Liberia

Republic of Liberia

republicIndependence 26 July 1847

Liberia as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMonrovia

Area111,370 km2

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Pacific Ocean between Cote d'Ivoire and

Populationas each edition published it

2.87 million July 1993 est. · 2.64m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.37% 1993 est. · 2.27% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

57.28 years 1993 est. · 61.6 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.42 children per woman 1993 est. · 6.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

115.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 126 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$400 1988 · $1,700 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

1.5% 1988 · 4.8% in 2025

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the North Pacific Ocean between Cote d'Ivoire and | Sierra Leone

13 fields

Land useshare of 111,370 km2

arable land 1%permanent crops 3%meadows and pastures 2%forest and woodland 39%other 55%irrigated 20 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

111,370km2

land area: 96,320 km2comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee

Coastline

579km

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitationterritorial sea: 200 nm

Land boundaries

1,585km

total · Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Pacific Ocean between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

Environment

West Africa's largest tropical rain forest, subject to deforestation

People

14 fields

Population

2,874,881

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.37% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

43.9Death

12.38Net migration

2.15

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years57.28

54.88 · 59.76

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy40%

50% · 29%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Religions

traditional 70%Muslim 20%Christian 10%

Infant mortality rate

115.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Liberian(s)
adjective:: Liberian

Ethnic divisions

indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella), Americo-Liberians 5% (descendants of repatriated slaves)

Languages

English 20% (official), Niger-Congo language group about 20 local languages come from this group

510,000 including 220,000 in the monetary economy; by occupation: agriculture 70.5%, services 10.8%, industry and commerce 4.5%, other 14.2% note: non-African foreigners hold about 95% of the top-level management and engineering jobs; 52% of population of working age

Government

Republic

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

50.9%

Gen. Dr. Samuel Kanyon DOE (NDPL) 50.9%Jackson DOE (LAP) 26.4%other 22.7%

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form:: Liberia

Digraph

Type

republic

Capital

Monrovia

Administrative divisions

13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe

Independence

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Political parties and leaders

National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), Augustus CAINE, chairman;
Liberian Action Party (LAP), Emmanuel KOROMAH, chairman;
Unity Party (UP), Carlos SMITH, chairman;
United People's Party (UPP), Gabriel Baccus MATTHEWS, chairman

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

President:: last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held NA); results - Gen. Dr. Samuel Kanyon DOE (NDPL) 50.9%, Jackson DOE (LAP) 26.4%, other 22.7%; note - President Doe was killed by rebel forces on 9 September 1990
Senate:: last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held NA);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (26 total) NDPL 21, LAP 3, UP 1, UPP 1
House of Representatives:: last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held NA);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (64 total) NDPL 51, LAP 8, UP 3, UPP 2

Executive branch

president, vice president, Cabinet

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

Judicial branch

People's Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government:: interim President Dr. Amos SAWYER (since 15 November 1990)

note: this is an interim government appointed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that will be replaced after elections are held under a West African-brokered peace plan;

a rebel faction led by Charles TAYLOR is challenging the SAWYER government's legitimacy; former president, Gen. Dr. Samuel Kanyon DOE, was killed on 9 September 1990 by Prince Y. JOHNSON

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador James TARPEH
chancery:: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone:: (202) 723-0437 through 0440
consulate general:: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador William H. TWADDELL
embassy:: 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia
mailing address:: P. O. Box 98, Monrovia, or APO AE 09813
telephone:: [231] 222991 through 222994
FAX:: (231) 223710

Flag

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

Economy

Civil war since 1990 has destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the | infrastructure in and around Monrovia.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$400

(1988)

Real growth rate

1.5%

(1988)industrial production growth: growth rate 1.5% in manufacturing (1987); accounts for 22% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

12%

(1989)

Unemployment rate

43%urban

(1988)

Budget

Revenues

$242.1 millionExpenditures

$435.4 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $29.5 million (1989)

Overview

Civil war since 1990 has destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. 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.

Political instability threatens prospects for economic reconstruction and repatriation of some 750,000 Liberian refugees who have fled to neighboring countries. The political impasse between the interim government and rebel leader Charles Taylor has prevented restoration of normal economic life, including the re-establishment of a strong central government with effective economic development programs.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $988 million (1988)

Exports

$505 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.)

commodities:: iron ore 61%, rubber 20%, timber 11%, coffee
partners:: US, EC, Netherlands

Imports

$394 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.)

commodities:: rice, mineral fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, other foodstuffs
partners:: US, EC, Japan, China, Netherlands, ECOWAS

External debt

$1.6 billion (December 1990 est.)

Electricity

410,000 kW capacity; 750 million kWh produced, 275 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

rubber processing, food processing, construction materials, furniture, palm oil processing, mining (iron ore, diamonds)

Agriculture

accounts for about 40% of GDP (including fishing and forestry);
principal products - rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava, palm oil, sugarcane, bananas, sheep, goats;
not self-sufficient in food, imports 25% of rice consumption

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $665 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $870 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $25 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $77 million

Currency

1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1 - 1.00 (fixed rate since 1940); unofficial parallel exchange rate of L$7 = US$1, January 1992

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Merchant marine, 1,618 ships by type

passenger 20short-sea passenger 1cargo 132refrigerated cargo 56roll-on/roll-off 21vehicle carrier 58container 97barge carrier 3oil tanker 499chemical 108combination ore/oil 68liquefied gas 62specialized tanker 6bulk 456combination bulk; note - a flag of convenience registry; all ships are foreign owned; the top 4 owning flags are US 16%, Japan 14%, Norway 11%, and Hong Kong 9% 311,618 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 57,769,476 DWT/ 101,391,576 DWT

Railroads

480 km total;
328 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 152 km 1.067-meter narrow gauge;
all lines single track;
rail systems owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunction with Liberian Government

Highways

10,087 km total;
603 km bituminous treated, 2,848 km all weather, 4,313 km dry weather;
there are also 2,323 km of private, laterite-surfaced roads open to public use, owned by rubber and timber companies