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

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Background: Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847 the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN president from 1944-71 did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic social and political gaps between the descendants of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980 a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989 Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. She subsequently won reelection in 2011 in a second round vote that was boycotted by the opposition and remains challenged to build Liberia's economy and reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. The United Nations Security Council in September 2012 passed Resolution 2,066 which calls for a reduction of UN troops in Liberia by half by 2015 bringing the troop total down to fewer than 4,000 and challenging Liberia's security sector to fill the gaps.


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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

Area
Rank: 104
Land: 96,320 km²
Water: 15,049 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries
Border countries: (3) Guinea 563 km; Cote d'Ivoire 716 km; Sierra Leone 306 km

Coastline: 579 km

Maritime claims

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 highest point: Mount Wuteve 1380 m

Natural resources: iron ore timber diamonds gold hydropower

Land use
Permanent crops: 1.62%
Other: 94.34% (2011)

Irrigated land: 21 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 232 km³ (2011)

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

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


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Population: 4,092,310 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 128
Growth rate: 2.52% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 29
Below poverty line: 80% (2000 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups: Kpelle 20.3% Bassa 13.4% Grebo 10% Gio 8% Mano 7.9% Kru 6% Lorma 5.1% Kissi 4.8% Gola 4.4% other 20.1% (2008 Census)

Languages: English 20% (official) some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence

Religions: Christian 85.6% Muslim 12.2% Traditional 0.6% other 0.2% none 1.4% (2008 Census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 17.9% (male 357,952/female 375,708)
25-54 years: 31.5% (male 642,835/female 646,104)
55-64 years: 4.3% (male 85,906/female 89,943)
65 years and over: 3% (male 62,475/female 63,730) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 78.4 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.6 %
Potential support ratio: 18 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 17.7 years
Female: 18.1 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.52% (2014 est.)
Rank: 29

Birth rate: 35.07 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 26

Death rate: 9.9 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 50

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 86

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: MONROVIA (capital) 750,000 (2011)

Environment
Current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 19

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 15
Male: 73.46 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 64.79 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 199
Male: 56.56 years
Female: 59.9 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.81 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 21

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 11.4% (2007)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.01 physicians/1000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density: 0.8 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.9% (2012 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 51
People living with hivaids: 21,800 (2012 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 80
Deaths: 1700 (2012 est.)
Deaths rank: 61

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria dengue fever and yellow fever
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
Animal contact disease: rabies (2013)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 4.8% (2008)
Rank: 161

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 20.4% (2007)
Rank: 29

Education expenditures: 2.8% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 144

Literacy
Total population: 60.8%
Male: 64.8%
Female: 56.8% (2010 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 12 years
Female: 9 years (2000)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Liberia

Government type: republic

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 6 18 N 10 48 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 15 counties; Bomi Bong Gbarpolu Grand Bassa Grand Cape Mount Grand Gedeh Grand Kru Lofa Margibi Maryland Montserrado Nimba River Cess River Gee Sinoe

Dependent areas

Independence: 26 July 1847

National holiday: Independence Day 26 July (1847)

Constitution: previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983 revised version adopted by referendum 3 July 1984 effective 6 January 1986; amended 2011 (2011)

Legal system: mixed legal system of common law (based on Anglo-American law) and customary law

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); Vice President Joseph BOAKAI (since 16 January 2006)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 11 October and 8 November 2011 (next to be held in 2017)
Election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF reelected president; percent of vote in second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 90.7% Winston TUBMAN 9.3%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (73 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 11 October 2011 (next to be held in 2014); House of Representatives - last held on 11 October 2011 (next to be held in 2017)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UP 10 NPP 6 CDC 3 APD 2 NUDP 2 LDP 1 LP 1 NDC 1 NDPL 1 independents 3; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UP 24 CDC 11 LP 7 NUDP 6 NDC 5 APD 3 NPP 3 MPC 2 LDP 1 LTP 1 NRP 1 independents 9

Judicial branch: note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional cases
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice and associate justices appointed by the president of Liberia with consent of the Senate; judges can serve until age 70
Subordinate courts: judicial circuit courts; special courts including criminal civil labor traffic; magistrate and traditional or customary courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU ECOWAS EITI (compliant country) FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM ISO (correspondent) ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA MINUSMA NAM OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
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 consulate general: New York
From the us embassy: U.S. Embassy P.O. Box 98 502 Benson Street Monrovia
From the us mailing address: P.O. Box 98 Monrovia
From the us telephone: [231] 77-677-7,000
From the us FAX: [231] 77-677-7,370

Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a white five-pointed star appears on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the stripes symbolize the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence; the blue square represents the African mainland and the star represents the freedom granted to the ex-slaves; according to the constitution the blue color signifies liberty justice and fidelity the white color purity cleanliness and guilelessness and the red color steadfastness valor and fervor

