1.
[syn: Liberia, Republic of Liberia]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Liberia
n 1: a republic in West Africa; established in 1822 by Americans
as a way to free negro slaves [syn: Liberia, Republic of
Liberia]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Liberia
Introduction Liberia
--------------------
Background: Seven years of civil strife were
brought to a close in 1996 when free
and open presidential and
legislative elections were held.
President TAYLOR now holds strong
executive power with no real
political opposition. The years of
fighting coupled with the flight of
most businesses have disrupted
formal economic activity. A still
unsettled domestic security
situation has slowed the process of
rebuilding the social and economic
structure of this war-torn country.
In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on
Liberian diamonds along with an army
embargo and a travel ban on
government officials for Liberia's
support of the rebel insurgency in
Sierra Leone.
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: 111,370 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
Land use: arable land: 1.97%
permanent crops: 2.08%
other: 95.95% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)
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 party to: Biodiversity,
agreements: Desertification, Endangered Species,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Climate
Change, Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
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: 3,288,198 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.3% (male 714,563;
female 709,582)
15-64 years: 53.2% (male 854,324;
female 894,753)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male
57,925; female 57,051) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.91% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 45.95 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 16.05 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -10.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: by the end of 1999, all
Liberian refugees who had fled the
domestic strife were assumed to have
returned (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 130.21 deaths/1,000 live births
(2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.8 years
female: 53.33 years (2002 est.)
male: 50.33 years
Total fertility rate: 6.29 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 9% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 125,000 (2001 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 13,000 (2001 est.)
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, and Bella),
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: 38.3%
male: 53.9%
female: 22.4% (1995 est.)
note: these figures are increasing
because of the improving school
system
Government Liberia
------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia
Government type: republic
Capital: Monrovia
Administrative divisions: 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gparbolu,
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 Charles
Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August
1997); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President
Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2
August 1997); 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
(renewable); election last held 19
July 1997 (next to be held NA July
2003)
election results: Charles Ghankay
TAYLOR elected president; percent of
vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP)
75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP)
9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%,
other 11.1%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists
of the Senate (26 seats; 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 19
July 1997 (next to be held NA 2006);
House of Representatives - last held
19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
2003)
election results: Senate - percent
of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House
of Representatives - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP
49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of
Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1;
note - the Alliance of Political
Parties was a coalition of the LAP
and the Liberia Unification Party or
LUP
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP
[David KORTIE]; Free Democratic
Party or FDP [George BORWAH];
Liberian Action Party or LAP [C.
Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian National
Union or LINU [Victor MOMOH];
Liberian People's Party or LPP
[Koffa NAGBE]; National Democratic
Party of Liberia or NDPL [Isaac D.
DIKENAH]; National Patriotic Party
or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing
party; People's Progressive Party or
PPP [Weah A. WEAH]; Reformation
Alliance Party or RAP [James
THOMAS]; True Whig Party or TWP
[Rudolph SHERMAN]; United People's
Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity
Party or UP [Charles Clarke]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-
participation: 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM,
OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William
V. S. BULL
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
US: Bismarck MYRICK
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive,
P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,
Monrovia
mailing address: use embassy street
address
telephone: [231] 226-370 through
226-380
FAX: [231] 226-148
Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red
(top and bottom) alternating with
white; there is a white five-pointed
star on a blue square in the upper
hoist-side corner; the design was
based on the US flag
Economy Liberia
---------------
Economy - overview: A civil war in 1989-96 destroyed
much of Liberia's economy,
especially the infrastructure in and
around Monrovia. Many businessmen
fled the country, taking capital and
expertise with them. Some returned;
many will not return. Richly endowed
with water, mineral resources,
forests, and a climate favorable to
agriculture, Liberia had been a
producer and exporter of basic
products, while local manufacturing,
mainly foreign owned, had been small
in scope. The democratically elected
government, installed in August
1997, inherited massive
international debts and currently
relies on revenues from its maritime
registry and timber industry to
provide the bulk of its foreign
exchange earnings. The restoration
of the infrastructure and the
raising of incomes in this ravaged
economy depend on the implementation
of sound macro- and micro-economic
policies of the new government,
including the encouragement of
foreign investment. Recent growth
has been from a low base, and
continued growth will require major
policy successes and containment of
armed rebellion.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.6
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,100
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 60%
industry: 10%
services: 30% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 80%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 70%, industry 8%,
services 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: 70%
Budget: revenues: $85.4 million
expenditures: $90.5 million,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2000 est.)
