Challenges of reservoir hosts and transmission cycles: Expect the unexpected", "Desert Locust Bulletin General situation during September 2021 Forecast until mid-November 2021", "Restoring the Battered and Broken Environment of Liberia One of the Keys to a New and Sustainable Future". Congo people, descendants of repatriated Congo and Afro-Caribbean slaves who arrived in 1825, make up an estimated 2.5%. [40] In international affairs, it was a founding member of the United Nations, a vocal critic of South African apartheid,[41] a proponent of African independence from European colonial powers, and a supporter of Pan-Africanism. In 2007, the HIV infection rates stood at 2% of the population aged 1549[188] whereas the incidence of tuberculosis was 420 per 100,000 people in 2008. President William Tubman encouraged economic and political changes that heightened the country's prosperity and international profile; Liberia was a founding member of the League of Nations, United Nations, and the Organisation of African Unity. In 1824 the territory was named Liberia, and its main settlement was named Monrovia, which is the present-day capital. [123] Due in large part to foreign aid and investment inflow following the end of the war, Liberia maintains a large account deficit, which peaked at nearly 60% in 2008. The Economic Community Monitoring Group under the Economic Community of West African States organized a military task force to intervene in the crisis. Liberia has year-round evergreen vegetation. [60] In 2011, July 26 was proclaimed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to be observed as National Independence Day. For other uses, see, Please help by moving some material from it into the body of the article. The country's capital and largest city is Monrovia. Sapo National Park, established in 1983 in the countrys southeast, was expanded in 2003 to encompass an area of some 700 square miles (1,800 square km). In 1816, a group of white Americans founded the American Colonization Society (ACS) to deal with the "problem" of the growing number of free blacks in the United States by resettling them in Africa. Today it has six colleges, including a medical school and the nation's only law school, Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law. There are many reptiles, including three types of crocodiles and at least eight poisonous snakes. [14], Undated Acheulean (ESA) artifacts are well documented across West Africa. [194], Approximately 95% of the country's healthcare facilities had been destroyed by the time civil war ended in 2003. This triggered the First Liberian Civil War. There is a high percentage of interracial marriage between ethnic Liberians and the Lebanese, resulting in a significant mixed-race population especially in and around Monrovia. Coeditor of. [25], On July 26, 1847, the settlers issued a Declaration of Independence and promulgated a constitution. [126] Since 1926 Firestone has operated the world's largest rubber plantation in Harbel, Margibi County. In 1824 the territory was named Liberia, and its main settlement was named Monrovia, which is the present-day capital. There was a decline in production of Liberian goods in the late 19th century, and the government struggled financially, resulting in indebtedness on a series of international loans. [139] In 2013, the mineral sector accounted for 11% of GDP in the country and the World Bank projected a further increase in the sector by 2017. [37] (The loser actually received around 60% of the eligible vote. [76], Pollution is a significant issue in Monrovia. A striking feature of the mountainous northern highlands along the Guinea frontier is Mount Nimba. [26][27] On August 24, Liberia adopted its 11-striped national flag. [110] Historically the Liberian economy has depended heavily on foreign aid, foreign direct investment and exports of natural resources such as iron ore, rubber, and timber. Financial Time's World Desk Reference (2004) Dorling Kindersley Publishing, p. 368. [68], Liberia's main northwestern boundary is traversed by the Mano River while its southeast limits are bounded by the Cavalla River. Behind the rolling hills, most of the countrys interior is a dissected plateau with scattered low mountains ranging from 600 to 1,000 feet (180 to 305 metres) in elevation; some mountains rise to 2,000 feet (600 metres). What part of Africa is Liberia located in? [159] The population of Liberia was 1,016,443 in 1962 and increased to 1,503,368 in 1974. [111] This decline was accelerated by the outbreak of civil war in 1989; GDP was reduced by an estimated 90% between 1989 and 1995, one of the fastest declines in modern history. [88] All existing local governmentscities, townships, and a boroughwere created by specific acts of the Liberian government, and thus the structure and duties/responsibilities of each local government varies greatly from one to the other. The government does not require businesses or schools to excuse