from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Liberia
Introduction
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 assassinated
President William TOLBERT (1971-80) and ushered in a
decade of authoritarian rule followed by a prolonged
civil war, in which DOE himself was killed. In August
2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years of
intermittent fighting and prompted the resignation of
former president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to
Nigeria. 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), which maintains a strong
presence throughout the country, completed a
disarmament program for former combatants in late 2004,
but the security situation is still volatile and the
process of rebuilding the social and economic structure
of this war-torn country remains sluggish.
Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic 6 30 N, 9 30 W
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 111,370 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km
Area - slightly larger than Tennessee
comparative:
Land total: 1,585 km
boundaries: border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km,
Sierra Leone 306 km
Coastline: 579 km
Maritime territorial sea: 200 nm
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 lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
resources:
Land use: arable land: 3.43%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 94.59% (2005)
Irrigated 30 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
hazards: (December to March)
Environment - tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss
current of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil
issues: residue and raw sewage
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification,
Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is
note: characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and
river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau
supports limited agriculture
People
Population: 3,042,004 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.1% (male 656,016/female 653,734)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 816,443/female 832,152)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 40,591/female 43,068)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 18.1 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.3 years (2006 est.)
Population 4.91% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 44.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 23.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 27.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population
rate: note: at least 238,500 Liberian refugees are in
surrounding countries; the uncertain security situation
has hindered their ability to return (2006 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 155.76 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 171.96 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 139.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 39.65 years
expectancy at male: 37.99 years
birth: female: 41.35 years (2006 est.)
Total 6.02 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 5.9% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 100,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 7,200 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: very high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal
diseases: diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high
risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
(2005)
Nationality: noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups: indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio,
Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi,
Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende),
Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from
the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%
(descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had
been slaves)
Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
Languages: English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages,
of which a few can be written and are used in
correspondence
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.5%
male: 73.3%
female: 41.6% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia
Government republic
type:
Capital: name: Monrovia
geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 47 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand
divisions: Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi,
Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee,
Sinoe
Independence: 26 July 1847
National Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF (since
branch: 16 January 2006); note - the President is both the
chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF
(since 6 January 2006); note - the President is both
the chief of state and head of government
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 8 November 2005 (next to be held NA 2011)
election results: Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF elected
president; percent of vote, second round - Ellen
JOHNSON-SIRLEAF (UP) 59.6%, George WEAH (CDC) 40.4%
note: a UN-brokered cease-fire among warring factions
and the Liberian Government resulted in the August 2003
resignation of former president, Charles TAYLOR; a
jointly agreed upon replacement, Chairman Gyude BRYANT,
assumed office as head of the National Transitional
Government on 14 October 2003; free elections were held
11 October 2005, with a runoff election between the two
leading candidates on 8 November 2005
Legislative bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30
branch: seats - 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 11 October 2005 (next to
be held in 2014); House of Representatives - last held
11 October 2005 (next to be held NA 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,
UP 8, COTOL 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15
note: the current six-year term for junior senators -
those who received the second most votes in the
election - is mandated by the Liberian constitution to
stagger Senate elections and ensure continuity of
government
Judicial Supreme Court
branch:
Political Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na
parties and TIPOTEH]; Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia
leaders: or COTOL; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George
WEAH]; Liberian Action Party or LAP [H. Varney
SHERMAN]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE];
National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN]; Unity
Party or UP [Charles CLARKE]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
organization ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
participation: IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, NAM, OPCW
(signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. MINOR
representation chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH
representation embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098,
from the US: Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380
FAX: [231] 226-148
Flag 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
description: 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
Economy - Civil war and government mismanagement have destroyed
overview: much of Liberia's economy, especially the
infrastructure in and around Monrovia, while continued
international sanctions on diamonds and timber exports
will limit growth prospects for the foreseeable future.
Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital
and expertise with them. Some have returned, but many
will not. 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. Local
manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in
scope. The departure of the former president, Charles
TAYLOR, to Nigeria in August 2003, the establishment of
the all-inclusive Transitional Government, and the
arrival of a UN mission have helped defuse the
political crisis, but have done little to encourage
economic development. Wealthy international donors, who
are ready to assist reconstruction efforts, are
withholding funding until Liberia's National Assembly
signs onto a Governance and Economic Management Action
Plan (GEMAP). The Plan was created in October 2005 by
the International Contact Group for Liberia to help
ensure transparent revenue collection and allocation -
something that was lacking under the Transitional
Government and that has limited Liberia's economic
recovery. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the
raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely
depend on generous financial support and technical
assistance from donor countries.
GDP $2.643 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $902.9 million
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 9.8% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $900 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 76.9%
composition by industry: 5.4%
sector: services: 17.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 70%
by occupation: industry: 8%
services: 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment 85% (2003 est.)
rate:
Population 80%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 15% (2003 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $85.4 million
expenditures: $90.5 million; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Agriculture - rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm
products: oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Industries: rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber,
diamonds
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 509.4 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 473.8 million kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 3,400 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Exports: $910 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
commodities:
Exports - Belgium 41.4%, Spain 11.6%, US 9.1%, Malaysia 5.5%,
partners: Thailand 4.6%, Poland 4.6%, Germany 4.4% (2005)
Imports: $4.839 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment,
commodities: manufactured goods; foodstuffs
Imports - South Korea 37.9%, Japan 21.1%, Singapore 14.2%,
partners: Croatia 4.7% (2005)
Debt - $3.2 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $94 million (1999)
recipient:
Currency Liberian dollar (LRD)
(code):
Currency code: LRD
Exchange Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2005), 54.906
rates: (2004), 59.379 (2003), 61.754 (2002), 48.583 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 6,900 (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 160,000 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: the limited services available are
system: found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia
domestic: fully automatic system with very low density
of .23 fixed main lines per 100 persons; limited
wireless service available
international: country code - 231; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 790,000 (1997)
Television 1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 70,000 (1997)
Internet .lr
country code:
Internet 8 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 2 (2001)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 1,000 (2002)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 53 (2006)
Airports - total: 2
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 51
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 38 (2006)
Railways: total: 490 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
note: railway is inoperable because of damage suffered
during the civil war (2005)
Roadways: total: 10,600 km
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km (1999)
Merchant total: 1,687 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,522,787 GRT/
marine: 96,776,521 DWT
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 322, cargo 83,
chemical tanker 199, combination ore/oil 2, container
477, liquefied gas 75, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1,
petroleum tanker 397, refrigerated cargo 76, roll on/
roll off 4, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 35
foreign-owned: 1,611 (Argentina 7, Australia 2, Austria
13, Bahamas, The 1, Bermuda 1, Brazil 3, Canada 2,
China 35, Croatia 7, Cyprus 3, Denmark 8, Estonia 1,
France 3, Germany 587, Greece 267, Hong Kong 37, India
3, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 5, Israel 5, Italy 16,
Japan 102, South Korea 3, Kuwait 1, Latvia 14, Lebanon
2, Mexico 1, Monaco 10, Netherlands 29, Norway 38,
Poland 14, Qatar 2, Russia 77, Saudi Arabia 24,
Singapore 28, Slovenia 2, Sweden 8, Switzerland 7,
Taiwan 69, Turkey 1, UAE 18, UK 41, Ukraine 16, Uruguay
3, US 93, unknown 1) (2006)
Ports and Buchanan, Monrovia
terminals:
Military
Military Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
branches:
Military 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
service age conscription (2001)
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 575,384
available for females age 18-49: 588,780 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 267,430
for military females age 18-49: 286,231 (2005 est.)
service:
Military $67.4 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 7.5% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - although Liberia's domestic fighting among disparate
international: rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs was declared
over in 2003, civil unrest persists, and in 2004,
133,000 Liberian refugees remained in Guinea, 72,000 in
Cote d'Ivoire, 67,000 in Sierra Leone, and 43,000 in
Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing
turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone; since 2003,
the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has maintained about
18,000 peacekeepers in Liberia; the Cote d'Ivoire
Government accuses Liberia of supporting Ivoirian
rebels; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting
diamonds and timber
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 13,941 (Sierra Leone)
internally 12,408 (Cote d'Ivoire)
displaced IDPs: 464,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP
persons: resettlement began in November 2004) (2005)
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