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LiberiaThis article is about the country in Africa. For the city, see Liberia, Costa Rica.

Republic of Liberia

Flag Coat of Arms

Motto: "The love of liberty brought us here"

Anthem: All Hail, Liberia, Hail!

Location of  Liberia(dark blue)– in Africa(light blue & dark grey)– in the African Union(light blue)

Capitaland largest city

Monrovia6°19′N 10°48′W [1]

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Official languages English

Spoken languages Liberian Kreyol

Ethnic groups (2008) • 20.3% Kpelle• 13.4% Bassa• 10.0% Grebo• 8.0% Gio• 7.9% Mano• 6.0% Kru• 5.1% Lorma• 4.8% Kissi• 4.4% Gola•• 20.1% others

Demonym Liberian

Government Unitary presidentialconstitutional republic

 -  President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

 -  Vice President Joseph Boakai

 -  Speaker of the House Alex J. Tyler

 -  Chief Justice Johnnie Lewis

Legislature Legislature of Liberia

 -  Upper house Senate

 -  Lower house House of Representatives

Formation

 -  Established by the American Colonization Society 1822 

 -  Independence 26 July 1847 

 -  Current constitution 6 January 1986 

Area

 -  Total 111,369 km2 (103rd)43,000 sq mi

 -  Water (%) 13.514

Population

 -  2014 estimate 4,092,310 (128)

 -  2008 census 3,476,608 (130th)

 -  Density 35.5/km2 (180th)92.0/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2012 estimate

 -  Total $2.675 billion

 -  Per capita $672

GDP (nominal) 2012 estimate

 -  Total $1.735 billion

 -  Per capita $436

HDI (2013)  0.412low · 175th

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Currency Liberian dollara (LRD)

Time zone GMT

 -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC)

Drives on the right

Calling code +231

ISO 3166 code LR

Internet TLD .lr

a. The United States dollar is also legal tender.

Liberia i/laɪˈbɪəriə/, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa bordered by Sierra Leone toits west, Guinea to its north and Ivory Coast to its east. It covers an area of 111,369 square kilometres (43,000 sq mi)and is home to about 4 million people. English is the official language and over thirty indigenous languages are alsospoken within the country. Its coastline is composed mostly of mangroves, while its more sparsely populated inlandconsists of forests opening onto a plateau of drier grasslands. The climate is hot and equatorial, with significantrainfall during the May–October rainy season and harsh harmattan winds the remainder of the year. The countrypossesses about forty percent of the remaining Upper Guinean rainforest.Liberia is the only country in Africa founded by United States colonization while occupied by native Africans.Beginning in 1820, the region was colonized by African Americans, most of whom were freed slaves. The colonizers(who later become known as Americo-Liberians) established a new country with the help of the AmericanColonization Society, a private organization whose leaders thought former slaves would have greater opportunity inAfrica. African captives freed from slave ships by the British and Americans were sent there instead of beingrepatriated to their countries of origin.In 1847, this new country became the Republic of Liberia, establishing a government modeled on that of the UnitedStates and naming its capital city Monrovia after James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States and aprominent supporter of the colonization. The colonists and their descendants, known as Americo-Liberians, led thepolitical, social, cultural and economic sectors of the country and ruled the nation for over 130 years as a dominantminority.The country began to modernize in the 1940s following investment by the United States during World War II andeconomic liberalization under President William Tubman. Liberia was a founding member of the United Nations andthe Organisation of African Unity. In 1980 a military coup overthrew the Americo-Liberian leadership, marking thebeginning of political and economic instability and two successive civil wars. These resulted in the deaths ofbetween 250,000 and 520,000 people and devastated the country's economy. A peace agreement in 2003 led todemocratic elections in 2005. Today, Liberia is recovering from the lingering effects of the civil wars and theirconsequent economic upheaval, but about 85% of the population continue to live below the international povertyline.

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HistoryMain article: History of Liberia

A European map of West Africa and the Pepper Coast, 1736. Included is the archaicmapping designation of Negroland.

The Pepper Coast has been inhabited atleast as far back as the 12th centuryand perhaps earlier. Mende-speakingpeople expanded westward from theSudan, forcing many smaller ethnicgroups southward towards the Atlanticocean. The Dei, Bassa, Kru, Gola andKissi were some of the earliestrecorded arrivals.[2]

This influx was compounded by thedecline of the Western Sudanic MaliEmpire in 1375 and later in 1591 withthe Songhai Empire. Additionally,inland regions underwentdesertification, and inhabitants werepressured to move to the wetter coast.These new inhabitants brought skillssuch as cotton spinning, cloth weaving,

iron smelting, rice and sorghum cultivation, and social and political institutions from the Mali and SonghaiEmpires.[3] Shortly after the Manes conquered the region, the Vai people of the former Mali Empire immigrated intothe Grand Cape Mount region. The ethnic Kru opposed the influx of Vai, forming an alliance with the Manes to stopfurther influx of Vai.[4]

People along the coast built canoes and traded with other West Africans from Cap-Vert to the Gold Coast. Between1461 and late 17th century, Portuguese, Dutch and British traders had contacts and trading posts in the region. ThePortuguese named the area Costa da Pimenta ("Pepper Coast") but it later came to be known as the Grain Coast, dueto the abundance of grains of melegueta pepper. European traders would barter various commodities and goods withlocal people. When the Kru began trading with Europeans, they initially traded in commodities, but later theyactively participated in the African slave trade.Wikipedia:Citation neededIn 1820, the American Colonization Society (ACS) began sending African American volunteers to the Pepper Coastto establish a colony for freed African Americans. By 1867, the ACS had assisted in the movement of more than13,000 Americans to Liberia.Wikipedia:Citation needed These free African Americans came to identify themselvesas Americo-Liberian, developing a cultural tradition infused with American notions of racial supremacy, andpolitical republicanism.The ACS, a private organization supported by prominent American politicians such as Abraham Lincoln, HenryClay, and James Monroe, believed repatriation was preferable to emancipation of slaves.[5] Similar organizationsestablished colonies in Mississippi-in-Africa and the Republic of Maryland, which were later annexed by Liberia. OnJuly 26, 1847, the settlers issued a Declaration of Independence and promulgated a constitution, which, based on thepolitical principles denoted in the United States Constitution, created the independent Republic of Liberia.[6]