Muslims for Friday prayers. People along the coast built canoes and traded with other West Africans from Cap-Vert to the Gold Coast. Between 1461 and the late 17th century, Portuguese, Dutch, and British traders had contacts and trading posts in the region. The country enjoyed relative stability until a rebellion in 1989 escalated into a destructive civil war in the 1990s that did not fully cease until 2003. St. Clements University College (Liberia), a private higher education institution that was founded in 2008. Longest distances: 274 kilometers (170 miles) from north-northeast to south-southwest; 548 . [86], The fifteen counties are administered by superintendents appointed by the president. [155], As of the 2017 national census, Liberia was home to 4,694,608 people. [18] Formed in 1816, the American Colonization Society (ACS) was made up mostly of Quakers and slaveholders. It built the Freeport of Monrovia and Roberts International Airport under the Lend-Lease program before its entry into the Second World War. The judiciary is further divided into circuit and speciality courts, magistrate courts and justices of the peace. Liberia currently does not have any constitutional framework or uniform statutes which deal with the creation or revocation of local governments. [146], The repair and expansion of the Mount Coffee Hydropower Project, with a maximum capacity of 80 MW, was completed in 2018. Starz University, is a private higher education institution that was established in the United States in 2007, and became incorporated in Monrovia, 2009; with the objective of addressing the Information Technology(IT) need of Liberia. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. A map of Liberia's major rivers and their drainage systems This is a list of rivers in Liberia . English is the official language, but over 20 indigenous languages are spoken, reflecting the country's ethnic and cultural diversity. [193] In 2008, only 17% of the population had access to adequate sanitation facilities. Other trees of value are rubber, cacao, coffee, and the raffia palm. The landscape is characterized by mostly flat to rolling coastal plains that contain mangroves and swamps, which rise to a rolling plateau and low mountains in the northeast. [165] Liberians also speak a variety of creolized dialects collectively known as Liberian English. [87], Parallel to the administrative divisions of the country are the local and municipal divisions. [34], Liberia remained neutral during World War I until August 4, 1917, upon declaring war on Germany. [citation needed], The government of Liberia, modeled on the government of the United States, is a unitary constitutional republic and representative democracy as established by the Constitution. Town of Monrovia 1827 [207] Customary law allows men to have up to four wives. [43] A strategic Cold War ally of the West, Doe received significant financial backing from the United States while critics condemned the PRC for corruption and political repression. [68], Liberia's watershed tends to move in a southwestern pattern towards the sea as new rains move down the forested plateau off the inland mountain range of Guine Forestire, in Guinea. List of 99 Liberia mountains showing elevation, prominence, and popularity The Americo-Liberian settlers did not relate well to the indigenous peoples they encountered. [8] Gradually developing an Americo-Liberian identity, [9] [10] the settlers carried their culture and tradition with them. [43] The coup leaders formed the People's Redemption Council (PRC) to govern the country. Founded as the Liberian Frontier Force in 1908, the military was renamed in 1956. [20][21] By 1867, the ACS (and state-related chapters) had assisted in the migration of more than 13,000 people of color from the United States and the Caribbean to Liberia. [40], After the war, President William Tubman encouraged foreign investment, with Liberia achieving the second-highest rate of economic growth in the world during the 1950s. [23], The ACS, supported by prominent American politicians such as Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay, and James Monroe, believed "repatriation" was preferable to having emancipated slaves remain in the United States. The presence of Oldowan Earlier Stone Age (earliest ESA) artifacts in West Africa has been confirmed by Michael Omolewa, attesting to the presence of ancient humans. Monrovia (/ m n r o v i /) is the capital city of the West African country of Liberia.Founded in 1822, it is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic coast and as of the 2008 census had 1,010,970 residents, home to 29% of Liberia's total population. [159] As revealed in the 2008 census, Monrovia is more than four times more populous than all the county capitals combined. The coastal plains are around 560 km long and 40 km wide and feature sandy beaches, lagoons, mangrove swamps, and some rocky outcrops. [54], The United Nations Mission in