Introduction

Background: |  |

`
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

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 country comparison to the world: 103 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: |  |
`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)`
Total renewable water resources: |  |
`232 cu km (1987)`
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural): |  |
`total: 0.11 cu km/yr (27%/18%/55%) per capita: 34 cu m/yr (2000)`
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`
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

Population: |  |
`3,786,764 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 129`
Age structure: |  |
`0-14 years: 44.3% (male 843,182/female 834,922) 15-64 years: 52.7% (male 989,623/female 1,007,577) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 56,189/female 55,271) (2011 est.)`
Median age: |  |
`total: 18.3 years male: 18.2 years female: 18.3 years (2011 est.)`
Population growth rate: |  |
`2.663% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 20`
Birth rate: |  |
`37.25 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 20`
Death rate: |  |
`10.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 45`
Net migration rate: |  |
`0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 93`
Urbanization: |  |
`urban population: 48% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 3.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)`
Major cities - population: |  |
`MONROVIA (capital) 882,000 (2009)`
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 (2011 est.)`
Infant mortality rate: |  |
`total: 74.52 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 18 male: 78.96 deaths/1,000 live births female: 69.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)`
Life expectancy at birth: |  |
`total population: 57 years country comparison to the world: 194 male: 55.44 years female: 58.6 years (2011 est.)`
Total fertility rate: |  |
`5.13 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 16`
HIV / AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |  |
`1.5% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34`
HIV / AIDS - people living with HIV / AIDS: |  |
`37,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 65`
HIV / AIDS - deaths: |  |
`3,600 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44`
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)`
Drinking water source: |  |
`improved: urban: 79% of population rural: 51% of population total: 68% of population unimproved: urban: 21% of population rural: 49% of population total: 32% of population (2008)`
Sanitation facility access: |  |
`improved: urban: 25% of population rural: 4% of population total: 17% of population unimproved: urban: 75% of population rural: 96% of population total: 83% of population (2008)`
Nationality: |  |
`noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian`
Ethnic 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% (2008 census)`
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: 11 years male: 13 years female: 9 years (2000)`
Education expenditures: |  |
`2.7% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 145`

Government

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: |  |
`mixed legal system of common law (based on Anglo-American law) and customary law`
International law organization participation: |  |
`accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction`
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
(For more information visit theWorld Leaders website )
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 on 11 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 on 11 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]; 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 [Varney SHERMAN]`
Political pressure groups and leaders: |  |
`other: demobilized former military officers`
International organization participation: |  |
`ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)`
Diplomatic representation in the US: |  |
`chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William V. BULL 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
`

National anthem: |  |
`name: "All Hail, Liberia Hail!" lyrics/music: Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA note: lyrics adopted 1847, music adopted 1860; the anthem's author would become the third president of Liberia`