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Presidents Edwin Barclay (right) and Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1943

The leadership of the new nation consisted largely ofthe Americo-Liberians. The 1865 Ports of Entry Actprohibited foreign commerce with the inland tribes. In1877, the Americo-Liberian True Whig Party was themost powerful political power in the country.Competition for office was usually contained within theparty, whose nomination virtually ensured election.

Pressure from the United Kingdom and France led to aloss of Liberia's claims to extensive territories, whichwere annexed by adjoining countries. Economicdevelopment was hindered by the decline of marketsfor Liberian goods in the late 19th century and byindebtedness on a series of international loans. InLiberia's early years, the Americo-Liberian settlersperiodically encountered stiff and sometimes violent opposition from indigenous Africans who were excluded fromcitizenship until 1904.[7]

20th centuryIn the mid-20th century, Liberia gradually began to modernize with American assistance. Both the Freeport ofMonrovia and Roberts International Airport were built by U.S. personnel through the Lend-Lease program duringWorld War II. President William Tubman encouraged foreign investment in the country, resulting in thesecond-highest rate of economic growth in the world during the 1950s.Liberia also began to take a more active role in international affairs. It was a founding member of the United Nationsin 1945 and became a vocal critic of the South African apartheid regime. Liberia also served as a proponent both ofAfrican independence from the European colonial powers and of Pan-Africanism, helping to found the Organisationof African Unity.

Samuel Doe with Caspar Weinberger during a visit to the UnitedStates, 1982

On April 12, 1980, a military coup led by MasterSergeant Samuel Doe of the Krahn ethnic groupoverthrew and killed President William R. Tolbert, Jr..Doe and the other plotters later executed a majority ofTolbert's cabinet and other Americo-Liberiangovernment officials and True Whig Party members.The coup leaders formed the People's RedemptionCouncil (PRC) to govern the country. A strategic ColdWar ally of the West, Doe received significant financialbacking from the United States while criticscondemned the PRC for corruption and politicalrepression.

After Liberia adopted a new constitution in 1985, Doewas elected president in subsequent elections that were internationally condemned as fraudulent. On November 12,1985, a failed counter-coup was launched by Thomas Quiwonkpa, whose soldiers briefly occupied the national radiostation. Government repression intensified in response, as Doe's troops executed members of the Gio and Manoethnic groups in Nimba County.

The National Patriotic Front of Liberia, a rebel group led by Charles Taylor, launched an insurrection in December 1989 against Doe's government with the backing of neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire,

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triggering the First Liberian Civil War. By September 1990, Doe's forces controlled only a small area just outside thecapital, and Doe was captured and executed that month by rebel forces. The rebels soon split into various factionsfighting one another, and the Economic Community Monitoring Group under the Economic Community of WestAfrican States organized a military task force to intervene in the crisis. From 1989 to 1996 one of Africa's bloodiestcivil wars ensued, claiming the lives of more than 200,000 Liberians and displacing a million others into refugeecamps in neighboring countries. A peace deal between warring parties was reached in 1995 leading to Taylor'selection as president in 1997.Under Taylor's leadership, Liberia became internationally known as a pariah state due to the use of blood diamondsand illegal timber exports to fund the Revolutionary United Front in the Sierra Leone Civil War. The SecondLiberian Civil War began in 1999 when Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, a rebel group based inthe northwest of the country, launched an armed insurrection against Taylor. In March 2003, a second rebel group,Movement for Democracy in Liberia, began launching attacks against Taylor from the southeast.Peace talks between the factions began in Accra in June of that year, and Taylor was indicted by the Special Courtfor Sierra Leone for crimes against humanity that same month. By July 2003, the rebels had launched an assault onMonrovia. Under heavy pressure from the international community and the domestic Women of Liberia Mass Actionfor Peace movement, Taylor resigned in August 2003 and went into exile in Nigeria, and a peace deal was signedlater that month. The United Nations Mission in Liberia began arriving in September 2003 to provide security andmonitor the peace accord, and an interim government took power the following October.The subsequent 2005 elections were internationally regarded as the most free and fair in Liberian history. EllenJohnson Sirleaf, a Harvard-trained economist and former Minister of Finance, was elected as the first femalepresident in Africa. Upon her inauguration, Sirleaf requested the extradition of Taylor from Nigeria and immediatelyhanded him over to the SCSL for trial in The Hague. In 2006, the government established a Truth and ReconciliationCommission to address the causes and crimes of the civil war.

GeographyMain article: Geography of Liberia

A map of Liberia

Liberia is situated in West Africa,bordering the North Atlantic Ocean tothe country's southwest. It lies betweenlatitudes 4° and 9°N, and longitudes 7°and 12°W.

The landscape is characterized bymostly flat to rolling coastal plains thatcontain mangroves and swamps, whichrise to a rolling plateau and lowmountains in the northeast.