Liberia began arriving in September 2003 to provide security and monitor the peace accord,[55] Mande-speaking people expanded from the north and east, forcing many smaller ethnic groups southward toward the Atlantic Ocean. [46], The rebels soon split into various factions fighting one another. The government has three co-equal branches of government: the executive, headed by the president; the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Legislature of Liberia; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and several lower courts. Liberias rainforest used to abound with animals such as monkeys, chimpanzees, small antelopes, pygmy hippopotamuses, and anteaters. [66] The inauguration marked Liberia's first fully democratic transition in 74 years. GeoNames ID. Most of these Christian denominations were brought by African-American settlers moving from the United States into Liberia via the American Colonization Society, while some are indigenousespecially Pentecostal and evangelical Protestant ones. Representative of Liberia to the United Nations, 198185. On May 9, 2015, Liberia was declared Ebola free after six weeks with no new cases. Between ~43.5ka, these societies gradually transformed into food producers, possibly through contact with northern pastoralists and agriculturalists, as the environment became more arid. Like many other countries in Africa, Liberia both faces existing environmental issues, as well as sustainable development challenges. [200], According to an Overseas Development Institute report, private health expenditure accounts for 64.1% of total spending on health. [212][213] The Liberia national football team has reached the Africa Cup of Nations finals twice, in 1996 and 2002. [129][130][131][132] Liberia has a climate favourable to farming, vast forests, and an abundance of water, yet low yields mean that over half of foodstuffs are imported, with net agricultural trade at -$73.12 million in 2010. It has a population of around 5 million and covers an area of 43,000 square miles (111,369km2). [98][99] On July 20, 2012, the Liberian senate voted unanimously to enact legislation to prohibit and criminalize same-sex marriages. In alphabetical order, the 15 counties are Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, and Sinoe. Retrieved October 29, 2013, Marc DuBois and Caitlin Wake, with Scarlett Sturridge and Christina Bennett (2015). The lowest point of the country is the Atlantic Ocean at 0m. [75], Liberia is a global biodiversity hotspota significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans. [102], Liberia scored a 3.3 on a scale from 10 (highly clean) to 0 (highly corrupt) on the 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index. [71] Climate change is expected to severely impact the economy of Liberia, especially agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. [76] After international protests, many of those logging permits were canceled. Americo-Liberians formed into a small elite that held disproportionate political power; indigenous Africans were excluded from birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904.[11][12]. [19] Similar state-based organizations established colonies in Mississippi-in-Africa, Kentucky in Africa, and the Republic of Maryland, which Liberia later annexed. [100], Corruption is endemic at every level of the Liberian government. The internal security is characterized by a general lawlessness coupled with the danger that former combatants in the late civil war might reestablish militias to challenge the civil authorities. [91], After the turmoil following the First and Second Liberian Civil Wars, Liberia's internal stabilization in the 21st century brought a return to cordial relations with neighboring countries and much of the Western world. The outline map represents the West African country of Liberia. [80], The Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is a constant presence here. It was an important producer of rubber in the early 20th century. [57] Upon her inauguration, Sirleaf requested the extradition of Taylor from Nigeria and transferred him to the SCSL for trial in The Hague. [111] As a result of bilateral, multilateral and commercial debt relief from 2007 to 2010, the country's external debt fell to $222.9 million by 2011. This was a cause for concern among the British colonial authorities of Sierra Leone and the French colonial authorities of French Guinea and the Ivory Coast as tensions with Germany increased. Liberian independence was proclaimed in 1847, and its boundaries were expanded. [39], In the mid-20th century, Liberia gradually began to modernize with American assistance. [95] A history of corruption among police officers diminishes public trust and operational effectiveness. "Congos." For much of Liberia's early history, the Congos were classed below the Americo -Liberians. Hemispheres: Northern and Eastern. [57] Most parties suffer from poor organizational capacity. Guinea, Cote D'Ivoire, Sierra Leone. Overview: Map: Directions: Satellite: Photo Map: Overview: Map: . Quakers believed black people would face better chances for freedom in Africa than in the U.S.