[159] As revealed in the 2008 census, Monrovia is more than four times more populous than all the county capitals combined. Updates? [123] Due in large part to foreign aid and investment inflow following the end of the war, Liberia maintains a large account deficit, which peaked at nearly 60% in 2008. [139] In 2013, the mineral sector accounted for 11% of GDP in the country and the World Bank projected a further increase in the sector by 2017. The population includes 16 indigenous ethnic groups and various foreign minorities. [194], Approximately 95% of the country's healthcare facilities had been destroyed by the time civil war ended in 2003. Life expectancy in Liberia is estimated to be 64.4 years in 2020. President William Tubman encouraged economic and political changes that heightened the country's prosperity and international profile; Liberia was a founding member of the League of Nations, United Nations, and the Organisation of African Unity. Rape is the most frequently reported crime, accounting for more than one-third of sexual violence cases. [54], The United Nations Mission in Liberia began arriving in September 2003 to provide security and monitor the peace accord,[55] [133] This was dismissed as a "misconception" by Liberia's Minister of Agriculture. [1] The vice president serves as the President of the Senate, with a President pro tempore serving in their absence. [119] This led to a United Nations ban on Liberian diamond exports in 2001, which was lifted in 2007 following Liberia's accession to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. Shallow, coarse lithosols, in the hilly and rugged terrain, cover about one-eighth of the land. [90] The judicial system is a blend of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law. [77] Species hunted for food in Liberia include elephants, pygmy hippopotamus, chimpanzees, leopards, duikers, and other monkeys. [28] The United Kingdom was the first country to recognize Liberia's independence. It has a population of around 5 million and covers an area of 43,000 square miles (111,369km2). LinkedIn 15 Best Places to Visit in Liberia: Monrovia Sapo National Park Robertsport Buchanan Gbarnga Harbel Gola National Forest Bushrod Island Marshall Zwedru Kakata Greenville Harper Voinjama Sanniquellie [134], The mining industry of Liberia has witnessed a revival after the civil war which ended in 2003. [97], Both male and female homosexuality are illegal in Liberia. Liberia is situated in West Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean to the country's southwest. [114] Following Sirleaf's inauguration in 2006, Liberia signed several multi-billion-dollar concession agreements in the iron ore and palm oil industries with numerous multinational corporations, including ArcelorMittal, BHP and Sime Darby. The outline map represents the West African country of Liberia. [200], According to an Overseas Development Institute report, private health expenditure accounts for 64.1% of total spending on health. Total capacity in 2013 was 20 MW, a sharp decline from a peak of 191 MW in 1989 before the wars. Coeditor of. The country enjoyed relative stability until a rebellion in 1989 escalated into a destructive civil war in the 1990s that did not fully cease until 2003. [172], Higher education is provided by a number of public and private universities. [35], In 1927, the country's elections again showed the power of the True Whig Party, with electoral proceedings that have been called some of the most rigged ever;[36] the winning candidate was declared to have received votes amounting to more than 15 times the number of eligible voters. Liberia Population What Is The Population Of Liberia? [216] However, this change has been gradual, with government reports concurrently using both United States Customary and metric units. [1] Senators serve nine-year terms and are elected at-large by a plurality of the popular vote. Liberia began in the early 19th century as a project of the American Colonization Society (ACS), which believed black people would face better chances for freedom and prosperity in Africa than in the United States. The government does not require businesses or schools to excuse Muslims for Friday prayers. Indigenous peoples comprise about 95 percent of the population. [25] Indigenous tribesmen did not enjoy birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904. [112] The global financial crisis slowed GDP growth to 4.6% in 2009,[112] though a strengthening agricultural sector led by rubber and timber exports increased growth to 5.1% in 2010 and an expected 7.3% in 2011, making the economy one of the 20 fastest-growing in the world. Liberia Bordering Countries: While Christian, many Liberians also participate in traditional, gender-based indigenous religious secret societies, such as Poro for men and Sande for women. [124], Liberia has the highest ratio of foreign direct investment to GDP in the world, with US$16 billion in investment since 2006. [1][162][bettersourceneeded] These latter two groups established political control in the 19th century which they kept well into the 20th century. Their passage of the 1865 Ports of Entry Act prohibited foreign commerce with the inland tribes, ostensibly to "encourage the growth of civilized values" before such trade was allowed in the region. For a treatment of earlier periods and of the country in its regional context, see western Africa. Founding of Liberia, 1847 The founding of Liberia in the early 1800s was motivated by the domestic politics of slavery and race in the United States as well as by U.S. foreign policy interests. Liberia is an independent state that is situated in West Africa. Bushrod Island is an island near Monrovia, Liberia surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, . [215], The Liberian government has begun transitioning away from use of United States customary units to the metric system. [80] This causes the disease nagana. Please select which sections you would like to print: Professor and Chairman, Department of History, University of Liberia, Monrovia. (Nelson) See the