Tropical rainforests cover the hills,while elephant grass andsemi-deciduous forests make up thedominant vegetation in the northernsections. The equatorial climate is hotyear-round with heavy rainfall fromMay to October with a short interludein mid-July to August. During the winter months of November to March, dry dust-laden harmattan winds blowinland, causing many problems for residents.

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Liberia's watershed tends to move in a southwestern pattern towards the sea as new rains move down the forestedplateau off the inland mountain range of Guinée Forestière, in Guinea. Cape Mount near the border with SierraLeone receives the most precipitation in the nation.Liberia's main northwestern boundary is traversed by the Mano River while its southeast limits are bounded by theCavalla River. Liberia's three largest rivers are St. Paul exiting near Monrovia, the river St. John at Buchanan and theCestos River, all of which flow into the Atlantic. The Cavalla is the longest river in the nation at 515 kilometres(320 mi).The highest point wholly within Liberia is Mount Wuteve at 1,440 metres (4,724 ft) above sea level in thenorthwestern Liberia range of the West Africa Mountains and the Guinea Highlands. However, Mount Nimba nearYekepa, is higher at 1,752 metres (5,748 ft) above sea level but is not wholly within Liberia as Nimba shares aborder with Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and is their tallest mountain as well.[8]

Counties and districtsMain article: Administrative divisions of LiberiaLiberia is divided into fifteen counties, which, inturn, are subdivided into a total of 90 districtsand further subdivided into clans. The oldestcounties are Grand Bassa and Montserrado, bothfounded in 1839 prior to Liberian independence.Gbarpolu is the newest county, created in 2001.Nimba is the largest of the counties in size at11,551 km2 (4,460 sq mi), while Montserrado isthe smallest at 1,909 km2 (737 sq mi).Montserrado is also the most populous countywith 1,144,806 residents as of the 2008 census.

The fifteen counties are administered bysuperintendents appointed by the president. TheConstitution calls for the election of variouschiefs at the county and local level, but theseelections have not taken place since 1985 due towar and financial constraints.

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A view of a lake in Bomi County

map# County Capital Population (2008) Area Number of districts Created

1 Bomi Tubmanburg 82,036 1,942 km2 (750 sq mi) 4 1984

2 Bong Gbarnga 328,919 8,772 km2 (3,387 sq mi) 12 1964

3 Gbarpolu Bopulu 83,758 9,689 km2 (3,741 sq mi) 6 2001

4 Grand Bassa Buchanan 224,839 7,936 km2 (3,064 sq mi) 8 1839

5 Grand Cape Mount Robertsport 129,055 5,162 km2 (1,993 sq mi) 5 1844

6 Grand Gedeh Zwedru 126,146 10,484 km2 (4,048 sq mi) 3 1964

7 Grand Kru Barclayville 57,106 3,895 km2 (1,504 sq mi) 18 1984

8 Lofa Voinjama 270,114 9,982 km2 (3,854 sq mi) 6 1964

9 Margibi Kakata 199,689 2,616 km2 (1,010 sq mi) 4 1985

10 Maryland Harper 136,404 2,297 km2 (887 sq mi) 2 1857

11 Montserrado Bensonville 1,144,806 1,909 km2 (737 sq mi) 4 1839

12 Nimba Sanniquellie 468,088 11,551 km2 (4,460 sq mi) 6 1964

13 Rivercess Rivercess 65,862 5,594 km2 (2,160 sq mi) 6 1985

14 River Gee Fish Town 67,318 5,113 km2 (1,974 sq mi) 6 2000

15 Sinoe Greenville 104,932 10,137 km2 (3,914 sq mi) 17 1843

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PoliticsMain article: Politics of Liberia

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

The government of Liberia, modeled on the government of the UnitedStates, is a unitary constitutional republic and representativedemocracy as established by the Constitution. The government hasthree co-equal branches of government: the executive, headed by thepresident; the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Legislature ofLiberia; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and severallower courts.

The president serves as head of government, head of state and thecommander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia. Among the otherduties of the president are to sign or veto legislative bills, grantpardons, and appoint Cabinet members, judges and other publicofficials. Together with the vice president, the president is elected to asix-year term by majority vote in a two-round system and can serve upto two terms in office.

The Legislature is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The House, led by a speaker, has 73members apportioned among the 15 counties on the basis of the national census, with each county receiving aminimum of two members. Each House member represents an electoral district within a county as drawn by theNational Elections Commission and is elected by a plurality of the popular vote of their district into a six-year term.The Senate is made up of two senators from each county for a total of 30 senators. Senators serve nine-year termsand are elected at-large by a plurality of the popular vote. The vice president serves as the President of the Senate,with a President pro tempore serving in his absence.

Liberia's highest judicial authority is the Supreme Court, made up of five members and headed by the Chief Justiceof Liberia. Members are nominated to the court by the president and are confirmed by the Senate, serving until theage of 70. The judiciary is further divided into circuit and speciality courts, magistrate courts and justices of thepeace. The judicial system is a blend of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law. Aninformal system of traditional courts still exists within the rural areas of the country, with trial by ordeal remainingcommon despite being officially outlawed.Between 1877 and 1980, the government was dominated by the True Whig Party. Today, over 20 political parties areregistered in the country, based largely around personalities and ethnic groups. Most parties suffer from poororganizational capacity. The 2005 elections marked the first time that the president's party did not gain a majority ofseats in the Legislature.Liberia scored a 3.3 on a scale from 10 (highly clean) to 0 (highly corrupt) on the 2010 Corruption PerceptionsIndex. This gave it a ranking 87th of 178 countries worldwide and 11th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. This scorerepresented a significant improvement since 2007, when the country scored 2.1 and ranked 150th of 180 countries.When seeking attention of a selection of service providers, 89% of Liberians had to pay a bribe, the highest nationalpercentage in the world according to the organization's 2010 Global Corruption Barometer.

