Liberia

Liberia is a country in West Africa bordered by Sierra Leone to its west, Guinea to its north and Cote d’Ivoire to its east.

Liberia is a country with historical ties to the United States. It was founded by freed black slaves during the pre-Civil War antebellum era of the nineteenth century. The capital, Monrovia, was named after James Monroe. Liberia’s flag closely resembles the American flag, reflecting the historical ties of Liberia to the United States.

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 descendants 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 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. She subsequently won reelection in 2011 in a second round vote that was boycotted by the opposition and remains challenged to build Liberia’s economy and reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. The United Nations Security Council in September 2012 passed Resolution 2066 which calls for a reduction of UN troops in Liberia by half by 2015, bringing the troop total down to fewer than 4000, and challenging Liberia’s security sector to fill the gaps.

Capital: Monrovia

Government: Republic

Economy:

• Heavily reliant on foreign assistance for revenue.
• Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia has been a producer and exporter of basic products including raw timber and rubber.

Population: 4.1 million (UN 2011)

Land Size: 99,067 sq km (38,250 sq miles)

Major Ethic Groups:

• Kpelle: 20.3%
• Bassa: 13.4%
• Grebo: 10%
• Gio: 8%
• Mano: 7.9%
• Kru: 6%
• Lorma: 5.1%
• Kissi: 4.8%
• Gola: 4.4%
• Other: 20.1% (2008 census)

Religions:

• Christian: 85.6%
• Muslim: 12.2%
• Traditional: 0.6%
• Other: 0.2%
• None: 1.4%

Language(s):

• English: 20% (official)
• Some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence.

For more information about Liberia, please visit:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/li.html