Statistical information Liberia 1996

Liberia in the World
top of pageBackground: Years of civil strife have destroyed much of Liberia's economic infrastructure, made civil administration nearly impossible, and brought economic activity virtually to a halt. The deterioration of economic conditions has been greatly exacerbated by the flight of most business people with their expertise and capital. Civil order ended in 1990 when President Samuel Kenyon DOE was killed by rebel forces. In April 1996, when forces loyal to faction leaders Charles Ghankay TAYLOR and Alhaji KROMAH attacked rival ethnic Krahn factions, the fighting further damaged Monrovia's dilapidated infrastructure. Fighting waned in late May 1996, allowing West African peacekeepers to regain control of Monrovia. The Abuja II peace accord was signed in August 1996 replacing the Chairman of the ruling Council of State, Wilton SANKAWULO, with Ruth PERRY.
top of pageLocation: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Côte d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 111,370 km²
Land: 96,320 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: Total 1,585 km, Guinea 563 km, Côte 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources:
Iron ore
Timber
Diamonds
Gold
Land useArable land: 1%
Permanent crops: 3%
Permanent pastures: 2%
Forests and woodland: 39%
Other: 55%
Irrigated land: 20 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation:
2,109,789 (July 1996 est.)
3,073,245 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate:2.13% (1996 est.)
3.32% (1995 est.)
NationalityNoun: 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 5% (descendants of former slaves)
Languages: English 20% (official), Niger-Congo language group about 20 local languages come from this group
Religions:
Traditional 70%
Muslim 20%
Christian 10%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years:45% (male 475,138; female 470,970) (July 1996 est.)
44% (male 680,952; female 674,155) (July 1995 est.)
15-64 years:52% (male 557,855; female 532,143) (July 1996 est.)
52% (male 844,326; female 768,147) (July 1995 est.)
65 years and over:3% (male 35,544; female 38,139) (July 1996 est.)
4% (male 50,090; female 55,575) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate:
2.13% (1996 est.)
3.32% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
42.72 births/1000 population (1996 est.)
43.08 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
11.95 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.)
12.05 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -9.48 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
Note: Until the Ghanaian-led peace negotiations are successful, many Liberian refugees will be unable to return from exile
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of rivers from the dumping of iron ore tailings and of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
Current issues Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
International agreements: party to_Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94; signed, but not ratified_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
All ages:1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:108.1 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
110.6 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateLife expectancy at birthTotal population: 58.59 years (1996 est.), 58.17 years (1995 est.)
Male: 56.05 years (1996 est.), 55.67 years (1995 est.)
Female: 61.22 years (1996 est.), 60.75 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.23 children born/woman (1996 est.)
6.3 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 38.3%
Male: 53.9%
Female: 22.4%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Liberia
Conventional short form: Liberia
Government type: Republic
Capital: Monrovia
Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe
Dependent areasIndependence: 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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state and head of government: Chairman of the Council of State Wilton SANKAWULO (since NA September 1995); president was to be elected for a six-year term by universal suffrage at the end of 1995; election last held 15 October 1985 (next to be held NA August 1996); results_Samuel Kanyon DOE (NDPL) 50.9%, Jackson DOE (LAP) 26.4%, other 22.7%
March 1994 September 1995: Chairman of the Council of State David KPOMAKPOR
Note: Constitutional government ended in September 1990 when President Samuel Kanyon DOE was killed by rebel forces; civil war ensued and in August 1995 the Abuja peace accord was signed by the major warring factions; a transitional coalition government under Wilton SANKAWULO was formed in September 1995; presidential elections are scheduled for August 1996
Cabinet: Cabinet; selected by the leaders of the major factions in the civil war
Legislative branch: Unicameral Transitional Legislative Assembly, the members of which are appointed by the leaders of the major factions in the civil war
Note: The former bicameral legislature no longer exists and there is no assurance that it will be reconstituted very soon
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representationFlag 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
U.S. flag
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Civil war since 1990 has destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. 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. Political instability threatens prospects for economic reconstruction and repatriation of some 750,000 Liberian refugees who have fled to neighboring countries. The continued political turmoil has prevented restoration of normal economic life, including the re-establishment of a strong central government with effective economic development programs. The economy deteriorated further in 1995.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 0% (1994 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity_ $770 (1994 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: Accounts for about 40% of GDP (including fishing and forestry; principal products_rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava, palm oil, sugarcane, bananas, sheep, goats; not self-sufficient in food, imports 25% of rice consumption
Industries:
Rubber processing
Food processing
Construction materials
Furniture
Palm oil processing
Mining (iron ore
Diamonds)
Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate NA (1993-94; much industrial damage caused by factional warfare
Labor force: 510,000 including 220,000 in the monetary economy
By occupation Agriculture: 70.5%
By occupation Services: 10.8%
By occupation Industry and commerce: 4.5%
By occupation Other: 14.2%
By occupation note: Non-African foreigners hold about 95% of the top-level management and engineering jobs
Unemployment rate: NA
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $225 million (1994 est.), $242.1 million (1989 est.)
Expenditures: $285 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994 est.), $435.4 million, including capital expenditures of $29.5 million (1989 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: Calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports:
total value. $530 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
$505 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
Commodities:Iron ore 61%
Rubber 20%
Timber 11%
Coffee
Partners:U.S.
EU
Netherlands
Imports: total value:$394 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.)
Commodities:Mineral fuels
Chemicals
Machinery
Transportation equipment
Rice and other foodstuffs
Partners:U.S.
EU
Japan
China
Netherlands
ECOWAS
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Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $1.9 billion (September 1993 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1: 1.00 (officially fixed rate since 1940; market exchange rate of US$1_L$50 (October 1995), L$7 (January 1992), market rate floats against the U.S. dollar
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 330,000 kW
Production: 440 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 143 kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone system: Less than 25,000 telephones (1991 est.); telephone and telegraph service via radio relay network; main center is Monrovia; most telecommunications services inoperable due to insurgency movement
Domestic: NA
International: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $14 million, 2.9% of GDP (1993)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 39
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 29
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6 (1995 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marineTotal: 1,601 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 59,449,296 GRT/98,819,081 DWT
Ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 411, cargo 121, chemical tanker 108, combination bulk 28, combination ore/oil 56, container 143, liquefied gas tanker 77, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 463, passenger 42, passenger-cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 64, roll-on/roll-off cargo 23, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 48
Note: A flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 59 countries among which are United States 253 ships, Japan 172, Norway 165, Greece 137, Germany 149, United Kingdom 78, Hong Kong 114, China 49, Monaco 41, and Cyprus 34 (1995 est.)
Ports and terminalsLiberia - Transnational issues 1996
top of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: Increasingly a transshipment point for heroin and cocaine