[7][19] While slaveholders opposed freedom for enslaved people, some viewed "repatriation" of free people of color as a way to avoid slave rebellions. Infertile regosols, or sandy soils, are found along the coastal plains. In 2008, 0.5% identified adherence to traditional indigenous religions, while 1.5% claimed no religion. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [85], Liberia is divided into fifteen counties, which, in turn, are subdivided into a total of 90 districts and further subdivided into clans. Hospitals in Liberia include the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia and several others. On average, children attain 10 years of education (11 for boys and 8 for girls). The Liberian national basketball team has reached the AfroBasket twice, in 1983 and 2007. [209] Heavy stews spiced with habanero and scotch bonnet chilies are popular and eaten with fufu. Commerce is prohibited by law on Sunday and major Christian holidays. In 1980, political tensions from the rule of William R. Tolbert resulted in a military coup during which Tolbert was killed, marking the end of Americo-Liberian rule in the country and beginning over two decades of political instability. Together with the vice president, the president is elected to a six-year term by majority vote in a two-round system and can serve up to two terms in office. [13] A peace agreement in 2003 led to democratic elections in 2005. [76] In September 2014, Liberia and Norway struck an agreement whereby Liberia ceased all logging in exchange for $150 million in development aid. [47] From 1989 to 1997 around 60,000 to 80,000 Liberians died, and, by 1996, around 700,000 others had been displaced into refugee camps in neighboring countries. [111] Upon the end of the war in 2003, GDP growth began to accelerate, reaching 9.4% in 2007. Professor of Geography, East Carolina College, Greenville, North Carolina. Additional rivers of note are the Lofa, St. Paul, St. John and Cestos River, all of which flow into theAtlantic. With an area of 11,551 sq. The four physiographic regions of Liberia parallel the coast. Based on the political principles of the United States Constitution, it established the independent Republic of Liberia. Liberia has one of the highest incidences of sexual violence against women in the world. Rainfall is irregular, and the rainy season varies in intensity and begins earlier at the coast than in the interior. The map can be downloaded, printed, and used for educational purposes or coloring. Includes 99 Liberia mountains. [1] Senators serve nine-year terms and are elected at-large by a plurality of the popular vote. Shallow, coarse lithosols, in the hilly and rugged terrain, cover about one-eighth of the land. Making Liberia safe: transformation of the national security sector. [50] Peace talks between the factions began in Accra in June of that year, and Taylor was indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone for crimes against humanity the same month. [16] Shortly after the Mane conquered the region, the Vai people of the former Mali Empire immigrated into the Grand Cape Mount County region. [86] Montserrado is also the most populous county with 1,144,806 residents as of the 2008 census. When President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf moved into the Executive Mansion, she reportedly had a Liberian-made quilt installed in her presidential office. Liberia also helped to fund the Organisation of African Unity. [79] A 2004 public opinion survey found that bushmeat ranked second behind fish amongst residents of the capital Monrovia as a preferred source of protein. B Bushrod Island P Providence Island, Liberia Islands by country Islands of Africa by country Landforms of Liberia Hidden category: Commons category link is on Wikidata Protestantism was originally associated with Black American settlers and their Americo-Liberian descendants, while native peoples initially held to their own animist forms of African traditional religion before largely adopting Christianity. [68], Tropical rainforests cover the hills, while elephant grass and semi-deciduous forests make up the dominant vegetation in the northern sections. [22] These free African Americans and their descendants married within their community and came to identify as Americo-Liberians. Monrovia is the largest and capital city of Liberia. Liberia imports 90% of its rice, a staple food, and is extremely vulnerable to food shortages. Crane, Keith; Gompert, David C; Oliker, Olga; Riley, Kevin Jack; and Lawson, Brooke Stearns. [195] In 2009, government expenditure on health care per capita was US$22,[196] accounting for 10.6% of total GDP. "[29], American and other international interests emphasized resource extraction, with rubber production