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MilitaryMain article: Armed Forces of LiberiaThe Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) are the armed forces of the Republic of Liberia. Founded as the LiberianFrontier Force in 1908, the military was retitled in 1956. For virtually all of its history, the AFL has receivedconsiderable materiel and training assistance from the United States. For most of the 1941–89 period, training waslargely provided by U.S. advisers, though this assistance has not prevented the same generally low levels ofeffectiveness common to most of the armed forces in the developing world.

Foreign relations with United KingdomThe foreign relations of Liberia are handled by various governmental ministries. The UK was amongst the first torecognise the new republic. After the visit to the UK in 1848 of President Roberts, Queen Victoria put the RoyalNavy ship HMS Amazon at the disposal of him and his family, for his return journey to Liberia.[9]

In 1961, Queen Elizabeth II made a state visit to Liberia, arriving at Monrovia on the HMY Britannia.[10] PresidentTubman made a gift of two Pygmy hippopotamus, which arrived by cargo ship in 1962 and were sent to WhipsnadeZoo.[11]

In 1962, President Tubman and his wife visited the UK.[12]

Economy and infrastructureMain article: Economy of Liberia

A boy grinding sugar cane

The Central Bank of Liberia is responsible for printingand maintaining the Liberian dollar, which is theprimary form of currency in Liberia. Liberia is one ofthe world's poorest countries, with a formalemployment rate of only 15%. GDP per capita peakedin 1980 at US$496, when it was comparable to Egypt's(at the time). In 2011, the country's nominal GDP wasUS$1.154 billion, while nominal GDP per capita stoodat US$297, the third-lowest in the world. Historically,the Liberian economy has depended heavily on foreignaid, foreign direct investment and exports of naturalresources such as iron ore, rubber and timber. InSeptember 2014, Norway agreed to pay the Liberian government $150 million to stop deforestation in the country by2020.

Following a peak in growth in 1979, the Liberian economy began a steady decline due to economic mismanagementfollowing the 1980 coup. This decline was accelerated by the outbreak of civil war in 1989; GDP was reduced by anestimated 90% between 1989 and 1995, one of the fastest declines in history. Upon the end of the war in 2003, GDPgrowth began to accelerate, reaching 9.4% in 2007. The global financial crisis slowed GDP growth to 4.6% in 2009,though a strengthening agricultural sector led by rubber and timber exports increased growth to 5.1% in 2010 and anexpected 7.3% in 2011, making the economy one of the 20 fastest growing in the world.Current impediments to growth include a small domestic market, lack of adequate infrastructure, high transportation costs, poor trade links with neighboring countries and the high dollarization of the economy. 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. Following a decrease in inflation beginning in 2003, inflation spiked in 2008 as a result of worldwide food and energy crises, reaching 17.5% before declining to 7.4% in 2009. Liberia's external debt was estimated in 2006 at approximately $4.5 billion, 800% of GDP. As a result of bilateral, multilateral and commercial debt relief from 2007

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to 2010, the country's external debt fell to $222.9 million by 2011.

Liberia, trends in the Human Development Index 1970–2010

While official commodity exportsdeclined during the 1990s as manyinvestors fled the civil war, Liberia'swartime economy featured theexploitation of the region's diamondwealth. The country acted as a majortrader in Sierra Leonian blooddiamonds, exporting over US$300million in diamonds in 1999. This ledto a United Nations ban on Liberiandiamond exports in 2001, which waslifted in 2007 following Liberia'saccession to the Kimberley ProcessCertification Scheme. In 2003,additional UN sanctions were placed on Liberian timber exports, which had risen from US$5 million in 1997 to overUS$100 million in 2002 and were believed to be funding rebels in Sierra Leone. These sanctions were lifted in 2006.Due in large part to foreign aid and investment inflow following the end of the war, Liberia maintains a largeaccount deficit, which peaked at nearly 60% in 2008. Liberia gained observer status with the World TradeOrganization in 2010 and is in the process of acquiring full member status.

Liberia has the highest ratio of foreign direct investment to GDP in the world, with US$16 billion in investmentsince 2006. Following the inauguration of the Sirleaf administration in 2006, the country signed several multi-billiondollar concession agreements in the iron ore and palm oil industries with numerous multinational corporations,including BHP Billiton, ArcelorMittal, and Sime Darby. Especially palm oil companies like Sime Darby (Malaysia)and Golden Veroleum (USA) are being accused by critics of the destruction of livelihoods and the displacement oflocal communities, enabled through government concessions. The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company has operatedthe world's largest rubber plantation in Liberia since 1926.Due to its status as a flag of convenience, the country has the second-largest maritime registry in the world behindPanama, with 3,500 vessels registered under its flag accounting for 11% of ships worldwide.

TelecommunicationsMain article: Communications in LiberiaThere are six major newspapers in Liberia, and 45% of the population has a mobile phone service. Much of Liberia'scommunications infrastructure was destroyed or plundered during the two civil wars (1989–1996 and 1999–2003).With low rates of adult literacy and high poverty rates, television and newspaper use is limited, leaving radio as thepredominant means of communicating with the public.[13]

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TransportationMain article: Transport in Liberia

EnergyFurther information: Energy in LiberiaFormal electricity services are solely provided by the state-owned Liberia Electricity Corporation, which operates asmall grid almost exclusively in the Greater Monrovia District. The vast majority of electric energy services isprovided by small privately owned generators. At $0.54 per kWh, the electricity tariff in Liberia is among the highestin the world. Total installed capacity in 2013 was 20 MW, a sharp decline from a peak of 191 MW in 1989.Completion of the repair and expansion of the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant, with a maximum capacity of 80MW, is scheduled to be completed by 2018, while construction of three new heavy fuel oil power plants is expectedto boost electrical capacity by 38 MW. In 2013, Liberia began importing power from neighboring Côte d'Ivoire andGuinea through the West African Power Pool.Liberia has begun exploration for offshore oil; unproven oil reserves may be in excess of one billion barrels. Thegovernment divided its offshore waters into 17 blocks and began auctioning off exploration licenses for the blocks in2004, with further auctions in 2007 and 2009. An additional 13 ultra-deep offshore blocks were demarcated in 2011and planned for auction. Among the companies to have won licenses are Repsol, Chevron, Anadarko and WoodsidePetroleum.

