"[29], American and other international interests emphasized resource extraction, with rubber production a major industry in the early 20th century. King and Vice President Allen N. Yancy resigned. 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. [76] After international protests, many of those logging permits were canceled. The University of Liberia is the country's largest and oldest university. 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. [53] Encounters with tribal Africans in the bush often became violent. pp. [215], The Liberian government has begun transitioning away from use of United States customary units to the metric system. [127][128], Due to its status as a flag of convenience, Liberia has the second-largest maritime registry in the world behind Panama. [42], On April 12, 1980, a military coup led by Master Sergeant Samuel Doe of the Krahn ethnic group overthrew and killed President William R. Tolbert Jr. Doe and the other plotters later executed a majority of Tolbert's cabinet and other Americo-Liberian government officials and True Whig Party members. ", "Ellen Describes Tubman University's Opening As PRS Success", "Remarks by H.E. Liberia is the only Black state in Africa never subjected to colonial rule and is Africas oldest republic. Liberia is divided into 15 counties which are subdivided into 90 and further into clans. 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). [1] Each House member represents an electoral district within a county as drawn by the National Elections Commission and is elected by a plurality of the popular vote of their district into a six-year term. [citation needed], Liberia has a rich history in textile arts and quilting, as the settlers brought with them their sewing and quilting skills. Additional rivers of note are the Lofa, St. Paul, St. John and Cestos River, all of which flow into theAtlantic. [1] Senators serve nine-year terms and are elected at-large by a plurality of the popular vote. This was because they faced racial discrimination in the form of political disenfranchisement and the denial of civil, religious, and social rights. 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. [113][114], 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. It has 3,500 vessels registered under its flag, accounting for 11% of ships worldwide. The 1988 Omnibus Foreign Trade and Competitiveness Act designated the metric system as "the preferred system of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce," but in practice the system is in mixed usage, with the population generally preferring customary units and industries either fully metric or mixed. [86], Prior to the 2008 census, the last census had been taken in 1984 and listed the country's population as 2,101,628. Competition for office was usually contained within the party; a party nomination virtually ensured election. "[93] In 2014, the US ambassador to Liberia said that corruption there was harming people through "unnecessary costs to products and services that are already difficult for many Liberians to afford". List of 99 Liberia mountains showing elevation, prominence, and popularity Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [25] Indigenous tribesmen did not enjoy birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904. OECD Atlas of Gender and Development: How Social Norms Affect Gender Equality in non-OECD Countries, OECD Publishing, 2010. p 236. [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. 19, The Dei, Bassa, Kru, Gola, and Kissi were some of the earliest documented peoples in the area. Commerce is prohibited by law on Sunday and major Christian holidays. [29] The United States did not recognize Liberia until 1862, after the Southern states, which had strong political power in the American government, declared their secession and the formation of the Confederacy. This discussion focuses on Liberia from the 19th century. [16] Shortly after the Mane conquered the region, the Vai people of the former Mali Empire immigrated into the Grand Cape Mount County region. [54], The United Nations Mission in Liberia began arriving in September 2003 to provide security and monitor the peace accord,[55] What part of Africa is Liberia located in? Mortality from tropical diseases was highof the 4,571 emigrants who arrived in Liberia between 1820 and 1843, only 1,819 survived. [16], This influx of these groups was compounded by the decline of the Mali Empire in 1375 and the Songhai Empire in 1591. 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. [19] Similar state-based organizations established colonies in Mississippi-in-Africa, Kentucky in Africa, and the Republic of Maryland, which Liberia later annexed. [62] In November 2011, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was re-elected for a second six-year term. [186][187] A number of highly communicable diseases are widespread, including tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases and malaria. The "Black Continent" is divided roughly in two by the equator and surrounded by sea except where the Isthmus of Suez joins it to Asia. [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). GeoNames ID. Founded in 1988, the school is owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia. The settlers wore top hat and tails and modeled their homes on those of Southern slaveowners. [56] Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Official name: Republic of Liberia. [168], In 2010, the literacy rate of Liberia was estimated at 60.8% (64.8% for males and 56.8% for females). [124], Liberia has the highest ratio of foreign direct investment to GDP in the world, with US$16 billion in investment since 2006. Retrieved October 29, 2013, Marc DuBois and Caitlin Wake, with Scarlett Sturridge and Christina Bennett (2015). )[37], Soon after, allegations of modern slavery in Liberia led the League of Nations to establish the Christy commission. Coauthor of. Liberia imports 90% of its rice, a staple food, and is extremely vulnerable to food shortages. The all-female Sande society practices female circumcision. [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. [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. Hospitals