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 descendents 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 himself 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. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a strong presence throughout the country but the security situation is still fragile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country continues.

Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N 9 30 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 111,369 km²
Rank: 103
Land: 96,320 km²
Water: 15,049 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries
Total: 1585 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 1380 m

Natural resources: iron ore timber diamonds gold hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 3.43%
Permanent crops: 1.98%
Other: 94.59% (2005)

Irrigated land: 30 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 232 km³ (1987)

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

Population: 3,685,076 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 129
Growth rate: 2.782% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 19
Below poverty line: 80% (2000 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Liberian
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)

Age structure
0-14 years: 44.1%
15-64 years: 53% (male 904,770/female 920,704)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 47,013/female 49,760) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 18.4 years
Male: 18.3 years
Female: 18.4 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.782% (2010 est.)
Rank: 19

Birth rate: 38.14 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 18

Death rate: 10.88 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 41

Net migration rate: 0.56 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 61

Urbanization
Urban population: 60% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 5.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Environment
Current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Tropical Timber 83 Tropical Timber 94 Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification Marine Life Conservation

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 76.43 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 18
Male: 80.92 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 71.8 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 56.58 years
Rank: 194
Male: 55.05 years
Female: 58.14 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.24 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 16

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 35
People living with hivaids: 35,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 68
Deaths: 2,300 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 59

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
Animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Education expenditures: 2.7% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 157

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 57.5%
Male: 73.3%
Female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 9 years (2000)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
Conventional short form: Liberia

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Monrovia
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

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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF ; note - the President is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (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); election last held on 8 November 2005 (next to be held in October 2011)
Election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent of vote second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6% George WEAH 40.4%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note - number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 11 October 2005 (next to be held in October 2011); House of Representatives - last held on 11 October 2005 (next to be held in October 2011)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - COTOL 7 NPP 4 CDC 3 LP 3 UP 3 APD 3 other 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDC 15 LP 9 COTOL 8 UP 8 APD 5 NPP 4 other 15; note - the UP now holds 13 out of 30 senate seats and 16 out of 64 house seats following a merger with several smaller parties in 2009
Note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH]; Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL [H. Varney SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge d'Affaires Edwin F. SELE
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 chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD
From the us embassy: 111 United Nations Drive P. O. Box 98 Mamba Point 1000 Monrovia 10
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [231] 7-705-4,826
From the us fax: [231] 7-701-0370

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
Note: the design is based on the US flag

National anthem
Name: 'All Hail Liberia Hail!'
Lyricsmusic: Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA
Note: lyrics adopted 1847 music adopted 1860; the anthem's author would become the third president of Liberia

Economy overview: Liberia is a low income country heavily reliant on foreign assistance for revenue. 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 has the distinction of having the highest ratio of direct foreign investment to GDP in the world. Richly endowed with water mineral resources forests and a climate favorable to agriculture Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products primarily raw timber and rubber and is reviving those sectors. Local manufacturing mainly foreign owned had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF a Harvard-trained banker and administrator has taken steps to reduce corruption build support from international donors and encourage private investment. Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted opening new sources of revenue for the government and Liberia shipped its first major timber exports to Europe in 2010. The country reached its Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative completion point in 2010 and nearly $5 billion of international debt was permanently eliminated. This new status will enable Liberia to estabilish a sovereign credit rating and issue bonds. Liberia's Paris Club creditors agreed to cancel Liberia's debt as well. Rebuilding infrastructure and raising incomes will depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors such as infrastructure and power generation.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 190
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 40

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 226
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 76.9%
Industry: 5.4%
Services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

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

Industries: rubber processing palm oil processing timber diamonds

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 1.372 million (2007)
Rank: 134
By occupation agriculture: 70%
By occupation industry: 8%
By occupation services: 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 85% (2003 est.)
Rank: 198

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.4%
Highest 10: 30.1% (2007)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 11.2% (2007 est.)
Rank: 202

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15.05% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 45

Stock of narrow money: $145.6 million (31 December 2007)
Rank: 174

Stock of broad money:

Stock of domestic credit: $1.157 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 145

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$224 million (2007)
Rank: 92

Exports: $1.197 billion (2006)
Rank: 148
Commodities: rubber timber iron diamonds cocoa coffee
Partners: Germany 27.92% Poland 17.12% South Africa 15.83% India 10.48% Greece 7.09% US 6.23% Norway 5.24% (2009)

Imports: $7.143 billion (2006)
Rank: 102
Commodities: fuels chemicals machinery transportation equipment manufactured goods; foodstuffs
Partners: South Korea 28.29% Singapore 19.06% Japan 17.06% China 14.58% Taiwan 4.02% (2009)

Debt external: $3.2 billion (2005 est.)
Rank: 125

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007) 59.43 (2006) 53.098 (2005) 54.906 (2004) 59.379 (2003)

Electricity
Production: 350 million kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 164
Consumption: 325.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 165
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 164
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 119
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 161
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 163
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 150

Telephones
Main lines in use: 2000 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 224
Mobile cellular: 842,000 (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 148

Telephone system
General assessment: the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia; fixed-line service stagnant and extremely limited; telephone coverage extended to a number of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network operators
Domestic: mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity reached 25 per 100 persons in 2009
International: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Broadcast media: 3 private TV stations; satellite TV service is 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: 8 (2010)
Hosts rank: 224
Users: 20,000 (2009)
Users rank: 193

Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Rank: 116

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)

Airports: 29 (2010)
Rank: 115
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 27
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 14 (2010)

Railways
Total: 429 km
Rank: 117
Standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge
Note: most sections of the railway are inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003 (2008)

Roadways
Total: 10,600 km
Rank: 135
Paved: 657 km
Unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)

Merchant marine
Total: 2,512
Rank: 2
By type: barge carrier 3 bulk carrier 507 cargo 136 carrier 1 chemical tanker 232 combination ore/oil 6 container 875 liquefied gas 93 passenger 2 passenger/cargo 2 petroleum tanker 509 refrigerated cargo 109 roll on/roll off 2 specialized tanker 10 vehicle carrier 25
Foreign owned: 2,356 (Angola 1 Argentina 3 Australia 2 Belgium 1 Bermuda 4 Brazil 20 Canada 4 Chile 7 China 10 Croatia 2 Cyprus 7 Denmark 4 Finland 2 Germany 1049 Gibraltar 5 Greece 454 Hong Kong 47 India 1 Indonesia 4 Isle of Man 19 Israel 31 Italy 48 Japan 102 Latvia 9 Lebanon 1 Monaco 10 Netherlands 35 Nigeria 4 Norway 42 Poland 13 Qatar 5 Romania 3 Russia 108 Saudi Arabia 24 Singapore 27 Slovenia 5 South Korea 1 Sweden 10 Switzerland 17 Syria 1 Taiwan 88 Turkey 15 UAE 27 UK 25 Ukraine 16 Uruguay 1 US 39 Vietnam 3) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Buchanan Monrovia

Disputes international: although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers as of January 2007 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 (UNOCI) 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
Refugees: 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire)
Idps: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in November 2004) (2007)

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