National symbols: white star

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA

National heritage


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Economy overview: Liberia is a low income country that relies heavily on foreign assistance. Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy especially the infrastructure in and around the capital Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country taking capital and expertise with them but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically elected government in 2006 several have returned. Liberia is richly endowed with water mineral resources forests and a climate favorable to agriculture and iron ore and rubber have driven growth in recent years. Liberia is also reviving its raw timber sector and is encouraging oil exploration. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF a Harvard-educated banker and administrator has taken steps to reduce corruption build support from international donors and encourage private investment. Rebuilding infrastructure and raising incomes will depend on financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors such as infrastructure and power generation. The country achieved high growth during 2010-13 due to favorable world prices for its commodities. In the future growth will depend on global commodity prices on sustained foreign aid trade investment and remittances on the development of infrastructure and institutions but mostly on maintaining political stability and security.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 184

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 11

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 223

Gross national saving:

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 15.2%
Investment in fixed capital: 25%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 27.5%
Imports of goods and services: -93.3%: (2011 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 5.4%
Services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

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

Industries: mining (iron ore) rubber processing palm oil processing timber diamonds

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 1.372 million (2007)
Rank: 134
By occupation industry: 8%
By occupation services: 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 85% (2003 est.)
Rank: 201

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 80% (2000 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 30.1% (2007)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Expenditures: $521.7 million (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -2.9% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 117

Taxes and other revenues: 23.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 141

Public debt: 0.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 161

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.8% (2012 est.)
Rank: 159

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 13.52% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 53

Stock of narrow money: $408.2 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 163

Stock of broad money: $591.3 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 173

Stock of domestic credit: $521.9 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 161

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: -$918.8 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 113

Exports: $774.8 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 164
Commodities: rubber timber iron diamonds cocoa coffee
Partners: China 24% US 15.3% Spain 11% Algeria 6.5% Thailand 4.5% Malaysia 4.1% France 4% (2012)

Imports: $2.275 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 155
Commodities: fuels chemicals machinery transportation equipment manufactured goods; foodstuffs
Partners: South Korea 26.7% China 24.4% Singapore 23.2% Japan 16.1% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $349.2 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 178

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $3.574 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 92

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 335 million kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 168
Consumption: 311.6 million kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 174
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 159
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 166
Installed generating capacity: 197,000 kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 159
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 20
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 126
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 179
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 193

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 188
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 143
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 209
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 155

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 164
Products consumption: 3,533 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 176
Products exports: 23 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 123
Products imports: 3,673 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 165

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 155
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 164
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 136
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 87
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 160

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 588,000 Mt (2011 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 3,200 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 213
Mobile cellular: 2.394 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 138

Telephone system
Domestic: mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity reached 50 per 100 persons in 2011
International: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2010)

Broadcast media: 3 private TV stations; satellite TV service available; 1 state-owned radio station; about 15 independent radio stations broadcasting in Monrovia with another 25 local stations operating in other areas; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .lr
Hosts: 7 (2012)
Hosts rank: 228
Users: 20,000 (2009)
Users rank: 194

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 114

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 29 (2013)
Rank: 117
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8
With unpaved runways: 14 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines: oil 4 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 115
Standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge

Roadways
Rank: 134
Paved: 657 km
Unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Rank: 2
By type: barge carrier 5 bulk carrier 662 cargo 143 carrier 2 chemical tanker 248 combination ore/oil 8 container 937 liquefied gas 92 passenger 2 passenger/cargo 2 petroleum tanker 526 refrigerated cargo 102 roll on/roll off 5 specialized tanker 10 vehicle carrier 27
Foreign owned: 2,581 (Angola 1 Argentina 1 Australia 1 Belgium 1 Bermuda 4 Brazil 20 Canada 2 Chile 9 China 4 Croatia 1 Cyprus 9 Denmark 8 Egypt 3 Germany 1185 Gibraltar 5 Greece 505 Hong Kong 48 India 8 Indonesia 4 Israel 34 Italy 47 Japan 110 Latvia 5 Lebanon 1 Monaco 8 Netherlands 31 Nigeria 4 Norway 38 Poland 13 Qatar 5 Romania 3 Russia 109 Saudi Arabia 20 Singapore 22 Slovenia 7 South Korea 2 Sweden 12 Switzerland 25 Syria 1 Taiwan 94 Turkey 16 UAE 37 UK 32 UK 22 Ukraine 10 Uruguay 1 US 53) (2010)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of 6,500 UN Mission in Liberia peacekeepers as of January 2013 Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea Cote d'Ivoire Sierra Leone and Ghana; Liberia in turn shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004 ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber

Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: up to 23,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; post-election violence in March and April 2011; unclear how many have found durable solutions; many dwell in slums in Monrovia) (2013)

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption criminal activity arms-dealing and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center