in Liberia include the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia and several others. Pressure from the United Kingdom, which controlled Sierra Leone to the northwest, and France, with its interests in the north and east, led to a loss of Liberia's claims to extensive territories. English is the official language, but over 20 indigenous languages are spoken, reflecting the country's ethnic and cultural diversity. Forestry is an important industry in Liberia. On average, children attain 10 years of education (11 for boys and 8 for girls). A striking feature of the mountainous northern highlands along the Guinea frontier is Mount Nimba. Deforestation and drought in the Sahel have affected the climate, lengthening the dry season by almost a month in some areas. [76] In September 2014, Liberia and Norway struck an agreement whereby Liberia ceased all logging in exchange for $150 million in development aid. The dusty and dry harmattan (desert winds) blow from the Sahara to the coast in December, bringing relief from the high relative humidity. [66] The inauguration marked Liberia's first fully democratic transition in 74 years. Many were of mixed race and educated in American culture; they did not identify with the indigenous natives of the tribes they encountered. [112] The global financial crisis slowed GDP growth to 4.6% in 2009,[112] though a strengthening agricultural sector led by rubber and timber exports increased growth to 5.1% in 2010 and an expected 7.3% in 2011, making the economy one of the 20 fastest-growing in the world. [73] Four terrestrial ecoregions lie within Liberia's borders: Guinean montane forests, Western Guinean lowland forests, Guinean forestsavanna mosaic, and Guinean mangroves. [204], A rich literary tradition has existed in Liberia for over a century. However, over the years the two groups joined and the terms "Americo -Liberian" and "Congo" were used interchangeably. Coeditor of. It is a region suitable for agriculture and forestry. 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. [85], Liberia is divided into fifteen counties, which, in turn, are subdivided into a total of 90 districts and further subdivided into clans. Bushrod Island is an island near Monrovia, Liberia surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, . After UN Security Council Resolution 1509 in September 2003, the United Nations Mission in Liberia arrived to referee the ceasefire with units from Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, and China with the view to assist the National Transitional Government of Liberia in forming the new Liberian military. [112] Liberia's external debt was estimated in 2006 at approximately $4.5 billion, 800% of GDP. It lies between latitudes 4 and 9N, and longitudes 7 and 12W. [26][27] On August 24, Liberia adopted its 11-striped national flag. James Monroe (for whom it was named) by the American Colonization Society as a settlement for freed American slaves. See hiking info, trail maps, and trip reports for every peak. [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. [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. Financial Time's World Desk Reference (2004) Dorling Kindersley Publishing, p. 368. [1], The president serves as head of government, head of state, and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia. The Kpelle comprise more than 20% of the population and are the largest ethnic group in Liberia, residing mostly in Bong County and adjacent areas in central Liberia. 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 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. A small minority of Liberians who are White Africans of European descent reside in the country. and an interim government took power the following October. 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. The population is composed . Liberias rainforest used to abound with animals such as monkeys, chimpanzees, small antelopes, pygmy hippopotamuses, and anteaters. Wikidata ID. [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. [202] Most Americo-Liberian men were members of the Masonic Order of Liberia, which became heavily involved in the nation's politics. 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. It is located in the Northern and Western Hemispheres. [97], Both male and female homosexuality are illegal in Liberia. [175][176][177], Due to student protests late in October 2018, newly elected president George M. Weah abolished tuition fees for undergraduate students in the public universities in Liberia.[178]. With an area of 11,551 sq. [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. Liberia has been an active participant in international and local policy changes related to climate change. [43], After Liberia adopted a new constitution in 1985, Doe was elected president in subsequent elections that were internationally condemned as fraudulent. [18] Formed in 1816, the American Colonization Society (ACS) was made up mostly of Quakers and slaveholders. - 13488122 [82], Slash-and-burn agriculture is one of the human activities eroding Liberia's natural forests. multiparty republic with two legislative bodies (Liberian Senate [30]; House of Representatives [73]), Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz, Which Country Is Larger By Population? Their passage of the 1865 Ports of Entry Act prohibited foreign commerce with the inland tribes, ostensibly to "encourage the growth of civilized values" before such trade was allowed in the region. Providence Island is situated between Mesurado River and Stockton creek, can be described as an interesting period in the history of Liberia and is very symbolic as a testament of how freed slaves forged nationhood out of their forced calamity upon gaining freedom when slavery was abolished. The Portuguese named the area Costa da Pimenta ("Pepper Coast") but it later came to be known as the Grain Coast, due to the abundance of melegueta pepper grains. The 16 officially recognized ethnic groups include the Kpelle, Bassa, Mano, Gio or Dan, Kru, Grebo, Krahn, Vai, Gola, Mandingo or