English is the official language, but over 20 indigenous languages are spoken, reflecting the country's ethnic and cultural diversity. [8] Gradually developing an Americo-Liberian identity, [9] [10] the settlers carried their culture and tradition with them. It is located in the Northern and Western Hemispheres. The subsequent 2005 elections were internationally regarded as the freest and fairest in Liberian history. Liberia was the first African republic to proclaim its independence and is Africa's first and oldest modern republic. [164] As of 2022, 27 indigenous languages are spoken in Liberia, but each is a first language for only a small percentage of the population. The first town (1822) was on Providence Island at the mouth of the Mesurado River. Liberian Muslims are divided between Sunnis, Shias, Ahmadiyyas, Sufis, and non-denominational Muslims.[169]. 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. [43] The coup leaders formed the People's Redemption Council (PRC) to govern the country. [154] Among the companies to have won licenses are Repsol YPF, Chevron Corporation, and Woodside Petroleum. In 1824 the territory was named Liberia, and its main settlement was named Monrovia, which is the present-day capital. [81], The Hairy Slit-Faced Bat (Nycteris hispida) suffers from malaria here. [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. [200], According to an Overseas Development Institute report, private health expenditure accounts for 64.1% of total spending on health. [108] Liberia is one of the world's poorest countries, with a formal employment rate of 15%. [68], Tropical rainforests cover the hills, while elephant grass and semi-deciduous forests make up the dominant vegetation in the northern sections. [76], Endangered species are hunted for human consumption as bushmeat in Liberia. As of October 2007 it has 844 officers in 33 stations in Montserrado County, which contains Monrovia. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Ricks said, "I had heard it often, from the time I was a child, how good the Queen had been to my peopleto slavesand how she wanted us to be free. [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. GeoNames ID. Life expectancy in Liberia is estimated to be 64.4 years in 2020. The Constitution calls for the election of various chiefs at the county and local level, but these elections have not taken place since 1985 due to war and financial constraints. [71] Climate change is expected to severely impact the economy of Liberia, especially agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. The Cavalla is the longest river in the nation at 320 miles (510km). [34], Liberia remained neutral during World War I until August 4, 1917, upon declaring war on Germany. [170] In some areas primary and secondary education is free and compulsory from the ages of 6 to 16, though enforcement of attendance is lax. The country is home to a lush rainforest containing a rich diversity of flora and fauna. This makes them the youngest examples of such MSA technology anywhere in Africa. 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. Liberia Bordering Countries: [76] After international protests, many of those logging permits were canceled. [95] A history of corruption among police officers diminishes public trust and operational effectiveness. Liberia is the only Black state in Africa never subjected to colonial rule and is Africas oldest republic. Updates? [68] However, Mount Nimba near Yekepa, is higher at 4,724 feet (1,440m) above sea level but is not wholly within Liberia as Nimba shares a border with Guinea and Ivory Coast and is their tallest mountain as well. [171] In other areas children are required to pay a tuition fee to attend school. [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. Liberia is bordered by the countries of Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and by the Atlantic Ocean. The Mano and Morro rivers in the northwest and the Cavalla in the east and southeast are major rivers and form sections of Liberias boundaries. A peace deal was signed later that month. Liberia's Latitude is 6.428055 and Longitude is -9.429499. [citation needed] On July 16, 1892, Martha Ann Erskine Ricks met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle and presented her a handmade quilt, Liberia's first diplomatic gift. 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. [26], By 1877, the True Whig Party was the country's most powerful political entity. Findings included government involvement in widespread "Forced or compulsory labour". Total capacity in 2013 was 20 MW, a sharp decline from a peak of 191 MW in 1989 before the wars. Liberia Population What Is The Population Of Liberia? The national capital of Monrovia is located in Montserrado. [90], From 1877 to 1980, the government was dominated by the True Whig Party. [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. [68] During the winter months of November to March, dry dust-laden harmattan winds blow inland, causing many problems for residents. [56] 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. [bettersourceneeded][1], English is the official language and serves as the lingua franca of Liberia. [1] Senators serve nine-year terms and are elected at-large by a plurality of the popular vote. It was among the few African countries to maintain its sovereignty during the Scramble for Africa. Deforestation and drought in the Sahel have affected the climate, lengthening the dry season by almost a month in some areas. Outsiders' knowledge of the west of Africa began with a Portuguese sailor, Pedro de Sintra, who reached the Liberian coast in 1461. As of 2015, it had more than 8,000 mostly Liberian employees, making it the country's largest private employer. [209] Heavy stews spiced with habanero and scotch bonnet chilies are popular and eaten with fufu. Howard Brotz, ed., African American Social & Political Thought 18501920 (New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1996), 3839. [51] The emerging chronometric record of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) indicates that core and flake technologies have been present in West Africa since at least the Chibanian (~780126 thousand years ago or ka) in northern, open Sahelian zones, and that they persisted until the Terminal Pleistocene/Holocene boundary (~12ka) in both northern and southern zones of West Africa. 