Statistical information Liberia 1999

Liberia in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map reference:
AfricaAreaTotal: 111,370 km²
Land: 96,320 km²
Water: 15,050 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundariesTotal: 1,585 km
Border countries: (3) Guinea 563 km;
, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km;
, Sierra Leone 306 kmCoastline: 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: 59%
Forests and woodland: 18%
Other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 2,923,725 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 4.92% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: 80%
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 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 profileAge structure0-14 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 ratiosMedian agePopulation 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 distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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 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
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 100.63 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal 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 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 can read and write
Total population: 38.3%
Male: 53.9%
Female: 22.4% (1995 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameGovernment 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: 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 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, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn 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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $1,000 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 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 forceBy occupation: agriculture 70%
Unemployment rate: 70%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: 80%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $N/A
Expenditures: $N/A
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: $1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Commodities: diamonds, iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee
Partners: Belgium, Norway, Ukraine, Singapore (1997)
Imports: $3.65 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; rice and other foodstuffs
Partners: South Korea, Japan, Italy, Singapore (1997)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $2 billion (1997 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1: 1.0000 (officially fixed rate since 1940; market exchange rate:Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1_40 (December 1998), 50 (October 1995), 7 (January 1992; market rate floats against the US dollar
top of pageElectricityProduction: 480 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 480 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: fewer than 25,000 (1998 est.)
Telephone system: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia
Domestic: NA
International: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $1.4 million (1998)
Percent of gdp: 2% (1998)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 45 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 43
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysTotal: 480 km (328 km single track); note_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
Standard gauge: NA km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: NA km 1.067-m gauge
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marineTotal: 1,651 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 59,804,012 GRT/96,650,752 DWT
Ships by type: barge carrier 4, bulk 408, cargo 106, chemical tanker 176, combination bulk 25, combination ore/oil 50, container 193, liquefied gas tanker 89, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 413, passenger 37, refrigerated cargo 69, roll-on/roll-off cargo 19, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 45
Note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 54 countries among which are Germany 186, US 161, Norway 142, Greece 144, Japan 124, Hong Kong 100, China 53, UK 32, Singapore 39, and Monaco 38 (1998 est.)
Ports and terminalsLiberia - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: increasingly a transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets