In August 2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14
years of civil 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 legislative and presidential polls were broadly
deemed free and fair despite fraud allegations from JOHNSON-SIRLEAF's rival
George WEAH. 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.
Geography of
Liberia
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between
Cote d'Ivoire
and
Sierra
Leone
Coordinates:
6 30 N, 9 30 W
Area:
total: 111,370 sq km water: 15,050 sq km land: 96,320 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
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
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 of
Liberia
Population:
3,042,004 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.1% (male 656,016/female 653,734) 15-64 years: 54.2% (male 816,443/female 832,152) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 40,591/female 43,068)
Median age:
18.1 years
Growth rate:
4.91%
Infant mortality:
155.76 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 39.65 years male: 37.99 years female: 41.35 years
Fertility rate:
6.02 children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups:
indigenous African tribes 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:
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
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% note: (2003 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic
of Liberia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Monrovia
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF;
note - the President is both the chief of state and head of government 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)
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30
seats - 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) note: the current six-year term for junior senators - those who
received the second most votes in the election - is mandated by the
Liberian constitution to stagger Senate elections and ensure continuity of
government
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]
Economy
Civil war and government mismanagement have destroyed much of
Liberia
's
economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia,
while continued international sanctions on diamonds and timber exports will
limit growth prospects for the foreseeable future. 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.
The departure of the former president, Charles TAYLOR, to Nigeria in August
2003, the establishment of the all-inclusive Transitional Government, and the
arrival of a UN mission have helped defuse the political crisis, but have
done little to encourage economic development. Wealthy international donors,
who are ready to assist reconstruction efforts, are withholding funding until
Liberia
's
National Assembly signs onto a Governance and Economic Management Action Plan
(GEMAP). The Plan was created in October 2005 by the International Contact
Group for
Liberia
to help ensure
transparent revenue collection and allocation - something that was lacking
under the Transitional Government and that has limited
Liberia
's
economic recovery. 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.
