2008 Edition

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 will take many years.

Area

total: 111,370 sq km land: 96,320 sq km water: 15,050 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Tennessee

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Coastline

579 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Environment - current issues

tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.11 cu km/yr (27%/18%/55%) per capita: 34 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

6 30 N, 9 30 W

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

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 1,585 km border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km

Land use

arable land: 3.43% permanent crops: 1.98% other: 94.59% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Terrain

mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast

Total renewable water resources

232 cu km (1987)

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 734,375/female 731,287) 15-64 years: 53.3% (male 879,848/female 896,319) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 45,175/female 47,583) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

42.92 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

21.45 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

5.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

7,200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

100,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 143.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 159.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 127.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 41.13 years male: 39.85 years female: 42.46 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.5% male: 73.3% female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

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 (2008)

Median age

total: 18 years male: 17.8 years female: 18.2 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian

Net migration rate

15.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

3,334,587 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

3.661% (2008 est.)

Religions

Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 8 years (2000)

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: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.87 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

Capital

name: Monrovia geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

6 January 1986

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [231] 7-705-4826

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of

FAX

[1] (202) 723-0436 consulate(s) general: New York

[231] 7-701-0370

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

Government type

republic

Independence

26 July 1847

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, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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

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 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 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: 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

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: demobilized former military officers

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: NA expenditures: NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15.05% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

Liberian dollar (LRD)

Currency code

LRD

Current account balance

-$224 million (2007)

Debt - external

$3.2 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$236.2 million (2005)

Economy - overview

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, some have returned. 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. 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. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation.

Electricity - consumption

297.6 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

320 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

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

Exports

$1.197 billion f.o.b. (2006)

Exports - commodities

rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports - partners

Malaysia 27.5%, Poland 18.5%, Germany 11.5%, US 10.5%, Spain 8.2%, Norway 5.5% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$500 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

9.4% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$730 million (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.525 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$7.143 billion f.o.b. (2006)

Imports - commodities

fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs

Imports - partners

South Korea 31.4%, Singapore 22.1%, Japan 14.9%, China 10.1% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.2% (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 70% industry: 8% services: 22% (2000 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

3,687 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

23.37 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

3,593 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

80% (2000 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$1.157 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$145.6 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$49.89 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

85% (2003 est.)

Internet country code

.lr

Internet hosts

7 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2001)

Internet users

1,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2007)

Radios

790,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia; coverage extended to a number of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network operators domestic: fixed line service stagnant and extremely limited; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity approaching 20 per 100 persons international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

6,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

563,000 (2007)

Television broadcast stations

4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2007)

Televisions

70,000 (1997)

Airports

53 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 38 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 2,204 by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 390, cargo 107, chemical tanker 241, combination ore/oil 7, container 750, liquefied gas 84, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 460, refrigerated cargo 103, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 36 foreign-owned: 2,109 (Argentina 3, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Canada 7, China 11, Croatia 2, Cyprus 63, Denmark 12, Estonia 1, France 5, Germany 849, Gibraltar 5, Greece 358, Hong Kong 44, India 2, Indonesia 2, Isle of Man 5, Israel 23, Italy 41, Japan 116, South Korea 3, Latvia 21, Lebanon 2, Mexico 2, Monaco 8, Netherlands 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 40, Poland 13, Qatar 4, Romania 2, Russia 94, Saudi Arabia 27, Singapore 32, Slovenia 3, Sweden 10, Switzerland 13, Taiwan 91, Turkey 7, Ukraine 25, UAE 23, UK 20, US 98, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 4) (2008)

Ports and terminals

Buchanan, Monrovia

Railways

total: 490 km standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge note: sections of railway are inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil war (2008)

Roadways

total: 10,600 km paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)

Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL)

Army, Navy, Air Force

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 729,813 females age 16-49: 741,223 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 371,287 females age 16-49: 373,265 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 30,448 female: 29,902 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

1.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Military service age and obligation

16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

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

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 This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire)