Map of Liberia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The Abuja Peace Accords ended seven years of civil warfare in Liberia. More than 20,000 of the estimated 33,000 factional fighters gave up their arms to the Cease-Fire Monitoring Group of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOMOG). Free and open presidential and legislative elections were held 19 July 1997; former faction leader, Charles TAYLOR, and his National Patriotic Party won overwhelming victories. The years of civil strife coupled with the flight of most business people disrupted formal economic activity, but with peace restored and a popularly-elected government installed, the difficult task of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country can proceed.


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Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 111,370 km²
Land: 96,320 km²
Water: 15,050 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries
Total: 1,585 km
Border countries: (3) 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
Extremes highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold

Land use
Arable land: 1%
Permanent crops: 3%
Permanent pastures: 59%
Forests and woodland: 18%
Other: 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 20 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Geography


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Population: 2,771,901 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 5.76% (1998 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)

Languages: English 20% (official), about 20 tribal languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Religions: traditional 70%, Muslim 20%, Christian 10%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 45% (male 622,797; female 616,902)
15-64 years: 52% (male 734,425; female 700,124)
65 years and over: 3% (male 47,099; female 50,554) (July 1998 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 5.76% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 41.88 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 11.28 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 27.02 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Note: until domestic peace is restored, many Liberian refugees will not return from exile

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current 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
International agreements party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
International agreements signed but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 103.13 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 59.45 years
Male: 56.81 years
Female: 62.16 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.09 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 38.3%
Male: 53.9%
Female: 22.4% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional 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 areas

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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: ead 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
Elections: the president is elected by universal adult suffrage for a four-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 serve NA-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members serve NA-year terms)
Elections: Senate_last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2003); House of Representatives_last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in 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 Liberian Action Party and Liberian Unification Party

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International 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, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador designate Rachel DIGGS; Charge d'Affaires ad interim Konah K. BLACKETT
In the us chancery: 5,201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,011
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission William MILAM
From the us embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 100,098, Mamba Point, Monrovia
From the us telephone: [231] 226-370
From the us 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Civil war since 1990 has destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some returned during 1997. 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 to provide the bulk of its foreign exchange earnings. The restoration of the infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy depends on continued disarmament of factions and the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies of the new government.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA% (1997 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $1,000 (1997 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 30%
Industry: 36%
Services: 34%

Agriculture products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Industries: rubber processing, food processing, construction materials, furniture, palm oil processing, iron ore, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: by occupation:agriculture 70%