a major industry in the early 20th century. The area includes Liberia's highest mountain, Mount Wuteve (Wutuwi) at 1,447 m, as well as several other peaks, including Mount Balagizi (1,100 m). [118] The country acted as a major trader in Sierra Leonian blood diamonds, exporting over US$300 million in diamonds in 1999. The oldest counties are Grand Bassa and Montserrado, both founded in 1839 prior to Liberian independence. [44] Government repression intensified in response, as Doe's troops retaliated by executing members of the Gio and Mano ethnic groups in Nimba County. [149], Liberia has begun exploration for offshore oil; unproven oil reserves may be in excess of one billion barrels. [7] Between 1822 and the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, more than 15,000 freed and free-born African Americans, along with 3,198 Afro-Caribbeans, relocated to Liberia. [172], Higher education is provided by a number of public and private universities. However, over the years the two groups joined and the terms "Americo -Liberian" and "Congo" were used interchangeably. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [143], Public electricity services are provided solely by the state-owned Liberia Electricity Corporation, which operates a small grid almost exclusively in the Greater Monrovia District. The blank outline map represents the West African country of Liberia. Official name: Republic of Liberia. pp. [77] Bushmeat is often exported to neighboring Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, despite a ban on the cross-border sale of wild animals. [160] In 2010 some 43.5% of Liberians were below the age of 15.[157]. (Nelson) See the Map of Liberia with Monrovia. [208], Liberian cuisine heavily incorporates rice, the country's staple food. [134], The mining industry of Liberia has witnessed a revival after the civil war which ended in 2003. [79] The survey was conducted during the last civil war, and bushmeat consumption is now believed to be far higher. [201], The religious practices, social customs and cultural standards of the Americo-Liberians had their roots in the antebellum American South. The all-female Sande society practices female circumcision. The Dei, Bassa, Kru, Gola, and Kissi were some of the earliest documented peoples in the area. [16], This influx of these groups was compounded by the decline of the Mali Empire in 1375 and the Songhai Empire in 1591. [115], Following a decrease in inflation beginning in 2003, inflation spiked in 2008 as a result of worldwide food and energy crises,[116] reaching 17.5% before declining to 7.4% in 2009. In Liberia, the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex serves as a multi-purpose stadium. Latosols of low to medium fertility occur in rolling hill country and cover about three-fourths of the total land surface. It is located in the Northern and Western Hemispheres. Findings included government involvement in widespread "Forced or compulsory labour". [57] Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a US-educated economist, former Minister of Finance and future Nobel Prize for Peace winner, was elected as the first female president in Africa. In Liberia the shield has been intensely folded and faulted and is interspersed with iron-bearing formations known as itabirites. [206], One-third of married Liberian women between the ages of 1549 are in polygamous marriages. [72], Forests on the coastline are composed mostly of salt-tolerant mangrove trees, while the more sparsely populated inland has forests opening onto a plateau of drier grasslands. "China and Liberia: Engagement in a Post-Conflict Country 20032013". The three countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast bound Liberia to the northwest, north, and east respectively. [citation needed] Liberia struggled to attract investment to develop infrastructure and a larger, industrial economy. Liberia began in the early 19th century as a project of the American Colonization Society (ACS), which believed black people would face better chances for freedom and prosperity in Africa than in the United States. [106][107], Agriculture in Liberia is a major sector of the country's economy worth 38.8% of GDP, employing more than 70% of the population and providing a valuable export for one of the world's least developed countries (as defined by the UN). It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and southwest. This was because they faced racial discrimination in the form of political disenfranchisement and the denial of civil, religious, and social rights. For a treatment of earlier periods and of the country in its regional context, see western Africa. Highly fertile alluvial soils represent a small percentage of the land area and are utilized largely for agriculture. Finally, there is a mountainous highland region to the north hosting the country's highest point, the 1,440 m high Mount Wuteve, which has been marked on the map by an upright yellow