Mandinka, Mende, Kissi, Gbandi, Loma, Dei or Dewoin, Belleh, and Americo-Liberians or Congo people (so named because many immigrants including those freed from slave ships arrived from ports at the mouth of the Congo River). [57] Upon her inauguration, Sirleaf requested the extradition of Taylor from Nigeria and transferred him to the SCSL for trial in The Hague. [216] However, this change has been gradual, with government reports concurrently using both United States Customary and metric units. [168], Muslims comprised 12.2% of the population in 2008, largely represented by the Mandingo and Vai ethnic groups. Please select which sections you would like to print: Professor and Chairman, Department of History, University of Liberia, Monrovia. [94] The National Police Training Academy is in Paynesville City. African Methodist Episcopal University, a private higher education institution that was founded in 1995. Mean annual temperatures range between 65 F (18 C) in the northern highlands to 80 F (27 C) along the coast. 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]. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Moumouni, Guillaume. Liberia (/labri/ (listen)), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. Between 1461 and the late 17th century, Portuguese, Dutch, and British traders had contacts and trading posts in the region. [90], From 1877 to 1980, the government was dominated by the True Whig Party. [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 country is home to a lush rainforest containing a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Members are nominated to the court by the president and are confirmed by the Senate, serving until the age of 70. [74] It had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.79/10, ranking it 116th globally out of 172 countries. European traders would barter commodities and goods with local people. A peace deal was signed later that month. [1][162][bettersourceneeded] These latter two groups established political control in the 19th century which they kept well into the 20th century. [113] Liberia gained observer status with the World Trade Organization in 2010 and became an official member in 2016. B. Jallah to the International Association of Law Schools Conference Learning From Each Other: Enriching the Law School Curriculum in an Interrelated World Held at Soochow University Kenneth Wang School of Law, Suzhou, China, October 1719, 2007. [57] The 2005 elections marked the first time that the president's party did not gain a majority of seats in the Legislature. Subsequently, it was one of 32 nations to take part in the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919, which ended the war and established the League of Nations; Liberia was among the few African and non-Western nations to participate in both the conference and the founding of the League. [206], One-third of married Liberian women between the ages of 1549 are in polygamous marriages. It has a population of around 5 million and covers an area of 43,000 square miles (111,369km2). Outsiders' knowledge of the west of Africa began with a Portuguese sailor, Pedro de Sintra, who reached the Liberian coast in 1461. km. Between ~43.5ka, these societies gradually transformed into food producers, possibly through contact with northern pastoralists and agriculturalists, as the environment became more arid. [67] Weah cited fighting corruption, reforming the economy, combating illiteracy, and improving living conditions as the main targets of his presidency.[67]. [35], In 1927, the country's elections again showed the power of the True Whig Party, with electoral proceedings that have been called some of the most rigged ever;[36] the winning candidate was declared to have received votes amounting to more than 15 times the number of eligible voters. As inland regions underwent desertification, inhabitants moved to the wetter coast. Tbg and its vector Glossina palpalis gambiense are a constant presence in the rainforests here. 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. As of 2015, it had more than 8,000 mostly Liberian employees, making it the country's largest private employer. [71] Climate change is expected to severely impact the economy of Liberia, especially agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. [68] Climate change in Liberia causes many problems as Liberia is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Includes 99 Liberia mountains. Under heavy pressure from the international community and the domestic Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace movement,[52] [80] This causes the disease nagana. Liberia is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. [160] In 2010 some 43.5% of Liberians were below the age of 15.[157]. Liberian independence was proclaimed in 1847, and its boundaries were expanded. [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. [1] The country's education sector is hampered by inadequate schools and supplies, as well as a lack of qualified teachers. Liberia Population What Is The Population Of Liberia? 2278117. [1], The Legislature is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. [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. Adventist University of West Africa, a post-secondary learning environment that is situated in Margibi County, on the Roberts International Airport. [57] Public schools offer biblical studies, though parents may opt their children out. 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. Nimba is the largest of the counties in size at 11,551km2 (4,460sqmi), while Montserrado is the smallest at 737.069sqmi (1,909.00km2). Hemispheres: Northern and Eastern. Founded as the Liberian Frontier Force in 1908, the military was renamed in 1956. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Edward Wilmot Blyden, Bai T. Moore, Roland T. Dempster and Wilton G. S. Sankawulo are among Liberia's more prominent authors. [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 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. 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.
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