EducationMain article: Education in Liberia

Students studying by candlelight in Bong County

In 2010, the literacy rate of Liberia was estimated at60.8% (64.8% for males and 56.8% for females). Insome areas primary and secondary education is free andcompulsory from the ages of 6 to 16, thoughenforcement of attendance is lax. In other areaschildren are required to pay a tuition fee to attendschool. On average, children attain 10 years ofeducation (11 for boys and 8 for girls). The country'seducation sector is hampered by inadequate schoolsand supplies, as well as a lack of qualified teachers.

Higher education is provided by a number of publicand private universities. The University of Liberia isthe country's largest and oldest university. Located inMonrovia, the university opened in 1862 and today has six colleges, including a medical school and the nation's onlylaw school, Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law.[14] In 2009, Tubman University in Harper, Maryland Countybecame the second public university in Liberia. Cuttington University, established by the Episcopal Church of theUSA in 1889 in Suakoko, Bong County, is the nation's oldest private university. Since 2006, the government has alsoopened community colleges in Buchanan, Sanniquellie, and Voinjama.

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HealthFurther information: Health in LiberiaThe Hospitals in Liberia includes the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia and several others. Lifeexpectancy in Liberia is estimated to be 57.4 years in 2012. With a fertility rate of 5.9 births per woman, thematernal mortality rate stood at 990 per 100,000 births in 2010. A number of highly communicable diseases arewidespread, including tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases and malaria. In 2007, the HIV infection rates stood at 2% ofthe population aged 15–49 whereas the incidence of tuberculosis was 420 per 100,000 people in 2008. Liberiaimports 90% of its rice, a staple food, and is extremely vulnerable to food shortages. In 2007, 20.4% of childrenunder the age of 5 were malnourished. In 2008, only 17% of the population had access to adequate sanitationfacilities.Civil war strife ended in 2003 after destroying approximately 95% of the country's healthcare facilities. In 2009,government expenditure on health care per capita was US$22, accounting for 10.6% of total GDP. In 2008, Liberiahad only 1 doctor and 27 nurses per 100,000 people.In 2014 an outbreak of Ebola virus in Guinea spread to Liberia. As of June 20, 2014, there were 18 confirmed deathsand 24 suspected deaths in Liberia from the ongoing outbreak. Approximately two months later, the body count hadrisen to 1,698. In early August 2014 Guinea closed its borders to Liberia to help contain the spread of the virus, asmore new cases were now being reported in Liberia than in Guinea. On 16 August 2014, a quarantine center inMonrovia was attacked by protesters causing a number of patients being monitored for Ebola to flee, whileblood-soaked bedding and other infected items were removed. The incident was seen by officials as a disaster as ithad the potential to accelerate the spread of the disease.

Crime and law enforcementThe "Liberian National Police" are the national police force of the country.The Liberian National Police have 844 officers spread across 33 stations in Montserrado County, which contains thecapital Monrovia, as of October 2007. Additionally, the National Police Training Academy is in MontserradoCounty in Paynesville City.Rape and sexual assault have persisted in the post-conflict era in Liberia; the country has one of the highestincidences of sexual violence against women in the world. Rape is the most frequently reported crime, accountingfor more than one-third of sexual violence cases; targets are largely adolescent girls, and almost 40% of perpetratorsare adult men known to victims.[15]

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DemographicsMain articles: Demographics of Liberia and Languages of Liberia

The streets of downtown Monrovia in March 2009

School children in Liberia

As of the 2008 national census, Liberia was home to3,476,608 people. Of those, 1,118,241 lived inMontserrado County, the most populous county in thecountry and home to the capital of Monrovia, with theGreater Monrovia District home to 970,824 people.Nimba County is the next most populous county with462,026 residents. As revealed in the 2008 census,Monrovia is more than four times more populous thanall the county capitals combined.

Prior to the 2008 census, the last census had been heldin 1984 and listed the country's population as2,101,628. The population of Liberia was 1,016,443 in1962 and increased to 1,503,368 in 1974. As of 2006,Liberia has the highest population growth rate in theworld (4.50% per annum). Similar to its neighbors, ithas a large youth population, with half of thepopulation under the age of 18.

The population includes sixteen indigenous ethnicgroups and various foreign minorities. Indigenouspeoples comprise about 95% of the population. The 16officially recognized ethnic groups include the Kpelle,Bassa, Mano, Gio or Dan, Kru, Grebo, Krahn, Vai,Gola, Mandingo or Mandinka, Mende, Kissi, Gbandi,Loma, Fante, Dei or Dewoin, Belleh, and Americo-Liberians or Congo people. The largest of which are the Kpelle incentral and western Liberia. Americo-Liberians, who are descendants of African American and West Indian, mostlyBarbadian or Bajan settlers, make up 2.5%, and Congo people, descendants of repatriated Congo andAfro-Caribbean slaves who arrived in 1825, make up an estimated 2.5%.

