There are several unique species of bats and birds, and scorpions, lizards, and fish are numerous. Liberia | History, Map, Flag, Population, & Facts | Britannica In a conscious effort to emulate the American South, the Americo-Liberian settlers adopted clothing such as hoop skirts and tailcoats, and excluded natives from economic opportunities, including creating plantations on which natives were forced to work as slaves. [173], In 2009, Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County was established as the second public university in Liberia. Please read the. Making Liberia safe: transformation of the national security sector. This list may not reflect recent changes . Liberia is a country in West Africa. [204], A rich literary tradition has existed in Liberia for over a century. In 1816, a group of white Americans founded the American Colonization Society (ACS) to deal with the "problem" of the growing number of free blacks in the United States by resettling them in Africa. Liberia forms part of the West African Shield, a rock formation 2.7 to 3.4 billion years old, composed of granite, schist, and gneiss. Clickable Map of Africa, showing the countries, capitals and main cities. The Republic of Liberia is a country located in western Africa off the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. [120], In 2003, additional UN sanctions were placed on Liberian timber exports, which had risen from US$5 million in 1997 to over US$100 million in 2002 and were believed to be funding rebels in Sierra Leone. [202] Most Americo-Liberian men were members of the Masonic Order of Liberia, which became heavily involved in the nation's politics. Liberia is situated in West Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean to the country's southwest. [194], Approximately 95% of the country's healthcare facilities had been destroyed by the time civil war ended in 2003. [57] Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a US-educated economist, former Minister of Finance and future Nobel Prize for Peace winner, was elected as the first female president in Africa. [50], In March 2003, a second rebel group, Movement for Democracy in Liberia, began launching attacks against Taylor from the southeast. [79] A 2004 public opinion survey found that bushmeat ranked second behind fish amongst residents of the capital Monrovia as a preferred source of protein. [212][213] The Liberia national football team has reached the Africa Cup of Nations finals twice, in 1996 and 2002. This discussion focuses on Liberia from the 19th century. The greatest amount of rainfall, 205 inches (5,200 mm), occurs at Cape Mount and diminishes inland to about 70 inches (1,800 mm) on the central plateau. Monrovia is the largest and capital city of Liberia. It contains the Freeport of Monrovia, the major national port of Liberia and a variety of businesses. [1] The country's education sector is hampered by inadequate schools and supplies, as well as a lack of qualified teachers. Town of Monrovia 1827 [69], The equatorial climate, in the south of the country, is hot year-round with heavy rainfall from May to October with a short interlude in mid-July to August. The climate is equatorial, with significant rainfall during the MayOctober rainy season and harsh harmattan winds the remainder of the year. [189] Approximately 58.2%[190] 66%[191] of women are estimated to have undergone female genital mutilation. [100], Corruption is endemic at every level of the Liberian government. Overview: Map: Directions: Satellite: Photo Map: Overview: Map: . "Gender Roles, Marriage and Family", Economic Community of West African States, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, highest population growth rate in the world, Omnibus Foreign Trade and Competitiveness Act, "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2022", "July 26, 1847 Liberian independence proclaimed", Liberia: History, Geography, Government, and Culture, "Praise for the woman who put Liberia back on its feet", "Liberians: An Introduction to their History and Culture", "A quantitative analysis of Liberian colonization from 1820 to 1843 with special reference to mortality", "Address on Colonization to a Deputation of Negroes", "These Abandoned Buildings Are the Last Remnants of Liberia's Founding History", "How a former slave gave a quilt to Queen Victoria", "Frontline/World Liberia No More War Liberia's Historic Ties to America PBS", "Independent Lens Iron Ladies of Liberia Liberian History PBS", Elections Chief Hints Slashing Numbers of Mushrooming Parties for 2005 Polls, "Elections history in Africa's oldest democratic republic: Liberia", "Commission's Report: International Commission of Enquiry in Liberia", "Pan-Africanism Revisited: Vision and Reality of African Unity and Development", "Liberia and the United States: A Complex Relationship", "Liberia's civil war: Fiddling while Monrovia burns", "Profile: Leymah Gbowee Liberia's 'peace warrior', "Taylor resigns as president of Liberia, leaves the country", "Liberia: UNMIL extends deployment as more troops arrive", United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, "LiberiaNigeria: "Time to bring Taylor issue to closure," says Sirleaf", "Taylor Sent Off to Face War Crimes Charges", "War-battered nation launches truth commission", "Tuesday, July 26, is National Independence Day; to be Observed as National Holiday", "Sirleaf seen winning Liberia run-off vote", "From Football King To Liberian President George Weah's Journey", "Top 10 youngest serving presidents in Africa, 2018", "George Weah sworn in as Liberia's president", "Building effective climate governance in Liberia Liberia", "Multinational Investment and the Development of an Export Industry: Rubber in Liberia", "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm", "Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity Supplementary Material", "Poaching in Liberia's Forests Threatens Rare Animals", 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T10032A18567171.en, "Extinction is forever: A crisis that is Liberia's endangered wildlife", "The elimination of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense? [125] Palm oil companies like Sime Darby (Malaysia) and Golden Veroleum (USA) have been accused of destroying livelihoods and displacing local communities, enabled by government concessions. The Mano and Morro rivers in the northwest and the Cavalla in the east and southeast are major rivers and form sections of Liberias boundaries. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [108] Liberia is one of the world's poorest countries, with a formal employment rate of 15%. Global Powers and Africa Programme. Shallow, coarse lithosols, in the hilly and rugged terrain, cover about one-eighth of the land. [201], The religious practices, social customs and cultural standards of the Americo-Liberians had their roots in the antebellum American South. After UN Security Council Resolution 1509 in September 2003, the United Nations Mission in Liberia arrived to referee the ceasefire with units from Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, and China with the view to assist the National Transitional Government of Liberia in forming the new Liberian military. Pressure from the United Kingdom, which controlled Sierra Leone to the northwest, and France, with its interests in the north and east, led to a loss of Liberia's claims to extensive territories. The judiciary is further divided into circuit and speciality courts, magistrate courts and justices of the peace. [45] By September 1990, Doe's forces controlled only a small area just outside the capital, and Doe was captured and executed in that month by rebel forces. [47] From 1989 to 1997 around 60,000 to 80,000 Liberians died, and, by 1996, around 700,000 others had been displaced into refugee camps in neighboring countries. [28] The United Kingdom was the first country to recognize Liberia's independence. Open Location Code. Liberia Population What Is The Population Of Liberia? Both Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast annexed territories. Along the coast lie beds of sandstone, with occasional crystalline-rock outcrops. [citation needed], The government of Liberia, modeled on the government of the United States, is a unitary constitutional republic and representative democracy as established by the Constitution. This page was last updated on February 24, 2021, All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. The four physiographic regions of Liberia parallel the coast. Liberia has been an active participant in international and local policy changes related to climate change. [citation needed] Today, over 20 political parties are registered in the country, based largely around personalities and ethnic groups. The colonial settlements were raided by the Kru and Grebo, from their inland chiefdoms. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [92], In the past, both of Liberia's neighbors, Guinea and Sierra Leone, have accused Liberia of backing rebels in their countries. [197] In 2008, Liberia had only one doctor and 27 nurses per 100,000 people. [44] Government repression intensified in response, as Doe's troops retaliated by executing members of the Gio and Mano ethnic groups in Nimba County. [76], Endangered species are hunted for human consumption as bushmeat in Liberia. Longest distances: 274 kilometers (170 miles) from north-northeast to south-southwest; 548 . [159] As revealed in the 2008 census, Monrovia is more than four times more populous than all the county capitals combined. Area: 111,370 square kilometers (43,000 square miles) Highest point on mainland: Mount Wutivi (1,380 meters/4,528 feet) Lowest point on land: Sea level. There was a decline in production of Liberian goods in the late 19th century, and the government struggled financially, resulting in indebtedness on a series of international loans. Retrieved October 29, 2013, Marc DuBois and Caitlin Wake, with Scarlett Sturridge and Christina Bennett (2015). Map of the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent, located on the African continental plate. What part of Africa is Liberia located in? Under heavy pressure from the international community and the domestic Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace movement,[52] [111] As a result of bilateral, multilateral and commercial debt relief from 2007 to 2010, the country's external debt fell to $222.9 million by 2011. [30][31][32], The leadership of the new nation consisted largely of the Americo-Liberians, who initially established political and economic dominance in the coastal areas that the ACS had purchased; they maintained relations with U.S. contacts