Map of Liberia with Monrovia. [68] Liberia's three largest rivers are St. Paul exiting near Monrovia, the river St. John at Buchanan, and the Cestos River, all of which flow into the Atlantic. The internal security is characterized by a general lawlessness coupled with the danger that former combatants in the late civil war might reestablish militias to challenge the civil authorities. [citation needed], Liberia has a rich history in textile arts and quilting, as the settlers brought with them their sewing and quilting skills. [79] The survey was conducted during the last civil war, and bushmeat consumption is now believed to be far higher. [159] Nimba County is the next most populous county, with 462,026 residents. Time zone: Noon = noon GMT. GeoNames ID. Open Location Code. The Constitution calls for the election of various chiefs at the county and local level, but these elections have not taken place since 1985 due to war and financial constraints. [citation needed], The government of Liberia, modeled on the government of the United States, is a unitary constitutional republic and representative democracy as established by the Constitution. Rainfall is irregular, and the rainy season varies in intensity and begins earlier at the coast than in the interior. All structured data from the file namespace is available under the Creative Commons CC0 License; all unstructured text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; . [101] When President Sirleaf took office in 2006, she announced that corruption was "the major public enemy. Hemispheres: Northern and Eastern. Liberia is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. [44] Government repression intensified in response, as Doe's troops retaliated by executing members of the Gio and Mano ethnic groups in Nimba County. [205] Moore's novella Murder in the Cassava Patch is considered Liberia's most celebrated novel. [82], Slash-and-burn agriculture is one of the human activities eroding Liberia's natural forests. Liberia has been an active participant in international and local policy changes related to climate change. [189] Approximately 58.2%[190] 66%[191] of women are estimated to have undergone female genital mutilation. [67] Weah cited fighting corruption, reforming the economy, combating illiteracy, and improving living conditions as the main targets of his presidency.[67]. [95] A history of corruption among police officers diminishes public trust and operational effectiveness. [80] In pigs here and in Ivory Coast, that includes Tbg group 1. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [76], Pollution is a significant issue in Monrovia. [40], After the war, President William Tubman encouraged foreign investment, with Liberia achieving the second-highest rate of economic growth in the world during the 1950s. What are the major mountains of Liberia and their location? [125] Palm oil companies like Sime Darby (Malaysia) and Golden Veroleum (USA) have been accused of destroying livelihoods and displacing local communities, enabled by government concessions. The climate is equatorial, with significant rainfall during the MayOctober rainy season and harsh harmattan winds the remainder of the year. A small minority of Liberians who are White Africans of European descent reside in the country. [102], Liberia scored a 3.3 on a scale from 10 (highly clean) to 0 (highly corrupt) on the 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index. The country's major rivers include the Mano River in the northwest and the Cavalla River in the southeast. Liberian independence was proclaimed in 1847, and its boundaries were expanded. [1] Each House member represents an electoral district within a county as drawn by the National Elections Commission and is elected by a plurality of the popular vote of their district into a six-year term. [106][107], Agriculture in Liberia is a major sector of the country's economy worth 38.8% of GDP, employing more than 70% of the population and providing a valuable export for one of the world's least developed countries (as defined by the UN). Sapo National Park, established in 1983 in the countrys southeast, was expanded in 2003 to encompass an area of some 700 square miles (1,800 square km). Wikidata ID. Monrovia (/ m n r o v i /) is the capital city of the West African country of Liberia.Founded in 1822, it is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic coast and as of the 2008 census had 1,010,970 residents, home to 29% of Liberia's total population. [23], The ACS, supported by prominent American politicians such as Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay, and James Monroe, believed "repatriation" was preferable to having emancipated slaves remain in the United States. The coastal plains are around 560 km long and 40 km wide and feature sandy beaches, lagoons, mangrove swamps, and some rocky outcrops. Crane, Keith; Gompert, David C; Oliker, Olga; Riley, Kevin Jack; and Lawson, Brooke Stearns. The 16 officially recognized ethnic groups include the Kpelle, Bassa, Mano, Gio or Dan, Kru, Grebo, Krahn, Vai, Gola, Mandingo or Mandinka, Mende, Kissi, Gbandi, Loma, Dei or Dewoin, Belleh, and Americo-Liberians or Congo people (so named because many immigrants including those freed from slave ships arrived from ports at the mouth of the Congo River). Monrovia stands on such an outcropping, a ridge of diabase (a dark-coloured, fine-grained rock). African Methodist Episcopal University, a private higher education institution that was founded in 1995. Founded in 1988, the school is owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia. This page was last updated on February 24, 2021, All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. The Liberian constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right. Edward Wilmot Blyden, Bai T. Moore, Roland T. Dempster and Wilton G. S. Sankawulo are among Liberia's more prominent authors. There are several unique species of bats and birds, and scorpions, lizards, and fish are numerous. [40] In international affairs, it was a founding member of the United