Liberia

Liberia

Introduction

Background

Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822

by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE 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 continues.

Geography

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 111,369 sq km
country comparison to the world: 104 land:96,320 sq km
water:15,049 sq km

Area – comparative

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries

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

Coastline

579 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate

tropical

hot, humid

dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights

wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain

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

Elevation extremes

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

Natural resources

iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use

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

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

232 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

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

Natural hazards

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

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, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

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

People and Society

Nationality

noun: Liberian(s)
adjective:Liberian

Ethnic groups

Kpelle 20.3%, Bassa 13.4%, Grebo 10%, Gio 8%, Mano 7.9%, Kru 6%, Lorma 5.1%, Kissi 4.8%, Gola 4.4%, other 20.1% (2008 census)

Languages

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

Religions

Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.4% (2008 census)

Population

3,786,764 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130

Age structure

0-14 years: 44.3% (male 843,182/female 834,922)
15-64 years:52.7% (male 989,623/female 1,007,577)
65 years and over:2.9% (male 56,189/female 55,271) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 18.3 years
male:18.2 years
female:18.3 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

2.663% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

Birth rate

37.25 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

Death rate

10.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93

Urbanization

urban population: 48% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:3.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

MONROVIA (capital) 882,000 (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:1.03 male(s)/female
total population:1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

990 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 5

Infant mortality rate

total: 74.52 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 19 male:78.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female:69.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 57 years
country comparison to the world: 193 male:55.44 years
female:58.6 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.13 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16

Health expenditures

3.9% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 167

Physicians density

0.014 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 191

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 160

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 79% of population
rural: 51% of population
total: 68% of population
unimproved:
urban: 21% of population
rural: 49% of population
total: 32% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 25% of population
rural: 4% of population
total: 17% of population
unimproved:
urban: 75% of population
rural: 96% of population
total: 83% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

1.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

37,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64

HIV/AIDS – deaths

3,600 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44

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 (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

20.4% (2007)
country comparison to the world: 35

Education expenditures

2.7% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 144

Literacy

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years
male:13 years
female:9 years (2000)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 4.7%
country comparison to the world: 123 male:5.7%
female:3.7% (2007)

Government

Country name

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

Government type

republic

Capital

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

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

Independence

26 July 1847

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution

6 January 1986

Legal system

mixed legal system of common law (based onAnglo-American law) and customary law

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

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 government
head of government:President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006)
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term)

elections last held on 11 October and 8 November 2011 (next to be held in 2017)
election results:Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF re-elected president

percent of vote, second round – Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 89.7%, Winston TUBMAN 9.2%

Legislative branch

bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats

members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (73 seats

members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections:Senate – last held on 11 October 2011 (next to be held in 2020)

House of Representatives – last held on 11 October 2011 (next to be held 1n 2017)
election results:Senate – percent of vote by party – NA

seats by party – UP 10, NPP 6, CDC 3, ADP 2, NUDP 2, LDP 1, LP 1, NDC 1, NDP 1, independents 3

House of Representatives – percent of vote by party – NA

seats by party – UP 30, CDC 11, LP 7, NUDP 6, NDC 5, ADP 3, NPP3, MPC 2, LDP1, LTP 1, NRP 1, independents 9

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH]

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 [Varney SHERMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: demobilized former military officers

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)

Charge d’Affaires William V. BULL
chancery:5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone:[1] (202) 723-0437
FAX:[1] (202) 723-0436
consulate(s) general:New York

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
FAX:[231] 7-701-0370

Flag description

11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white

a white five-pointed star appears on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner

the stripes symbolize the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence

the blue square represents the African mainland, and the star represents the freedom granted to the ex-slaves

according to the constitution, the blue color signifies liberty, justice, and fidelity, the white color purity, cleanliness, and guilelessness, and the red color steadfastness, valor, and fervor
note:the design is based on the US flag

National symbol(s)

white star

National anthem

name: “All Hail, Liberia Hail!”
lyrics/music:Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA
note:lyrics adopted 1847, music adopted 1860

the anthem’s author would become the third president of Liberia

Economy

Economy – overview

Liberia is a low income country heavily reliant on foreign assistance for revenue. 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, several have returned. Liberia has the distinction of having the highest ratio of direct foreign investment to GDP in the world. 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 and is reviving those sectors. 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 and Liberia shipped its first major timber exports to Europe in 2010. The country reached its Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative completion point in 2010 and nearly $5 billion of international debt was permanently eliminated. This new status will enable Liberia to establish a sovereign credit rating and issue bonds. Liberia’s Paris Club creditors agreed to cancel Liberia’s debt as well. Rebuilding infrastructure and raising incomes will depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.691 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190 $1.608 billion (2009 est.)
$1.537 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$974 million (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