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. The four physiographic regions of Liberia parallel the coast. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [202] Most Americo-Liberian men were members of the Masonic Order of Liberia, which became heavily involved in the nation's politics. [167] A multitude of diverse Protestant confessions such as Lutheran, Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, United Methodist, African Methodist Episcopal (AME) and African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) denominations form the bulk of the Christian population, followed by adherents of the Catholic Church and other non-Protestant Christians. United Methodist University, a private Christian university located in Liberia, West Africa, it is commonly known amongst locals as UMU. [105], The Central Bank of Liberia is responsible for printing and maintaining the Liberian dollar, Liberia's primary currency (the United States dollar is also legal tender in Liberia). [70] Because of its location in Africa, it is vulnerable to extreme weather, the coastal effects of sea level rise, and changing water systems and water availability. [61] In October 2011, peace activist Leymah Gbowee received the Nobel Peace Prize in her work of leading a women's peace movement that brought to an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. As observed on Liberia's physical map, the elevation of the land gradually increases with distance from the coast. 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. Pages in category "Islands of Liberia" The following 2 pages are in this category, out of 2 total. - 13488122 They intermarried largely within the colonial community, developing an ethnic group that had a cultural tradition infused with American notions of political republicanism and Protestant Christianity. The most popular sport in Liberia is association football, with President George Weahthe only African to be named FIFA World Player of the Yearbeing the nation's most famous athlete. [79] The survey was conducted during the last civil war, and bushmeat consumption is now believed to be far higher. [63], Following the 2017 Liberian general election, former professional football striker George Weah, one of the greatest African players of all time,[64][65] was sworn in as president on January 22, 2018, becoming the fourth youngest serving president in Africa. For other uses, see, Please help by moving some material from it into the body of the article. [142] With low rates of adult literacy and high poverty rates, television and newspaper use is limited, leaving radio as the predominant means of communicating with the public. [citation needed] It was made up primarily of Americo-Liberians, who maintained social, economic and political dominance well into the 20th century, repeating patterns of European colonists in other nations in Africa. [43] On November 12, 1985, a failed counter-coup was launched by Thomas Quiwonkpa, whose soldiers briefly occupied the national radio station. For virtually all of its history, the AFL has received considerable material and training assistance from the United States. As in other African countries, China is an important part of the post-conflict reconstruction. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}630N 930W / 6.500N 9.500W / 6.500; -9.500. Santa Monica, CA: Rand. [172], Higher education is provided by a number of public and private universities. [73] Four terrestrial ecoregions lie within Liberia's borders: Guinean montane forests, Western Guinean lowland forests, Guinean forestsavanna mosaic, and Guinean mangroves. [80] Much research into Tbg was performed in the 1970s by Mehlitz and by Gibson, both working in Bong Mine with samples from around the country. [120], In 2003, additional UN sanctions were placed on Liberian timber exports, which had risen from US$5 million in 1997 to over US$100 million in 2002 and were believed to be funding rebels in Sierra Leone. The climate, especially on the coast, is warm and humid year-round, dominated by a dry season from November to April and by a rainy season from May to October. The House, led by a speaker, has 73 members apportioned among the 15 counties on the basis of the national census, with each county receiving a minimum of two members. [citation needed], Liberia has a rich history in textile arts and quilting, as the settlers brought with them their sewing and quilting skills. Latosols of low to medium fertility occur in rolling hill country and cover about three-fourths of the total land surface. "[29], American and other international interests emphasized resource extraction, with rubber production a major industry in the early 20th century. [185] With a fertility rate of 5.9 births per woman, the maternal mortality rate stood at 990 per 100,000 births in 2010, and 1,072 per 100,000 births in 2017. Highly fertile alluvial soils represent a small percentage of the land area and are utilized largely for agriculture. [217][218] In 2018, the Liberian Commerce and Industry Minister announced that the Liberian government is committed to adopting the metric system.[219]. [30][31][32], The leadership of the new nation consisted largely of the Americo-Liberians, who initially established political and economic dominance in the coastal areas that the ACS had purchased; they maintained relations with U.S. contacts in developing these areas and the resulting trade. Liberia currently does not have any constitutional framework or uniform statutes which deal with the creation or revocation of local governments. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf At Official Launch and Fundraising Program Of the Grand Bassa Community College", "Government Moves Ahead With Education Decentralization Plans", "July 26 Celebrations Kick Off in Lofa As President Sirleaf Arrives", "Liberia's Weah announces free tuition for undergrads", "Starz University Aim For Global Success", "St Clements University College Liberia", "The State of the World's Midwifery 2011: Liberia", "Maternal health gets a new boost in Liberia", "Data: Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population ages 1549)", "Liberia: Nurtitional "crisis" in Monrovia", "Data: Malnutrition prevalence, weight for age (% of children under 5). The countrys first post-conflict elections, held in 2005, were noteworthy for the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to the presidency, as she was the first woman to be elected head of state in Africa. The 7 Best Small Towns In Nevada To Chill Out, 11 Coolest Small Towns in Washington for a Summer Vacation. Other trees of value are rubber, cacao, coffee, and the raffia palm. [69], The equatorial climate, in the south of the country, is hot year-round with heavy rainfall from May to October with a short interlude in mid-July to August. [25] Indigenous tribesmen did not enjoy birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904. 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. 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. [194], Approximately 95% of the country's healthcare facilities had been destroyed by the time civil war ended in 2003. One of the most well-known Liberian quilters was Martha Ann Ricks,[203] who presented a quilt featuring the famed Liberian coffee tree to Queen Victoria in 1892. Founding of Liberia, 1847 The founding of Liberia in the early 1800s was motivated by the domestic politics of slavery and race in the United States as well as by U.S. foreign policy interests. [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. A map of Liberia's major rivers and their drainage systems This is a list of rivers in Liberia . Nicola Jones, Janice Cooper, Elizabeth Presler-Marshall and David Walker, June 2014; "The fallout of rape as a weapon of war", ODI; Pew Forum on Religious & Public life. [1] An informal system of traditional courts still exists within the rural areas of the country, with trial by ordeal remaining common despite being officially outlawed. 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. The map can be downloaded, printed, and used for educational purposes or coloring. [82], Slash-and-burn agriculture is one of the human activities eroding Liberia's natural forests. Based on the political principles of the United States Constitution, it established the independent Republic of Liberia. [148] In 2013, Liberia began importing power from neighboring Ivory Coast and Guinea through the West African Power Pool. The outline map represents the West African country of Liberia. [204], A rich literary tradition has existed in Liberia for over a century. The ethnic Kru opposed the influx of Vai, forming an alliance with the Mane to stop further influx of Vai.[17]. [90] The judicial system is a blend of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law. [86], The fifteen counties are administered by superintendents appointed by the president. In Liberia the shield has been intensely folded and faulted and is interspersed with iron-bearing formations known as itabirites. Official name: Republic of Liberia. [18] Formed in 1816, the American Colonization Society (ACS) was made up mostly of Quakers and slaveholders. Liberia imports 90% of its rice, a staple food, and is extremely vulnerable to food shortages. [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. Mortality from tropical diseases was highof the 4,571 emigrants who arrived in Liberia between 1820 and 1843, only 1,819 survived. Guinea, Cote D'Ivoire, Sierra Leone. Between ~43.5ka, these societies gradually transformed into food producers, possibly through contact with northern pastoralists and agriculturalists, as the environment became more arid. Colonial settlements were raided by the Kru and Grebo from their inland chiefdoms. Moumouni, Guillaume. The", "Data: Improved sanitation facilities (% of population with access)", "Liberia: Breathing Life into ailing healthcare system", "Data: Health expenditure per capita (current US$)", "Data: Health expenditure, total (% of GDP)", "Liberian health authorities confirm two cases of Ebola: WHO", The Ebola response in West Africa: Exposing the politics and culture of international aid, "Liberia: War-Weary, With Echoes of Old Dixie", "Liberia: It's the Little Things A Reflection on Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's Journey to the Presidency", "Liberia: "Literature Must Be Given Priority", "Baa Salaka: Sacrificial Lamb A Book Review & Commentary", "George Weah: Ex-AC Milan, Chelsea & Man City striker elected Liberia president", "Liberia:Chaos Mars Grand Bassa and Nimba Clash", "Reforming Cocoa and Coffee Marketing in Liberia", "Gov't Pledges Commitment to Adopt Metric System", Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, List of countries by English-speaking population, List of countries where English is an official language, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Liberia&oldid=1150057700, English-speaking countries and territories, States and territories established in 1847, Articles with dead external links from May 2020, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from September 2018, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in Liberian English, Wikipedia introduction cleanup from January 2023, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from January 2023, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Pages using infobox country or infobox former country with the symbol caption or type parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2023, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2023, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2019, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2006, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles lacking reliable references from May 2022, Articles lacking reliable references from November 2015, Articles containing potentially dated statements from November 2014, Articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0.
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