km
border countries
Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km
Coastline
579 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point
Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use
arable land
3.43%
permanent crops
1.98%
other
94.59% (2005)
Irrigated land
30 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment - current issues
tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture
Population
3,195,931 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
43.6% (male 698,382/female 695,409)
15-64 years
53.6% (male 848,951/female 865,380)
65 years and over
2.7% (male 42,745/female 45,064) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
18.1 years
male
17.9 years
female
18.2 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
4.836% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
43.75 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
22.24 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
26.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.004 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.981 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.949 male(s)/female
total population
0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
149.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male
165.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female
133.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
40.39 years
male
38.93 years
female
41.89 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.94 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
5.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
100,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
7,200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk
very high
food or waterborne diseases
bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases
malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations
water contact disease
schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease
Lassa fever (2007)
Nationality
noun
Liberian(s)
adjective
Liberian
Ethnic groups
indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)
Religions
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Languages
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
57.5%
male
73.3%
female
41.6% (2003 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Republic of Liberia
conventional short form
Liberia
Government type
republic
Capital
name
Monrovia
geographic coordinates
6 18 N, 10 47 W
time difference
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
Independence
26 July 1847
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution
6 January 1986
Legal system
dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government
President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006)
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate
elections
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005 (next to be held in 2011)
election results
Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6%, George WEAH 40.4%
Legislative branch
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note - number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15
note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH]; Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]; Liberian Action Party or LAP [H. Varney SHERMAN]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN]; Unity Party or UP [Charles CLARKE]
111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10
mailing address
use embassy street address
telephone
[231] 226-370 through 226-380
FAX
[231] 226-148
Flag description
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
Economy - overview
Civil war and government mismanagement have destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some have returned, but many will not. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained economist, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment. An embargo on timber exports has been lifted, opening a source of revenue for the government, but diamonds remain under UN sanctions. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial support and technical assistance from donor countries.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.821 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$902.9 million (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
7.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$900 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
76.9%
industry
5.4%
services
17.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
70%
industry
8%
services
22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
85% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line
80% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA%
highest 10%
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
15% (2003 est.)
Budget
revenues
$85.4 million
expenditures
$90.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
South Korea 40.2%, Singapore 16%, Japan 13.6%, China 8.7% (2006)
Debt - external
$3.2 billion (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$94 million (1999)
Currency (code)
Liberian dollar (LRD)
Currency code
LRD
Exchange rates
Liberian dollars per US dollar - 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003), 61.754 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
6,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular
160,000 (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia
domestic
fully automatic system with very low density of less than 1 fixed main line per 100 persons; limited wireless service available
international
country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios
790,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
1 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001)
Televisions
70,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.lr
Internet hosts
8 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
2 (2001)
Internet users
1,000 (2002)
Airports
53 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
2
over 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
51
1,524 to 2,437 m
5
914 to 1,523 m
8
under 914 m
38 (2006)
Railways
total
490 km
standard gauge
345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge
145 km 1.067-m gauge
note
railway is inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil war (2005)
Roadways
total
10,600 km
paved
657 km
unpaved
9,943 km (1999)
Merchant marine
total
1,687 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,522,787 GRT/96,776,521 DWT
by type
barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 322, cargo 83, chemical tanker 199, combination ore/oil 2, container 477, liquefied gas 75, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 397, refrigerated cargo 76, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 35
foreign-owned
1,611 (Argentina 7, Australia 2, Austria 13, Bahamas, The 1, Bermuda 1, Brazil 3, Canada 2, China 35, Croatia 7, Cyprus 3, Denmark 8, Estonia 1, France 3, Germany 587, Greece 267, Hong Kong 37, India 3, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 5, Israel 5, Italy 16, Japan 102, South Korea 3, Kuwait 1, Latvia 14, Lebanon 2, Mexico 1, Monaco 10, Netherlands 29, Norway 38, Poland 14, Qatar 2, Russia 77, Saudi Arabia 24, Singapore 28, Slovenia 2, Sweden 8, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 69, Turkey 1, UAE 18, UK 41, Ukraine 16, Uruguay 3, US 93, unknown 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Buchanan, Monrovia
Military branches
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
575,384
females age 18-49
588,780 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
267,430
females age 18-49
286,231 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.3% (2006 est.)
Disputes - international
although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January 2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin)
6,592 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs
13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in November 2004) (2006)
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center