5.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68 4.6% (2009 est.)
7.1% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$500 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 225 $400 (2009 est.)
$400 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

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

Labor force

1.372 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 133

Labor force – by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

85% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197

Population below poverty line

80% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%:30.1% (2007)

Distribution of family income – Gini index

38.2 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 74

Budget

revenues: $NA
expenditures:$NA

Taxes and other revenues

34.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.7% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182 7.4% (2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

14.3% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67 14.183% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$289 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170 $260.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$398.6 million
country comparison to the world: 179 $343.6 million

Stock of domestic credit

$1.334 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146 $1.269 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Agriculture – products

rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas

sheep, goats

timber

Industries

rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Electricity – production

335 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165

Electricity – consumption

311.6 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189

Oil – consumption

4,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172

Oil – exports

23 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131

Oil – imports

4,552 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157

Current account balance

-$692.5 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121 -$541.1 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$207 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179 $180 million (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports – partners

South Africa 26.9%, US 18.1%, Spain 7.8%, Denmark 5.4%, Venezuela 4.8%, Malaysia 4.3% (2010)

Imports

$726.7 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181 $559 million (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods

foodstuffs

Imports – partners

South Korea 37.2%, China 26.3%, Singapore 17.3%, Japan 11.5% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$399.8 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152 $372.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$1.66 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143 $3.2 billion (2005 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – at home

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad

$NA

Exchange rates

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

Transportation

Airports

29 (2010)
country comparison to the world:116

Airports – with paved runways

total: 2
over 3,047 m:1
1,524 to 2,437 m:1 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m:5
914 to 1,523 m:8
under 914 m:14 (2010)

Pipelines

oil 4 km

Railways

total: 429 km
country comparison to the world: 115 standard gauge:345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:84 km 1.067-m gauge
note:most sections of the railways were inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003, but many are being rebuilt (2010)

Roadways

total: 10,600 km
country comparison to the world: 135 paved:657 km
unpaved:9,943 km (2000)

Merchant marine

total: 2,512
country comparison to the world: 2 by type:barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 507, cargo 136, carrier 1, chemical tanker 232, combination ore/oil 6, container 875, liquefied gas 93, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 509, refrigerated cargo 109, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 25
foreign-owned:2,356 (Angola 1, Argentina 3, Australia 2, Belgium 1, Bermuda 4, Brazil 20, Canada 4, Chile 7, China 10, Croatia 2, Cyprus 7, Denmark 4, Finland 2, Germany 1049, Gibraltar 5, Greece 454, Hong Kong 47, India 1, Indonesia 4, Isle of Man 19, Israel 31, Italy 48, Japan 102, Latvia 9, Lebanon 1, Monaco 10, Netherlands 35, Nigeria 4, Norway 42, Poland 13, Qatar 5, Romania 3, Russia 108, Saudi Arabia 24, Singapore 27, Slovenia 5, South Korea 1, Sweden 10, Switzerland 17, Syria 1, Taiwan 88, Turkey 15, UAE 27, UK 25, Ukraine 16, Uruguay 1, US 39, Vietnam 3)
note:this country allows large numbers of ships owned by foreign entities to be registered in its national shipping registry and to fly its flag

these ships operate under the laws of the flag state (2010)

Ports and terminals

Buchanan, Monrovia

Military

Military branches

Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service

no conscription (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 815,826
females age 16-49:828,484 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 524,243
females age 16-49:544,349 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 36,585
female:38,516 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

1.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112

Transnational Issues

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 12,600 (Cote d’Ivoire)
IDPs:13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004

IDP resettlement began in November 2004) (2007)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Liberia is a source, transit, and destination country, principally for young women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking

most trafficking victims originate from within the country’s borders and are subjected to domestic servitude, forced begging, forced labor in street vending, on rubber plantations, and alluvial diamond sites, or sex trafficking

victims of cross-border trafficking come to Liberia from Sierra Leone, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, and Nigeria and are subjected to the same types of exploitation as internally trafficked victims
tier rating:Tier 2 Watch List – the government has not shown evidence of increased efforts to prosecute and to punish trafficking offenders and to protect trafficking victims

the Liberian Government has never convicted a trafficking offender using its 2005 anti-trafficking law

it reported conducting two investigations of trafficking cases during the year, but did not initiate any prosecutions or convict any traffickers

it also did not provide training to law enforcement officials or magistrates (2011)

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