There are also a large number of Lebanese, Indians, and other West African nationals who make up a significant partof Liberia's business community. There is a high percentage of interracial marriage between ethnic Liberians and theLebanese. Thus creating a large mulatto population especially in and around Monrovia. A small minority ofLiberians of European descent reside in the country. The Liberian constitution restricts citizenship to only people ofblack African descent.Thirty-one indigenous languages are spoken within Liberia, none of which are a first language to more than a smallpercentage of the population. English is the official language and serves as the lingua franca of the country.Liberians speak a variety of dialects collectively known as Liberian English.

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ReligionMain article: Religion in Liberia

Religion in Liberia

Religion percent

Christianity 85.5%

Islam 12.2%

Unaffiliated 1.5%

Indigenous 0.5%

Other 0.1%

According to the 2008 National Census, 85.5% of the population practices Christianity. Muslims comprise 12.2% ofthe population, largely coming from the Mandingo and Vai ethnic groups. Traditional indigenous religions arepracticed by 0.5% of the population, while 1.5% subscribe to no religion. A small number of people are Bahá'í,Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist. Concurrent participation in indigenous religious secret societies such as Poro and Sande iscommon, with some Sande societies practicing female genital mutilation. Liberian Muslims are divided into Sunnis,Shias, Ahmadiyyas, Sufis, and non-denominational Muslims[16]

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right. While separationof church and state is also mandated by the Constitution, Liberia is considered a Christian state in practice. Publicschools offer biblical studies, though parents may opt out their children. Commerce is prohibited by law on Sundaysand major Christian holidays. The government does not require businesses or schools to excuse Muslims for Fridayprayers.

CultureMain article: Culture of Liberia

The former Executive Mansion, an example ofAmerican South architectural influence

The religious practices, social customs and cultural standards of theAmerico-Liberians had their roots in the antebellum American South.The settlers wore top hat and tails and modeled their homes on those ofSouthern slaveowners. Most Americo-Liberian men were members ofthe Masonic Order of Liberia, which became heavily involved in thenation's politics.

Liberia has a long, rich history in textile arts and quilting, as thesettlers brought with them their sewing and quilting skills. Liberiahosted National Fairs in 1857 and 1858 in which prizes were awardedfor various needle arts. One of the most well-known Liberian quilterswas Martha Ann Ricks, who presented a quilt featuring the famedLiberian coffee tree to Queen Victoria in 1892. When President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf moved into the ExecutiveMansion, she reportedly had a Liberian-made quilt installed in her presidential office.

A rich literary tradition has existed in Liberia for over a century. Edward Wilmot Blyden, Bai T. Moore, Roland T.Dempster and Wilton G. S. Sankawulo are among Liberia's more prominent authors. Moore's novella Murder in theCassava Patch is considered Liberia's most celebrated novel.

Liberia 16

CuisineMain article see Liberian cuisine

A beachside barbeque at Sinkor, Monrovia,Liberia

Liberian cuisine heavily incorporates rice, the country's staple food.Other ingredients include cassava, fish, bananas, citrus fruit, plantains,coconut, okra and sweet potatoes. Heavy stews spiced with habaneroand scotch bonnet chillies are popular and eaten with fufu. Liberia alsohas a tradition of baking imported from the United States that is uniquein West Africa.

Sports

Liberian footballer George Weah holding theBallon d'Or in 1995

The most popular sport in Liberia is association football, with GeorgeWeah (the only African to be named FIFA World Player of the Year)the nation's most famous athlete.[17] The Liberia national football teamhas reached the Africa Cup of Nations twice, in 1996 and 2002.

In Liberia, the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex serves as amulti-purpose stadium and hosts sporting events.

Measurement system

Liberia is one of only three countries that has not officially adopted theInternational System of Units. The Liberian government has beguntransitioning away from use of imperial units to the metric system.However, this change has been gradual, with government reportsconcurrently using both imperial and metric units. A 2008 report fromthe University of Tennessee stated that the changeover from imperialto metric measures was confusing to coffee and cocoa farmers.

References[1] http:/ / tools. wmflabs. org/ geohack/ geohack. php?pagename=Liberia& params=6_19_N_10_48_W_type:country[2][2] Runn-Marcos, K. T. Kolleholon, B. Ngovo, p. 5[3][3] Runn-Marcos, K. T. Kolleholon, B. Ngovo, p. 6[4][4] citation needed[5] Maggie Montesinos Sale (1997). The slumbering volcano: American slave ship revolts and the production of rebellious masculinity, p.264.

Duke University Press, 1997. ISBN 0-8223-1992-6[6] Adekeye Adebajo (2002) Liberia's Civil War: Nigeria, ECOMOG, and Regional Security in West Africa, International Peace Academy, p. 21,

ISBN 1588260526.[7] " Liberia (http:/ / www. state. gov/ r/ pa/ ei/ bgn/ 6618. htm)". U.S. State Department.[8][8] Financial Time's World Desk Reference (2004) Dorling Kindersley Publishing. p 368[9][9] The Times. Monday, Dec 25, 1848; pg. 8; Issue 20055[10][10] The Times Oct 06, 1961; pg. 14, Nov 21, 1961; pg. 8; Issue 55244. Nov 23, 1961; pg. 10; Issue 55246.[11][11] The Times. Jun 04, 1962; pg. 5; Issue 55408.[12][12] The Times. Mar 28, 1962; pg. 5; Issue 55351. Jul 10, 1962; pg. 11; Issue 55439

Liberia 17

[13] "Introduction to Communication and Development in Liberia" (http:/ / www. audiencescapes. org/country-profiles-liberia-country-overview-quantitative-survey-qualitative-analysis-research), AudienceScapes. Retrieved 8 February 2014.

