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 faces war crimes charges in The
Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. 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) maintains a strong presence throughout the country,
but the security situation is still fragile and the process of
rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country
continues.
Geography ::Liberia
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: 111,369 sq km
03
land:
96,320 sq km
water:
15,049 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:
Current Weather
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
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
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification, 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
People ::Liberia
Population:
3,685,076 (July 2010 est.)
29
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.3% (male 819,475/female 814,059)
15-64 years:
52.8% (male 964,886/female 979,504)
65 years and over:
2.9% (male 54,305/female 52,847) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.4 years
male:
18.3 years
female:
18.4 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.782% (2010 est.)
8
Birth rate:
38.14 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
8
Death rate:
10.88 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Net migration rate:
0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Urbanization:
urban population: 60% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
5.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
1.03 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 76.43 deaths/1,000 live births
0
male:
80.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
71.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.58 years
95
male:
55.05 years
female:
58.14 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.24 children born/woman (2010 est.)
5
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
35,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,300 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
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
water contact disease:
schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease:
Lassa fever
animal contact disease:
rabies (2009)
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 few of which can be written or 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.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male:
11 years
female:
8 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Liberia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form:
Liberia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Monrovia
geographic coordinates:
6 18 N, 10 48 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 on 8 November 2005 (next to be held in October
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 on 11 October 2005 (next to be held in October 2011); House
of Representatives - last held on 11 October 2005 (next to be held in
October 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 - the UP now holds 13 out of 30 senate seats and
16 out of 64 house seats following a merger with several smaller parties
in 2009
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 [H. Varney SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or
CDC [George WEAH]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National
Patriotic Party or NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen
JOHNSON SIRLEAF]
chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES
chancery:
5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone:
[1] (202) 723-0437
FAX:
[1] (202) 723-0436
consulate(s) general:
New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD
embassy:
111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[231] 7-705-4826
FAX:
[231] 7-701-0370
Flag description:
11 equal horizontal
stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a white
five-pointed star appears on a blue square in the upper hoist-side
corner; the stripes symbolize the signatories of the Liberian
Declaration of Independence; the blue square represents the African
mainland, and the star represents the freedom granted to the ex-slaves;
according to the constitution, the blue color signifies liberty,
justice, and fidelity, the white color purity, cleanliness, and
guilelessness, and the red color steadfastness, valor, and fervor
note:the design is based on the US flag
Economy ::Liberia
Economy - overview:
Civil war and government
mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the
infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled
the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the
conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically-elected
government in 2006, several have returned. Liberia has the distinction
of having the highest ratio of direct foreign investment to GDP in the
world. 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 banker and administrator, has taken
steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and
encourage private investment. Embargos on timber and diamond exports
have been lifted, opening new sources of revenue for the government. The
reconstruction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this
ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial and technical
assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors,
such as infrastructure and power generation.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.627 billion (2009 est.)
89
$1.549 billion (2008 est.)
$1.446 billion (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$878.2 million (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2009 est.)
5
7.1% (2008 est.)
9.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$500 (2009 est.)
25
$500 (2008 est.)
$400 (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 76.9%
industry:
5.4%
services:
17.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
1.372 million (2007)
34
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry:
8%
services:
22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
85% (2003 est.) est.)
98
Population below poverty line:
80% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
South Korea 26.5%, Singapore 24.9%, Japan 11.5%, China 10.7%, Taiwan 4.7% (2008)
Debt - external:
$3.2 billion (2005 est.)
18
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)
Communications ::Liberia
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,000 (2008)
24
Telephones - mobile cellular:
732,000 (2008)
48
Telephone system:
general assessment: the
limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital
Monrovia; fixed-line service stagnant and extremely limited; telephone
coverage extended to a number of other towns and rural areas by four
mobile-cellular network operators
domestic:
mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity exceeded 20 per 100 persons in 2008
international:
country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2007)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (plus 4 repeaters) (2007)
Internet country code:
.lr
Internet hosts:
5 (2009)
26
Internet users:
20,000 (2008)
90
Transportation ::Liberia
Airports:
33 (2009)
12
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m:
5
914 to 1,523 m:
8
under 914 m:
18 (2009)
Railways:
total: 429 km
18
standard gauge:
345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:
84 km 1.067-m gauge
note:most sections of the railway are inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003 (2008)
Roadways:
total: 10,600 km
34
paved:
657 km
unpaved:
9,943 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 2,204
by type:
barge
carrier 3, bulk carrier 390, cargo 107, chemical tanker 241,
combination ore/oil 7, container 750, liquefied gas 84, passenger 1,
passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 460, refrigerated cargo 103, roll
on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 36
foreign-owned:
2,109
(Argentina 3, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Canada 7, China 11, Croatia 2,
Cyprus 63, Denmark 12, Estonia 1, France 5, Germany 849, Gibraltar 5,
Greece 358, Hong Kong 44, India 2, Indonesia 2, Isle of Man 5, Israel
23, Italy 41, Japan 116, South Korea 3, Latvia 21, Lebanon 2, Mexico 2,
Monaco 8, Netherlands 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 40, Poland 13, Qatar 4,
Romania 2, Russia 94, Saudi Arabia 27, Singapore 32, Slovenia 3, Sweden
10, Switzerland 13, Taiwan 91, Turkey 7, Ukraine 25, UAE 23, UK 20, US
98, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Buchanan, Monrovia
Military ::Liberia
Military branches:
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 797,084
females age 16-49:
808,017 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 510,337
females age 16-49:
527,737 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 33,411
female:
35,264 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
15
Transnational Issues ::Liberia
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): 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs:
13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in November 2004) (2007)
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