Economy

Economy - overview: |  |

`
Liberia is a low income country heavily reliant on foreign assistance for revenue. 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 and is reviving those sectors. 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 and Liberia shipped its first major timber exports to Europe in 2010. The country reached its Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative completion point in 2010 and nearly $5 billion of international debt was permanently eliminated. This new status will enable Liberia to establish a sovereign credit rating and issue bonds. Liberia's Paris Club creditors agreed to cancel Liberia's debt as well. Rebuilding infrastructure and raising incomes will 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): |  |
`$1.691 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 $1.608 billion (2009 est.) $1.537 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP (official exchange rate): |  |
`$974 million (2010 est.)`
GDP - real growth rate: |  |
`5.1% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 4.6% (2009 est.) 7.1% (2008 est.)`
GDP - per capita (PPP): |  |
`$500 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 226 $400 (2009 est.) $400 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP - composition by sector: |  |
`agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.)`
Labor force: |  |
`1.372 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 134`
Labor force - by occupation: |  |
`agriculture: 70% industry: 8% services: 22% (2000 est.)`
Unemployment rate: |  |
`85% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 198`
Population below poverty line: |  |
`80% (2000 est.)`
Household income or consumption by percentage share: |  |
`lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 30.1% (2007)`
Budget: |  |
`revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA`
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |  |
`11.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 199`
Commercial bank prime lending rate: |  |
`14.4% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 41 15.05% (31 December 2007)`
Stock of narrow money: |  |
`$206.9 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 174 $145.6 million (31 December 2007)`
Stock of broad money: |  |
`$NA`
Stock of domestic credit: |  |
`$1.202 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 145 $1.157 billion (31 December 2007)`
Market value of publicly traded shares: |  |
`$NA`
Agriculture - products: |  |
`rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber`
Industries: |  |
`rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds`
Industrial production growth rate: |  |
`NA%`
Electricity - production: |  |
`350 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 164`
Electricity - consumption: |  |
`325.5 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 166`
Electricity - exports: |  |
`0 kWh (2008 est.)`
Electricity - imports: |  |
`0 kWh (2008 est.)`
Oil - production: |  |
`0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 195`
Oil - consumption: |  |
`4,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171`
Oil - exports: |  |
`23.37 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136`
Oil - imports: |  |
`4,263 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 164`
Oil - proved reserves: |  |
`0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 153`
Natural gas - production: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150`
Natural gas - consumption: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191`
Natural gas - exports: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130`
Natural gas - imports: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80`
Natural gas - proved reserves: |  |
`0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 155`
Current account balance: |  |
`$-224 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 94`
Exports: |  |
`$1.197 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 148`
Exports - commodities: |  |
`rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee`
Exports - partners: |  |
`Germany 27.92%, Poland 17.12%, South Africa 15.83%, India 10.48%, Greece 7.09%, US 6.23%, Norway 5.24% (2009)`
Imports: |  |
`$7.143 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 102`
Imports - commodities: |  |
`fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs`
Imports - partners: |  |
`South Korea 28.29%, Singapore 19.06%, Japan 17.06%, China 14.58%, Taiwan 4.02% (2009)`
Debt - external: |  |
`$3.2 billion (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 124`
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |  |
`$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

Telephones - main lines in use: |  |
`2,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 222`
Telephones - mobile cellular: |  |
`842,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 148`
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 reached 25 per 100 persons in 2009
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
`

Broadcast media: |  |
`3 private TV stations; satellite TV service is available; 1 state-owned radio station; about 15 independent radio stations broadcasting in Monrovia, with another 25 local stations operating in other areas; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)`
Internet country code: |  |
`.lr`
Internet hosts: |  |
`8 (2010) country comparison to the world: 224`
Internet users: |  |
`20,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 193`

Transportation

Airports: |  |
`29 (2010) country comparison to the world: 115`
Airports - with paved runways: |  |
`total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)`
Airports - with unpaved runways: |  |
`total: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 14 (2010)`
Pipelines: |  |
`oil 4 km`
Railways: |  |
`total: 429 km country comparison to the world: 115 standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge note: most sections of the railways were inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003, but many are being rebuilt (2010)`
Roadways: |  |
`total: 10,600 km country comparison to the world: 135 paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)`
Merchant marine: |  |

`
total: 2,512
country comparison to the world: 2
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 507, cargo 136, carrier 1, chemical tanker 232, combination ore/oil 6, container 875, liquefied gas 93, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 509, refrigerated cargo 109, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 25
foreign-owned: 2,356 (Angola 1, Argentina 3, Australia 2, Belgium 1, Bermuda 4, Brazil 20, Canada 4, Chile 7, China 10, Croatia 2, Cyprus 7, Denmark 4, Finland 2, Germany 1049, Gibraltar 5, Greece 454, Hong Kong 47, India 1, Indonesia 4, Isle of Man 19, Israel 31, Italy 48, Japan 102, Latvia 9, Lebanon 1, Monaco 10, Netherlands 35, Nigeria 4, Norway 42, Poland 13, Qatar 5, Romania 3, Russia 108, Saudi Arabia 24, Singapore 27, Slovenia 5, South Korea 1, Sweden 10, Switzerland 17, Syria 1, Taiwan 88, Turkey 15, UAE 27, UK 25, Ukraine 16, Uruguay 1, US 39, Vietnam 3)
note: this country allows large numbers of ships owned by foreign entities to be registered in its national shipping registry and to fly its flag; these ships operate under the laws of the flag state (2010)
`

Ports and terminals: |  |
`Buchanan, Monrovia`

Military

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 (2010)`
Manpower available for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 815,826 females age 16-49: 828,484 (2010 est.)`
Manpower fit for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 524,243 females age 16-49: 544,349 (2010 est.)`
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: |  |
`male: 36,585 female: 38,516 (2010 est.)`
Military expenditures: |  |
`1.3% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 117`

Transnational Issues

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`

PAGE LAST UPDATED ON MAY 26, 2011