[14] Jallah, David A. B. “Notes, Presented by Professor and Dean of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, David A. B.Jallah to the International Association of Law Schools Conference Learning From Each Other: Enriching the Law School Curriculum in anInterrelated World Held at Soochow University Kenneth Wang School of Law, Suzhou, China, October 17–19, 2007.” (http:/ / www. ialsnet.org/ meetings/ enriching/ JallahDavid. pdf) International Association of Law Schools. Retrieved on September 1, 2008.

[15] Nicola Jones, Janice Cooper, Elizabeth Presler-Marshall and David Walker, June 2014; The fallout of rape as a weapon of war; http:/ /www. odi. org/ publications/ 8464-rape-weapon-war-liberia

[16] Pew Forum on Religious & Public life. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2013[17] "Iconic Weah a true great" (http:/ / www. fifa. com/ classicfootball/ players/ player=2187/ . ). FIFA.com. Retrieved 17 November 2013

Bibliography• Dunn-Marcos, Robin; Kollehlon, Konia T.; Ngovo, Bernard; Russ, Emily (April 2005). "Liberians: An

Introduction to their History and Culture" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080625062344/ http:/ / www. cal.org/ co/ liberians/ liberian_050406_1. pdf) (PDF). In Ranar, Donald A. Culture Profile (Center for AppliedLinguistics) (19). Archived from the original (http:/ / www. cal. org/ co/ liberians/ liberian_050406_1. pdf) on2008-06-25. Retrieved July 23, 2011.

Further reading• Gilbert, Erik & Reynolds, Jonathan T (October 2003). Africa in World History, From Prehistory to the Present

(Paperback ed.). Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-092907-5.• Merriam Webster's Geographical Dictionary: 3rd Edition (Paperback ed.). Merriam Webster Inc., Springfield.

1997. ISBN 0-87779-546-0.• Tim Hetherington (2009). Long Story Bit By Bit: Liberia Retold. New York: Umbrage. ISBN 978-1-884167-73-7.• Graham Greene (1936). Journey Without Maps. Vintage. ISBN 978-0-09-928223-5.• Gabriel I. H. Williams (July 6, 2006). Liberia: The Heart of Darkness. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-55369-294-2.• Alan Huffman (2004). Mississippi in Africa: The Saga of the Slaves of Prospect Hill Plantation and Their Legacy

in Liberia Today. Gotham Books. ISBN 978-1-59240-044-7.• John-Peter Pham (April 4, 2001). Liberia: Portrait of a Failed State. Reed Press. ISBN 1-59429-012-1.• Barbara Greene (March 5, 1991). Too Late to Turn Back. Penguin. ISBN 0-14-009594-2.• Great Tales of Liberia by Wilton Sankawulo. Dr. Sankawulo is the compiler of these tales from Liberia and about

Liberian culture. Published by Editura Universitatii "Lucian Blaga"; din Sibiu, Romania, 2004. ISBN973-651-838-8.

• Sundown at Dawn: A Liberian Odyssey by Wilton Sankawulo. Recommended by the Cultural Resource Center,Center for Applied Linguistics for its content concerning Liberian culture. ISBN 0-9763565-0-3

• To Liberia: Destiny's Timing, by Victoria Lang (Publish America, Baltimore, 2004, ISBN 1-4137-1829-9). Afast-paced gripping novel of the journey of a young Black couple fleeing America to settle in the Africanmotherland of Liberia.

• Godfrey Mwakikagile, Military Coups in West Africa Since The Sixties, Chapter Eight: Liberia: 'The Love ofLiberty Brought Us Here,' pp. 85–110, Nova Science Publishers, Inc., Huntington, New York, 2001; GodfreyMwakikagile, The Modern African State: Quest for Transformation, Chapter One: The Collapse of A ModernAfrican State: Death and Rebirth of Liberia, pp. 1–18, Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2001.

•• Redemption Road: The Quest for Peace and Justice in Liberia (A Novel) by Elma Shaw, with a Foreword byPresident Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. (Cotton Tree Press, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9800774-0-7)

• House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper (Simon & Schuster, 2008, ISBN0-7432-6624-2)

Liberia 18

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Liberia.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Liberia.

• Chief of State and Cabinet Members (https:/ / www. cia. gov/ library/ publications/ world-leaders-1/world-leaders-l/ liberia. html)Wikipedia:Link rot

• Liberia (https:/ / www. cia. gov/ library/ publications/ the-world-factbook/ geos/ li. html) entry at The WorldFactbook

• Liberia (http:/ / ucblibraries. colorado. edu/ govpubs/ for/ liberia. htm) from UCB Libraries GovPubs.• Liberia (http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Regional/ Africa/ Liberia) at DMOZ• Liberia profile (http:/ / www. bbc. co. uk/ news/ world-africa-13729504) from the BBC News.• "Liberia Maps" (http:/ / www. lib. utexas. edu/ maps/ liberia. html), Perry-Castañeda Library, University of Texas

