Liberia

Republic of Liberia

republicIndependence 26 July 1847

Liberia as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 94 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

Position6 30 N, 9 30 W

Area111,370 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Populationas each edition published it

2.6 million July 1997 est. · 2.64m in 1990

Population growth% a year

6.92% 1997 est. · 3.37% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

59.02 years 1997 est. · 57.28 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.16 children per woman 1997 est. · 6.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

105.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 126 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,100 1995 est. · $400 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

0% 1995 est. · 1.5% in 1993

Geography

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

17 fields

Land useshare of 111,370 sq km

arable land 1%permanent crops 3%permanent pastures 59%forests and woodland 18%other 19% (1993 est.)irrigated 20 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

111,370sq km

land : 96,320 sq kmwater: 15,050 sq kmslightly larger than Tennessee

Coastline

579km

territorial sea: 200 nm

Highest point

1,380m

Mount Wutevelowest point : Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

1,585km

border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km

Location

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

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

Natural hazards

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

Environment - current issues

tropical rain forest subject to deforestation;
soil erosion;
loss of biodiversity;
pollution of rivers from the dumping of iron ore tailings and of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

People

15 fields

Population

2,602,068

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 6.92% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

42.3Death

11.53Net migration

38.39

Net migration: note: until domestic peace is restored, many Liberian refugees will not return from exile

Religions

traditional 70%Muslim 20%Christian 10%

Literacy

38.3%

definition : age 15 and over can read and writemale : 53.9%female: 22.4% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 45% (male 584,918; female 579,728)
15-64 years:: 52% (male 689,376; female 657,029) 65 years and over : 3% (male 43,868; female 47,149) (July 1997 est.)

Net migration rate

38.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) note: until domestic peace is restored, many Liberian refugees will not return from exile

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 (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

105.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 59.02 years
male :: 56.43 years
female:: 61.69 years (1997 est.)

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 5% (descendants of former slaves)

Languages

English 20% (official), about 20 tribal languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Government

Republic; Chairman of the Council of State Ruth PERRY (since NA August 1996)

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

50.9%

Samuel Kanyon DOE (NDPL) 50.9%Jackson DOE (LAP) 26.4%other 22.7%last presidential election held 15 October 1985 (next to be held 19 July 1997)

Country name

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

Administrative divisions

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

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

Executive branch

chief of state:: Chairman of the Council of State Ruth PERRY (since NA August 1996); note - chairman of the Council of State is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government :: Chairman of the Council of State Ruth PERRY (since NA August 1996); note - chairman of the Council of State is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Cabinet selected by the leaders of the major factions in the civil war
elections:: last presidential election held 15 October 1985 (next to be held 19 July 1997); results - Samuel Kanyon DOE (NDPL) 50.9%, Jackson DOE (LAP) 26.4%, other 22.7%

note : constitutional government ended in September 1990 when President Samuel Kanyon DOE was killed by rebel forces; civil war ensued and in August 1996 the Abuja II peace accord was signed by the major warring factions; a transitional coalition government under Ruth PERRY was formed in August 1996; presidential elections are scheduled for 19 July 1997

Legislative branch

unicameral Transitional Legislative Assembly, the members of which are appointed by the leaders of the major factions in the civil war note : the former bicameral legislature no longer exists and is unlikely to be reconstituted soon

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

present conditions of civil strife and anarchy have rendered Liberia's political parties completely ineffectual;
prior to the outbreak of warfare among armed factions the

following political parties were prominent:: National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [Augustus CAINE, chairman];
Liberian Action Party or LAP [Emmanuel KOROMAH, chairman];
Unity Party or UP [Joseph KOFA, chairman];
United People's Party or UPP [Gabriel Baccus MATTHEWS, chairman];
National Patriotic Party or NPP [Charles Ghankay TAYLOR, chairman];
Liberian Peoples Party or LPP [Dusty WOLOKOLLIE, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders

the following armed factions, in accordance with the peace accord of August 1995, form the; transitional government of Liberia: Armed Forces of Liberia or AFL (formerly a part of the national armed forces) [Lt. Gen. Hezekiah BOWEN, leader]; National Patriotic Front of Liberia or NPFL (initiated hostilities against Samuel DOE's government from Cote d' Ivoire in December 1989) [Charles Ghankay TAYLOR, leader]; Central Revolutionary Committee or CRC (dissident members of the NPFL in conflict with forces loyal to Charles Ghankay TAYLOR) [Thomas J. WOEWIYU, LEADER]; Liberia Peace Council or LPC (has opposed NPLF forces in southeastern Liberia) [Dr. George F. SAIGBE BOLEY, chairman; Octavius WALKER, secretary-general]; United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy or ULIMO (former supporters of Samuel DOE that have split on ethnic lines into two groups in conflict with each other: ULIMO-K [Alhaji G. V. KROMAH, leader] and ULIMO-J [Maj. Gen. Roosevelt JOHNSON, leader]); Lofa Defence Force or LDF (has fought the ULIMO forces in Lofa county) [Francois MASSAQUOI, leader]; note - the ULIMO-J forces are of the Krahn ethnic group and the ULIMO-K forces are of the Mandingo ethnic group

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Konah K. BLACKETT
chancery:: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone :: [1] (202) 723-0437
consulate(s) general:: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission :: Ambassador (vacant); Chief of Mission William MILAM
embassy:: 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia
mailing address:: P. O. Box 100098, Mamba Point, Monrovia
telephone:: [231] 226-370

FAX

[231] 226-148

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

Economy

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

22 fields

Real growth rate

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

50%

(1994 est.)

Debt - external

$2.1billion

(1994 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture 30%industry 36%services 34%

Budget

Revenues

$225 millionExpenditures

$285 million (1994 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - 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 and economic instability - including the stripping of resources by local warlords - threatens prospects for reconstruction as well as the repatriation of an estimated 750,000 Liberian refugees who have fled to neighboring countries. The continued political turmoil has prevented restoration of normal economic life, including the re-establishment of a strong central government with effective economic development programs.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,100 (1995 est.)

Labor force

total:: 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

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

430,000 kW (1991)

Electricity - production

1.05 billion kWh (1991)

Electricity - consumption per capita

384 kWh (1991 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

total value:: $667 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities:: diamonds, iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee
partners:: US, EU, Netherlands, Singapore

Imports

total value :: $5.8 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities:: mineral fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; rice and other foodstuffs
partners:: US, EU, Japan, China, Netherlands, ECOWAS, South Korea

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1 - 1.0000 (officially fixed rate since 1940);
market exchange rate: Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1 - 50 (October 1995), 7 (January 1992);
market rate floats against the US dollar

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Telephones

less than 25,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system

telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network;
main center is Monrovia;
most telecommunications services inoperable due to insurgency

domestic:: NA
international :: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios

622,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

5 (1987 est.)

Televisions

51,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m : 1

Railways

total:: 490 km (single track);
note - three rail systems owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunction with Liberian Government;
one of these, the Lamco Railroad, closed in 1989 after iron ore production ceased;
the other two have been shut down by the civil war
standard gauge :: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:: 145 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways

total:: 10,300 km
paved:: 628 km
unpaved :: 9,672 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors

Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia

Merchant marine

total :: 1,616 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 60,081,452 GRT/99,395,792 DWT
ships by type:: barge carrier 3, bulk 418, cargo 121, chemical tanker 117, combination bulk 29, combination ore/oil 58, container 151, liquefied gas tanker 83, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 450, passenger 36, refrigerated cargo 68, roll-on/roll-off cargo 29, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 40

note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 56 countries among which are Germany 179, US 176, Norway 166, Japan 154, Greece 147, Hong Kong 120, China 45, UK 40, Monaco 39, and Cyprus 33 (1996 est.)