in developing these areas and the resulting trade. [1], The president serves as head of government, head of state, and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia. These features may represent social networks or some form of cultural diffusion allied to changing ecological conditions. The population is composed . It was among the few African countries to maintain its sovereignty during the Scramble for Africa. [117], While official commodity exports declined during the 1990s as many investors fled the civil war, Liberia's wartime economy featured the exploitation of the region's diamond wealth. Colonial settlements were raided by the Kru and Grebo from their inland chiefdoms. LinkedIn 15 Best Places to Visit in Liberia: Monrovia Sapo National Park Robertsport Buchanan Gbarnga Harbel Gola National Forest Bushrod Island Marshall Zwedru Kakata Greenville Harper Voinjama Sanniquellie [84] Since 2006, the international community has paid for all garbage collection and disposal in Monrovia via the World Bank. )[37], Soon after, allegations of modern slavery in Liberia led the League of Nations to establish the Christy commission. Mortality from tropical diseases was highof the 4,571 emigrants who arrived in Liberia between 1820 and 1843, only 1,819 survived. As of 2015, it had more than 8,000 mostly Liberian employees, making it the country's largest private employer. [15], The record shows that aceramic and ceramic Later Stone Age (LSA) assemblages in West Africa overlap chronologically, and that changing densities of microlithic industries from the coast to the north are geographically structured. [214], Liberia has not yet completely adopted the International System of Units (abbreviated as the SI, also called the metric system). Based on the political principles of the United States Constitution, it established the independent Republic of Liberia. Encounters with tribal Africans in the bush often became violent. Monrovia - Wikipedia [citation needed] On July 16, 1892, Martha Ann Erskine Ricks met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle and presented her a handmade quilt, Liberia's first diplomatic gift. [16] Shortly after the Mane conquered the region, the Vai people of the former Mali Empire immigrated into the Grand Cape Mount County region. In alphabetical order, the 15 counties are Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, and Sinoe. [68] During the winter months of November to March, dry dust-laden harmattan winds blow inland, causing many problems for residents. The Economic Community Monitoring Group under the Economic Community of West African States organized a military task force to intervene in the crisis. Americo-Liberians formed into a small elite that held disproportionate political power; indigenous Africans were excluded from birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904.[11][12]. Minority ethnic groups especially were exploited in a system that enriched well-connected elites. All structured data from the file namespace is available under the Creative Commons CC0 License; all unstructured text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; . [citation needed]. [76] In September 2014, Liberia and Norway struck an agreement whereby Liberia ceased all logging in exchange for $150 million in development aid. [8] Gradually developing an Americo-Liberian identity, [9] [10] the settlers carried their culture and tradition with them. The interior has hot but pleasant days and cool nights during the dry season. Finally, there is a mountainous highland region to the north hosting the country's highest point, the 1,440 m high Mount Wuteve, which has been marked on the map by an upright yellow triangle. [98][99] On July 20, 2012, the Liberian senate voted unanimously to enact legislation to prohibit and criminalize same-sex marriages. The coastal plains are about 350 miles (560 km) long and extend up to 25 miles (40 km) inland. Additional rivers of note are the Lofa, St. Paul, St. John and Cestos River, all of which flow into theAtlantic. [215], The Liberian government has begun transitioning away from use of United States customary units to the metric system. Tbg and its vector Glossina palpalis gambiense are a constant presence in the rainforests here. The blank outline map represents the West African country of Liberia. [53] In Liberia, the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex serves as a multi-purpose stadium. [1] Among the president's other duties are to sign or veto legislative bills, grant pardons, and appoint Cabinet members, judges, and other public officials. English is the official language, but over 20 indigenous languages are spoken, reflecting the country's ethnic and cultural diversity. Highly fertile alluvial soils represent a small percentage of the land area and are utilized largely for agriculture. [82], Slash-and-burn agriculture is one of the human activities eroding Liberia's natural forests. The country is home to a lush rainforest containing a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Liberia - History | Britannica [80], The Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is a constant presence here. [103] This score represented a significant improvement since 2007, when the country scored 2.1 and ranked 150th of 180 countries. African Methodist Episcopal University, a private