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

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Background: The 1995 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. A short-lived armed clash in September 1998 between government forces and supporters of factional leader Roosevelt JOHNSON and continuing uncertainty about the security situation have slowed the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of the war-torn country. For two centuries the US has had uniquely close ties to Liberia and today is a major aid donor.


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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: 2,923,725 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 4.92% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: 80%

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 656,101; female 649,389)
15-64 years: 52% (male 775,429; female 738,904)
65 years and over: 3% (male 50,126; female 53,776) (1999 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 4.92% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 41.49 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 11.03 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 18.77 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Note: evidence from UNHCR indicates Liberians are being repatriated

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 100.63 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 59.88 years
Male: 57.2 years
Female: 62.64 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.02 children born/woman (1999 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

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
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
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2001)
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 four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: Senate_last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2001); House of Representatives_last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2001)
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 LUP

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, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Rachel DIGGS
In the us chancery: 5,201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,011
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Donald PETTERSON
From the us embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, Mamba Point, Monrovia
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-382
From the us FAX: [231] 226-148, 226-147

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: A civil war in 1989-97 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 the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies of the new government, including the encouragement of foreign investment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $1,000 (1998 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, palm oil processing, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate: 0%

Labor force
By occupation: agriculture 70%