triangle. [49] By July 2003, the rebels had launched an assault on Monrovia. [57], The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) are the country's armed forces. Tbg and its vector Glossina palpalis gambiense are a constant presence in the rainforests here. During the rainy season there is often severe flooding in the coastal plains. They are low and sandy, with miles of beaches interspersed with bar-enclosed lagoons, mangrove swamps, and a few rocky promontoriesthe highest being Cape Mount (about 1,000 feet [305 metres] in elevation) in the northwest, Cape Mesurado in Monrovia, and Cape Palmas in the southeast. Pages in category "Islands of Liberia" The following 2 pages are in this category, out of 2 total. Moumouni, Guillaume. 15th-century Portuguese navigators named itfor the cavalla (or horse mackerel) found at its mouth. [68] Climate change in Liberia causes many problems as Liberia is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Please select which sections you would like to print: Professor and Chairman, Department of History, University of Liberia, Monrovia. [1] The country's education sector is hampered by inadequate schools and supplies, as well as a lack of qualified teachers. Santa Monica, CA: Rand. [214], Liberia has not yet completely adopted the International System of Units (abbreviated as the SI, also called the metric system). As of October 2007 it has 844 officers in 33 stations in Montserrado County, which contains Monrovia. [215], The Liberian government has begun transitioning away from use of United States customary units to the metric system. In alphabetical order, the 15 counties are Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, and Sinoe. [83] A 2004 UN report estimated that 99% of Liberians burned charcoal and fuel wood for cooking and heating, resulting in deforestation. [92], In the past, both of Liberia's neighbors, Guinea and Sierra Leone, have accused Liberia of backing rebels in their countries. Life expectancy in Liberia is estimated to be 64.4 years in 2020. [56] [43], After Liberia adopted a new constitution in 1985, Doe was elected president in subsequent elections that were internationally condemned as fraudulent. Many were of mixed race and educated in American culture; they did not identify with the indigenous natives of the tribes they encountered. What are the major mountains of Liberia and their location? Liberias terrain ranges from the low and sandy coastal plains to rolling hills and dissected plateau further inland. This gave it a ranking 87th of 178 countries worldwide and 11th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. [199] In early August 2014 Guinea closed its borders to Liberia to help contain the spread of the virus, as more new cases were being reported in Liberia than in Guinea. Gbarpolu is the newest county, created in 2001. [168], Muslims comprised 12.2% of the population in 2008, largely represented by the Mandingo and Vai ethnic groups. Indigenous peoples comprise about 95 percent of the population. The settlers wore top hat and tails and modeled their homes on those of Southern slaveowners. [49] The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, a rebel group based in the northwest of the country, launched an armed insurrection against Taylor. The interior has hot but pleasant days and cool nights during the dry season. and an interim government took power the following October. Map of the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent, located on the African continental plate. Christopolis was renamed Monrovia after President James Monroe and the colony was formally called Liberia (the free land). [127][128], Due to its status as a flag of convenience, Liberia has the second-largest maritime registry in the world behind Panama. August 9, 2012. [94] The National Police Training Academy is in Paynesville City. [24], The Americo-Liberian settlers did not relate well to the indigenous peoples they encountered, especially those in communities of the more isolated "bush". Next is the region of rolling hills about 32 km wide and an average elevation of 90 m. Beyond that is a dissected plateau with scattered mountains. [bettersourceneeded][1], English is the official language and serves as the lingua franca of Liberia. [202] Most Americo-Liberian men were members of the Masonic Order of Liberia, which became heavily involved in the nation's politics. Sirleaf's Vision With Passion", "Notes, Presented by Professor and Dean of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, David A. [81], The Hairy Slit-Faced Bat (Nycteris hispida) suffers from malaria here. See hiking info, trail maps, and trip reports for every peak. [86] As of 2006[update], Liberia had the highest population growth rate in the world (4.50% per annum).
Is The Ruger Ec9s Drop Safe,
United Cutlery Highlander Sword,
Where Do Blue Eyes Come From Country,
Us Waiver Office Pearson Airport,
Suave Hand Sanitizer Spray Recall,
Articles N