higher education institution that was founded in 1995. [38] As a result of the report, President Charles D. B. However, Lincoln in 1862 described Liberia as only "in a certain sensea success", and proposed instead that free people of color be assisted to emigrate to Chiriqu, today part of Panama. [77] Bushmeat is often exported to neighboring Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, despite a ban on the cross-border sale of wild animals. These new inhabitants brought skills such as cotton spinning, cloth weaving, iron smelting, rice and sorghum cultivation, and social and political institutions from the Mali and Songhai empires. Stella Maris Polytechnic, a post-secondary, private institution of higher learning. It was established on land acquired for freed U.S. slaves by the American Colonization Society, which founded a colony at Cape Mesurado in 1821. This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 03:12. Providence Island is situated between Mesurado River and Stockton creek, can be described as an interesting period in the history of Liberia and is very symbolic as a testament of how freed slaves forged nationhood out of their forced calamity upon gaining freedom when slavery was abolished. Forestry is an important industry in Liberia. Four types of soil are found in Liberia. [159] The population of Liberia was 1,016,443 in 1962 and increased to 1,503,368 in 1974. [67] Weah cited fighting corruption, reforming the economy, combating illiteracy, and improving living conditions as the main targets of his presidency.[67]. [193] In 2008, only 17% of the population had access to adequate sanitation facilities. [206], One-third of married Liberian women between the ages of 1549 are in polygamous marriages. Nimba is the largest of the counties in size at 11,551km2 (4,460sqmi), while Montserrado is the smallest at 737.069sqmi (1,909.00km2). The", "Data: Improved sanitation facilities (% of population with access)", "Liberia: Breathing Life into ailing healthcare system", "Data: Health expenditure per capita (current US$)", "Data: Health expenditure, total (% of GDP)", "Liberian health authorities confirm two cases of Ebola: WHO", The Ebola response in West Africa: Exposing the politics and culture of international aid, "Liberia: War-Weary, With Echoes of Old Dixie", "Liberia: It's the Little Things A Reflection on Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's Journey to the Presidency", "Liberia: "Literature Must Be Given Priority", "Baa Salaka: Sacrificial Lamb A Book Review & Commentary", "George Weah: Ex-AC Milan, Chelsea & Man City striker elected Liberia president", "Liberia:Chaos Mars Grand Bassa and Nimba Clash", "Reforming Cocoa and Coffee Marketing in Liberia", "Gov't Pledges Commitment to Adopt Metric System", Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, List of countries by English-speaking population, List of countries where English is an official language, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Liberia&oldid=1150057700, English-speaking countries and territories, States and territories established in 1847, Articles with dead external links from May 2020, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from September 2018, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in Liberian English, Wikipedia introduction cleanup from January 2023, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from January 2023, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Pages using infobox country or infobox former country with the symbol caption or type parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2023, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2023, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2019, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2006, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles lacking reliable references from May 2022, Articles lacking reliable references from November 2015, Articles containing potentially dated statements from November 2014, Articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. [34], Liberia remained neutral during World War I until August 4, 1917, upon declaring war on Germany. August 9, 2012. Liberia mountains | peakery [40] In international affairs, it was a founding member of the United Nations, a vocal critic of South African apartheid,[41] a proponent of African independence from European colonial powers, and a supporter of Pan-Africanism. Official name: Republic of Liberia. The country's capital and largest city is Monrovia. This makes them the youngest examples of such MSA technology anywhere in Africa. Founded as the Liberian Frontier Force in 1908, the military was renamed in 1956. The 16 officially recognized ethnic groups include the Kpelle, Bassa, Mano, Gio or Dan, Kru, Grebo, Krahn, Vai, Gola, Mandingo or Mandinka, Mende, Kissi, Gbandi, Loma, Dei or Dewoin, Belleh, and Americo-Liberians or Congo people (so named because many immigrants including those freed from slave ships arrived from ports at the mouth of the Congo River). [citation needed], Liberia has a rich history in textile arts and quilting, as the settlers brought with them their sewing and quilting skills. For virtually all of its history, the AFL has received considerable material and training assistance from the United States. [33] In 1914, Imperial Germany accounted for three quarters of the trade of Liberia. [151][152][153] An additional 13 ultra-deep offshore blocks were demarcated in 2011 and planned for auction. [23], The ACS, supported by prominent American politicians such as Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay, and James Monroe, believed "repatriation" was preferable to having emancipated slaves remain in the United States. As of 2016, it had approximately 9,118 students. During the rainy season there is often severe flooding in the coastal plains. This Island, as one of the global areas of human slave . 