Industries: rubber processing, palm oil
processing, timber, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate: NA
Electricity - production: 450 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 418.5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava
(tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane,
bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Exports: $55 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: rubber, timber, iron, diamonds,
cocoa, coffee
Exports - partners: Belgium 38.5%, Germany 17.6%, Italy
6.0%, US 5.8% (2000)
Imports: $170 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery,
transportation equipment,
manufactured goods; rice and other
foodstuffs
Imports - partners: France 29.1%, South Korea 20.6%,
Japan 15.8%, Singapore 8.4% (2000)
Debt - external: $2.1 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $94 million (1999)
Currency: Liberian dollar (LRD)
Currency code: LRD
Exchange rates: Liberian dollars per US dollar -
46.0400 (December 2001), 48.5833
(2001), 40.9525 (2000), 41.9025
(1999), 41.5075 (1998), 1.0000
(officially fixed rate 1940-97);
market exchange rate: Liberian
dollars per US dollar - 40 (December
1998), 50 (October 1995)
note: until December 1997, rates
were based on a fixed relationship
with the US dollar; beginning in
January 1998, rates are market
determined
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Liberia
----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 6,700 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1998)
Telephone system: general assessment: telephone and
telegraph service via microwave
radio relay network; main center is
Monrovia
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios: 790,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus four low-power repeaters)
(2001)
Televisions: 70,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .lr
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2001)
Internet users: 500 (2000)
Transportation Liberia
----------------------
Railways: total: 490 km (328 km single-track)
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
note: in 1989, Liberia had three
rail systems owned and operated by
foreign steel and financial
interests in conjunction with the
Liberian Government; one of these,
the Lamco Railroad, closed in 1989
after iron ore production ceased;
the other two were shut down by the
civil war; large sections of the
rail lines have been dismantled;
approximately 60 km of railroad
track was exported for scrap (2001)
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
Highways: total: 10,600 km
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km
note: there is major deterioration
on all highways due to heavy rains
and lack of maintenance (1996 est.)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Buchanan, Greenville, Harper,
Monrovia
Merchant marine: total: 1,513 ships (1,000 GRT or
over) totaling 51,912,244 GRT/
79,297,046 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Argentina 9, Australia
2, Austria 15, Belgium 9, Brazil 5,
Canada 4, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 7,
China 39, Croatia 11, Denmark 4,
Ecuador 1, Estonia 1, Germany 437,
Greece 154, Hong Kong 69, India 5,
Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Italy 5,
Japan 90, Latvia 20, Man, Isle of 5,
Monaco 56, Netherlands 12, New
Zealand 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 103,
Pakistan 1, Portugal 5, Russia 66,
Saudi Arabia 21, Singapore 20,
Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, South
Korea 10, Spain 2, Sweden 9,
Switzerland 17, Taiwan 29, Turkey 3,
Ukraine 4, United Arab Emirates 12,
United Kingdom 39, United States
113, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 1 (2002
est.)
ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk
313, cargo 89, chemical tanker 167,
combination bulk 16, combination
ore/oil 32, container 318, liquefied
gas 99, multi-functional large-load
carrier 4, passenger 23, petroleum
tanker 302, refrigerated cargo 69,
roll on/roll off 20, short-sea
passenger 3, specialized tanker 13,
vehicle carrier 42
Airports: 47 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 35 (2001)
Military Liberia
----------------
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 729,469 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 393,028 (2002 est.)
service:
Military expenditures - dollar $7.8 million (FY01)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 1.3% (FY01)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Liberia
----------------------------
Disputes - international: rebels and refugees contribute to
border instabilities with Sierra
Leone
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southeast
and Southwest Asian heroin and South
American cocaine for the European
and US markets