Nations, a vocal critic of South African apartheid,[41] a proponent of African independence from European colonial powers, and a supporter of Pan-Africanism. Much of Liberia's communications infrastructure was destroyed or plundered during the two civil wars (19891996 and 19992003). Liberia forms part of the West African Shield, a rock formation 2.7 to 3.4 billion years old, composed of granite, schist, and gneiss. [117], While official commodity exports declined during the 1990s as many investors fled the civil war, Liberia's wartime economy featured the exploitation of the region's diamond wealth. [121][122] These sanctions were lifted in 2006. List of 99 Liberia mountains showing elevation, prominence, and popularity Representative of Liberia to the United Nations, 198185. [26][27] On August 24, Liberia adopted its 11-striped national flag. This list may not reflect recent changes . The most popular sport in Liberia is association football, with President George Weahthe only African to be named FIFA World Player of the Yearbeing the nation's most famous athlete. [105], The Central Bank of Liberia is responsible for printing and maintaining the Liberian dollar, Liberia's primary currency (the United States dollar is also legal tender in Liberia). The Senate is made up of two senators from each county for a total of 30 senators. Liberia declared independence on July 26, 1847, which the U.S. did not recognize until February 5, 1862. Taylor resigned in August 2003 and went into exile in Nigeria. [92], In the past, both of Liberia's neighbors, Guinea and Sierra Leone, have accused Liberia of backing rebels in their countries. There are many reptiles, including three types of crocodiles and at least eight poisonous snakes. [49] The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, a rebel group based in the northwest of the country, launched an armed insurrection against Taylor. Gbarpolu is the newest county, created in 2001. Coauthor of. [43] The coup leaders formed the People's Redemption Council (PRC) to govern the country. [37] (The loser actually received around 60% of the eligible vote. It is a region suitable for agriculture and forestry. Liberia was the first African republic to proclaim its independence and is Africa's first and oldest modern republic. [165] Liberians also speak a variety of creolized dialects collectively known as Liberian English. [80], The Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is a constant presence here. Hospitals in Liberia include the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia and several others. [68] During the winter months of November to March, dry dust-laden harmattan winds blow inland, causing many problems for residents. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. See hiking info, trail maps, and trip reports for every peak. The interior has hot but pleasant days and cool nights during the dry season. Challenges of reservoir hosts and transmission cycles: Expect the unexpected", "Desert Locust Bulletin General situation during September 2021 Forecast until mid-November 2021", "Restoring the Battered and Broken Environment of Liberia One of the Keys to a New and Sustainable Future". Howard Brotz, ed., African American Social & Political Thought 18501920 (New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1996), 3839. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Members are nominated to the court by the president and are confirmed by the Senate, serving until the age of 70. [198] As of November17, 2014[update], there were 2,812 confirmed deaths from the ongoing outbreak. Town of Monrovia 1827 [69], The equatorial climate, in the south of the country, is hot year-round with heavy rainfall from May to October with a short interlude in mid-July to August. [16], This influx of these groups was compounded by the decline of the Mali Empire in 1375 and the Songhai Empire in 1591. As of October 2007 it has 844 officers in 33 stations in Montserrado County, which contains Monrovia. [43], After Liberia adopted a new constitution in 1985, Doe was elected president in subsequent elections that were internationally condemned as fraudulent. [57] Upon her inauguration, Sirleaf requested the extradition of Taylor from Nigeria and transferred him to the SCSL for trial in The Hague. Tbg and its vector Glossina palpalis gambiense are a constant presence in the rainforests here. [186][187] A number of highly communicable diseases are widespread, including tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases and malaria. [146] The vast majority of electric energy services is provided by small, privately owned generators. In alphabetical order, the 15 counties are Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, and Sinoe. [108] Liberia is one of the world's poorest countries, with a formal employment rate of 15%. [15], Microlithic industries with ceramics became common by the Mid-Holocene, coupled with an apparent intensification of wild food exploitation. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. In a conscious effort to emulate the American South, the Americo-Liberian settlers adopted clothing such as hoop skirts and tailcoats, and excluded natives from economic opportunities, including creating plantations on which natives were forced to work as slaves. Deforestation and drought in the Sahel have affected the climate, lengthening the dry season by almost a month in some areas. [16] Shortly after the Mane conquered the region, the Vai people of the former Mali Empire immigrated into the Grand Cape Mount County region. [174] Since 2006, the government has also opened community colleges in Buchanan, Sanniquellie, and Voinjama. [164] As of 2022, 27 indigenous languages are spoken in Liberia, but each is a first language for only a small percentage of the population. [104] When dealing with public-facing government functionaries, 89% of Liberians say they have had to pay a bribe, the highest national percentage in the world according to the organization's 2010 Global Corruption Barometer.
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