15 Best Places to Visit in Liberia - The Crazy Tourist [174] Since 2006, the government has also opened community colleges in Buchanan, Sanniquellie, and Voinjama. The government has three co-equal branches of government: the executive, headed by the president; the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Legislature of Liberia; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and several lower courts. It has 3,500 vessels registered under its flag, accounting for 11% of ships worldwide. St. Clements University College (Liberia), a private higher education institution that was founded in 2008. [86] As of 2006[update], Liberia had the highest population growth rate in the world (4.50% per annum). [112] Liberia's external debt was estimated in 2006 at approximately $4.5 billion, 800% of GDP. [75], Liberia is a global biodiversity hotspota significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans. [18] Formed in 1816, the American Colonization Society (ACS) was made up mostly of Quakers and slaveholders. km. [89], Liberia's highest judicial authority is the Supreme Court, made up of five members and headed by the Chief Justice of Liberia. As inland regions underwent desertification, inhabitants moved to the wetter coast. [62] In November 2011, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was re-elected for a second six-year term. Column - Arts and Culture today is looking at a very important cultural heritage- The Providence Island, which was originally called the Dozoa Island. [68] Climate change in Liberia causes many problems as Liberia is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Liberia (/labri/ (listen)), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. [104] When dealing with public-facing government functionaries, 89% of Liberians say they have had to pay a bribe, the highest national percentage in the world according to the organization's 2010 Global Corruption Barometer. "Congos." For much of Liberia's early history, the Congos were classed below the Americo -Liberians. [158] Of those, 1,118,241 lived in Montserrado County, the most populous county in the country and home to the capital of Monrovia. Liberia is an independent state that is situated in West Africa. [57] Upon her inauguration, Sirleaf requested the extradition of Taylor from Nigeria and transferred him to the SCSL for trial in The Hague. The Greater Monrovia District has 970,824 residents. [113] Liberia used the United States dollar as its currency from 1943 until 1982 and continues to use the U.S. dollar alongside the Liberian dollar. 6CRF9647+VR. [109] In 2011, the country's nominal GDP was US$1.154 billion, while nominal GDP per capita stood at US$297, the third-lowest in the world. Life expectancy in Liberia is estimated to be 64.4 years in 2020. European traders would barter commodities and goods with local people. Later Stone Age (LSA) populations evidence significant technological diversification, including both microlithic and macrolithic traditions. [14], Undated Acheulean (ESA) artifacts are well documented across West Africa. There is a high percentage of interracial marriage between ethnic Liberians and the Lebanese, resulting in a significant mixed-race population especially in and around Monrovia. (2007). [43] On November 12, 1985, a failed counter-coup was launched by Thomas Quiwonkpa, whose soldiers briefly occupied the national radio station. ", "Ellen Describes Tubman University's Opening As PRS Success", "Remarks by H.E. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Infertile regosols, or sandy soils, are found along the coastal plains. People along the coast built canoes and traded with other West Africans from Cap-Vert to the Gold Coast. Howard Brotz, ed., African American Social & Political Thought 18501920 (New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1996), 3839. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and southwest. [86] Montserrado is also the most populous county with 1,144,806 residents as of the 2008 census. [85], Liberia is divided into fifteen counties, which, in turn, are subdivided into a total of 90 districts and further subdivided into clans. [39], In the mid-20th century, Liberia gradually began to modernize with American assistance. [25] Indigenous tribesmen did not enjoy birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904. [68], Tropical rainforests cover the hills, while elephant grass and semi-deciduous forests make up the dominant vegetation in the northern sections. However, over the years the two groups joined and the terms "Americo -Liberian" and "Congo" were used interchangeably. [146] The vast majority of electric energy services is provided by small, privately owned generators. Located in Monrovia, the university opened in 1862.