at Austin.• Wikimedia Atlas of Liberia

Article Sources and Contributors 19

Article Sources and ContributorsLiberia  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=627437793  Contributors: -- April, 23skidoo, A Werewolf, A robustus, A-giau, A. 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Shannon, Headinthedoor, HeikoEvermann, Henry Flower, Herman Downs, Hermione is a dude, Herostratus, Heru1976, Hibernian,HkCaGu, Hmains, Hocuspocus46, Hu12, Huangdi, Hughcharlesparker, HumbleGod, Hut 8.5, Hydrargyrum, Hyperionred, I do not exist, I luv jonas brothers, I-readers, IJA, Iain4707, Ianblair23,IceBrotherhood, Idaltu, Ief, Ileanadu, Illegitimate Barrister, Immunize, Improv, Impsswoon, Instruisto, Inthegreyarea, Inyazserg, Io Katai, Iridescent, IrishPete, Irockz, IronGargoyle, Isshii, It isme i think, Itsfullofstars, Ixfd64, J.delanoy, J04n, JCO312, JFC1983, JForget, JPR, Jack Greenmaven, Jahangard, JakeWright100, James Crippen, Jamesmarkhetterley, Janggeom, Jarble, Jason M,Javaman1145, Javyy1234, Jeffq, Jellyfish dave, Jeremy112233, Jetstream3, Jhendin, Jiang, Jibiyaboy, Jimmy Pitt, Jimp, Jivecat, Jkp1187, Jlo45, Jmlk17, Jmm6f488, Jmt576, Jnivekk, JodyB,Jojit fb, JonC0001, Jonathan.s.kt, Jonkerz, Jose77, Joseph Solis in Australia, Joshua Jonathan, Josve05a, Journalist, Joybuzzard, Jpeob, Jpgordon, Juliancolton Alternative, Ka of Catherine deBurgh, Kain Nihil, Kairos, Karatorgai, KarinaAt3, Karl-Henner, Karok, Keilana, Kelisi, Kemet, Kentucho, KerryO77, Kevyn, Khoikhoi, King of Hearts, Kingroyos, Kingsoham159,Kintetsubuffalo, Kiore, Kman543210, Knutux, Koavf, Kokpor, Kongr43gpen, Kool maudit, Kotniski, Koyaanis Qatsi, KoyaanisQatsi, Kraizalec, Krankman, Krellis, Kristinwt, Kwamikagami,Kwekubo, Kyle Barbour, LCGeogmaps, Laisadaza, LarL, Levineps, Libbyfor, Liberiaa, Libinfo, Lifebaka, Lightdarkness, Lightmouse, LilHelpa, Lilac Soul, Limongi, Ling.Nut, LittleDan,LizardJr8, Ljgua124, Llakais, Lod, London Boy, Lonestar15, Looskuh, Lori-e, Lost tourist, LostAccount, LuK3, Lukecf, Luna Santin, Lupin, Lysanzia, Lystrablue, M1569, M855GT, MBisanz,MECU, MJCdetroit, MJD86, MPLX, Mad Scientist, Mad cow12345, Mah159, Mahmudmasri, MalSaysHi, Malepheasant, Malhonen, Manoboy, Mansa2, Mapdock, Marcos Elias de OliveiraJúnior, Marek69, MarsRover, Marshallharsh, 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Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Flag of Liberia.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Liberia.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Government of LiberiaFile:Coat of arms of Liberia.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Coat_of_arms_of_Liberia.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: FXXXFile:Location Liberia AU Africa.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Location_Liberia_AU_Africa.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Alvaro1984 18File:Liberia - Location Map (2013) - LBR - UNOCHA.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Liberia_-_Location_Map_(2013)_-_LBR_-_UNOCHA.svg  License:unknown  Contributors: PharosFile:Steady2.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Steady2.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Tomchen1989file:speakerlink-new.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Speakerlink-new.svg  License: Creative Commons Zero  Contributors: User:KelvinsongFile:Negroland and Guinea with the European Settlements, 1736.jpg  Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Negroland_and_Guinea_with_the_European_Settlements,_1736.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Herman MollFile:Roosevelt and Barclay.gif  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Roosevelt_and_Barclay.gif  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Closeapple, Darwinek, Deadstar,Infrogmation, Martin H., Morio, NeverDoING, POY, Zzyzx11, 1 anonymous editsFile:Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger - Samuel K. Doe.jpg  Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Secretary_of_Defense_Caspar_W._Weinberger_-_Samuel_K._Doe.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: FRANK HALLFile:Topographic map of Liberia-en.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Topographic_map_of_Liberia-en.svg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike Contributors: Oona Räisänen (Mysid)File:Liberia Counties.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Liberia_Counties.png  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors: User:AcntxFile:Bomi lake.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Bomi_lake.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: SahmeditorFile:Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf3.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Ellen_Johnson-Sirleaf3.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Shealah Craighead

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File:Young boy grinding sugar cane in Liberia.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Young_boy_grinding_sugar_cane_in_Liberia.jpg  License: Creative CommonsAttribution-Sharealike 2.0  Contributors: John AthertonFile:Liberia, Trends in the Human Development Index 1970-2010.png  Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Liberia,_Trends_in_the_Human_Development_Index_1970-2010.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Underlying lkFile:Liberian students.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Liberian_students.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: USAIDFile:Downtown Monrovia 3348917715 67a2002529.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Downtown_Monrovia_3348917715_67a2002529.jpg  License: CreativeCommons Attribution 2.0  Contributors: Erik (HASH) HershmanFile:Flickr - usaid.africa - Liberia schoolgirls.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flickr_-_usaid.africa_-_Liberia_schoolgirls.jpg  License: Public Domain Contributors: USAID Africa BureauFile:Old Liberia Executive Mansion.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Old_Liberia_Executive_Mansion.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors: L.A. RoyFile:Beachside Barbeque (6831739276).jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Beachside_Barbeque_(6831739276).jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Contributors: David Stanley from Nanaimo, CanadaFile:George Weah.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:George_Weah.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: User:Irakli f1Image:Commons-logo.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Commons-logo.svg  License: logo  Contributors: AnomieImage:Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: User:AleXXwFile:Gnome-globe.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Gnome-globe.svg  License: GNU Lesser General Public License  Contributors: David Vignoni

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