Liberia

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Liberia

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Republic of Liberia Area 111,370 sq km/42,999 sq mi Capital Monrovia (and chief port) Language English (official), over 20 Niger-Congo languages Religion animist 70%, Sunni Muslim 20%, Christian 10% Time difference GMT +/-0 Major holidays 1 January, 11 February, 15 March, 12 April, 14 May, 26 July, 24 August, 29 November, 25 December; variable: Decoration (March), National Fast and Prayer (April), Thanksgiving (November)


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Bensonville, Saniquillie, Gbarnga, Voinjama, Buchanan Major ports Buchanan, Greenville Physical features forested highlands; swampy tropical coast where six rivers enter the sea Airports two international airports, plus 43 other airfields and airstrips Railways total length: 412 km/256 mi. The railways were originally constructed for iron-ore transport; operations ceased 1989 Roads total road network: 10,600 km/6,587 mi, of which 6.2% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 10.5 per 1,000 people (1998)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf from 2006 Political system emergent democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions 13 counties Political parties National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), nationalist, left of centre; National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), left of centre; United Democratic Movement of Liberia for Democracy (Ulimo), left of centre; National Patriotic Party (NPP), antidemocratic Death penalty abolished in 2005 Armed forces 15,000 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 0.2 (2004 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.7 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Liberian dollar GDP (US$) 548 million (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 7 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 436 million (2005 est) GNI per capita (US$) 200 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 8% (2006 est) Unemployment 85% (2003 est) Labour force 71% agriculture, 10.8% industry, 18.2% services (2003 est) Foreign debt (US$) 3.1 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners Belgium, South Korea, Japan, Spain, USA, Singapore, Croatia Resources iron ore, diamonds, gold, barytes, kyanite Industries beverages (soft drinks and beer), mineral products, chemicals, tobacco and other agricultural products, cement, mining, rubber, furniture, bricks, plastics Exports rubber, cocoa, timber, coffee, iron ore, palm-kernel oil, diamonds, gold. Principal market: Belgium 33.4% (2005) Imports petroleum products, food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, basic manufactures. Principal source: South Korea 38% (2005) Arable land 3.4% (2006 est) Agricultural products rice, cassava, coffee, citrus fruits, cocoa, palm kernels, sugar cane; timber production; rubber plantation


POPULATION

Population 3,356,300 (2006 est) Population growth rate 2.9% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 30 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 48 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 47%, 15–59 49%, 60+ 4% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 95% indigenous peoples, including the Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Ghandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella; 5% descended from repatriated US slaves Life expectancy 42 (men); 43 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 235 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 10 Literacy rate 72% (men); 34% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 0.2 (2004 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 3.5 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 7,200 (2003 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 72 (urban); 11 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 0.2 (2004 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 4.9 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 329 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 26 (1999 est) Internet users (per 100 people) <0.1 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

1821 Purchased by philanthropic American Colonization Society and turned into settlement for liberated black slaves from southern USA. 1847 Recognized as independent republic. 1869 True Whig Party founded, which was to dominate politics for more than a century, providing all presidents. 1926 Large concession sold to Firestone Rubber Company as foreign indebtedness increased. 1980 President Tolbert assassinated in military coup led by Sgt Samuel Doe, who banned political parties and launched anticorruption drive. 1984 New constitution approved in referendum. National Democratic Party (NDPL) founded by Doe as political parties relegalized. 1985 Doe and NDPL won decisive victories in allegedly rigged elections. 1990 Doe killed as bloody civil war broke out between government forces and rival rebel groups. 1990–95 Succession of ceasefires negotiated and broken. 1996 Peace agreement providing for disarmament of warring factions and holding of elections. 1997 National Patriotic Party (NPP) won majority in assembly elections; former rebel leader Charles Taylor became head of state. 1998–2003 Continued conflict between government and opposition forces; Taylor regime accused of fomenting civil war in neighbouring Sierra Leone. 2003 Intervention by West African peacekeeping forces; President Taylor resigned and went into exile; rebel factions and transitional government signed new power-sharing agreement. 2005 Unity party candidate Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became first elected woman president of African state. 2007 Trial of Charles Taylor for war crimes began at the Hague Tribunal.


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