[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 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. [22] These free African Americans and their descendants married within their community and came to identify as Americo-Liberians. [174] Since 2006, the government has also opened community colleges in Buchanan, Sanniquellie, and Voinjama. [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. Cape Mount near the border with Sierra Leone receives the most precipitation in the nation. Later Stone Age (LSA) populations evidence significant technological diversification, including both microlithic and macrolithic traditions. [93], The Liberian National Police is the country's national police force. [77] Bushmeat is often exported to neighboring Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, despite a ban on the cross-border sale of wild animals. [8] Gradually developing an Americo-Liberian identity,[9][10] the settlers carried their culture and tradition with them. [86], The fifteen counties are administered by superintendents appointed by the president. [49] By July 2003, the rebels had launched an assault on Monrovia. 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. "[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". Liberia hosted National Fairs in 1857 and 1858 in which prizes were awarded for various needle arts. [159] Nimba County is the next most populous county, with 462,026 residents. [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). Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 2 Robin Dunn-Marcos et al., "Liberians: An Introduction to Their History Culture," Culture Profile No. Many treessuch as red ironwood, camwood, whismore, teak, and mahoganyare valuable, but occur with other species, preventing easy harvest. St. Clements University College (Liberia), a private higher education institution that was founded in 2008. However, hunter-gatherers have survived in the more forested parts of West Africa until much later, attesting to the strength of ecological boundaries in this region. 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. This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name. (Nelson) See the Map of Liberia with Monrovia. Liberia has been an active participant in international and local policy changes related to climate change. The coastal plains are around 560 km long and 40 km wide and feature sandy beaches, lagoons, mangrove swamps, and some rocky outcrops. - 13488122 It is a region suitable for agriculture and forestry. pp. [60] In 2011, July 26 was proclaimed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to be observed as National Independence Day. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). August 9, 2012. [58][59], In 2006, the government established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the causes and crimes of the civil war. [148] In 2013, Liberia began importing power from neighboring Ivory Coast and Guinea through the West African Power Pool. [171] In other areas children are required to pay a tuition fee to attend school. Liberia, country along the coast of western Africa. [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. The colonial settlements were raided by the Kru and Grebo, from their inland chiefdoms. Located in Monrovia, the university opened in 1862. [66] The inauguration marked Liberia's first fully democratic transition in 74 years. African Methodist Episcopal University, a private higher education institution that was founded in 1995. From its original name, it was first renamed . Providence Island - UNESCO World Heritage Centre Pages in category "Islands of Liberia" The following 2 pages are in this category, out of 2 total. During the rainy season there is often severe flooding in the coastal plains. Coeditor of. It was an important producer of rubber in the early 20th century. [68] Liberia's three largest rivers are St. Paul exiting near Monrovia, the river St. John at Buchanan, and the Cestos River, all of which flow into the Atlantic. The first town (1822) was on Providence Island at the mouth of the Mesurado River. Please select which sections you would like to print: Professor and Chairman, Department of History, University of Liberia, Monrovia. Monrovia is the largest and capital city of Liberia. [165] Liberians also speak a variety of creolized dialects collectively known as Liberian English. [57] The 2005 elections marked the first time that the president's party did not gain a majority of seats in the Legislature. Christopolis was renamed Monrovia after President James Monroe and the colony was formally called Liberia (the free land). As of 2015, it had more than 8,000 mostly Liberian employees, making it the country's largest private employer. The 7 Best Small Towns In Nevada To Chill Out, 11 Coolest Small Towns in Washington for a Summer Vacation. [43], After Liberia adopted a new constitution in 1985, Doe was elected president in subsequent elections that were internationally condemned as fraudulent. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [214], Liberia has not yet completely adopted the International System of Units (abbreviated as the SI, also called the metric system). This list may not reflect recent changes . [124], Liberia has the highest ratio of foreign direct investment to GDP in the world, with US$16 billion in investment since 2006. Forestry is an important industry in Liberia. [38] As a result of the report, President Charles D. B. See hiking info, trail maps, and trip reports for every peak. [74] It had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.79/10, ranking it 116th globally out of 172 countries. Between 1461 and the late 17th century, Portuguese, Dutch, and British traders had contacts and trading posts in the region. Give their locations, and length in miles. Believing themselves different from and culturally and educationally superior to the indigenous peoples, the Americo-Liberians developed as an elite minority that created and held on to political power. [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. Parallel to the coastal plains is a region of rolling hills some 20 miles (32 km) wide with an average maximum elevation of about 300 feet (90 metres); a few hills rise as high as 500 feet (150 metres). [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. Liberia Bordering Countries: 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. It was founded during the administration of U.S. Pres. The outline map represents the West African country of Liberia. [73] Four terrestrial ecoregions lie within Liberia's borders: Guinean montane forests, Western Guinean lowland forests, Guinean forestsavanna mosaic, and Guinean mangroves. [151][152][153] An additional 13 ultra-deep offshore blocks were demarcated in 2011 and planned for auction. Liberia is situated in West Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean to the country's southwest. [1], The president serves as head of government, head of state, and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia. [54], The United Nations Mission in Liberia began arriving in September 2003 to provide security and monitor the peace accord,[55] [1] Among the president's other duties are to sign or veto legislative bills, grant pardons, and appoint Cabinet members, judges, and other public officials. Life expectancy in Liberia is estimated to be 64.4 years in 2020. [50], In March 2003, a second rebel group, Movement for Democracy in Liberia, began launching attacks against Taylor from the southeast. Santa Monica, CA: Rand. Congo people, descendants of repatriated Congo and Afro-Caribbean slaves who arrived in 1825, make up an estimated 2.5%. [85], Liberia is divided into fifteen counties, which, in turn, are subdivided into a total of 90 districts and further subdivided into clans. [134], The mining industry of Liberia has witnessed a revival after the civil war which ended in 2003. The country's capital and largest city is Monrovia. [26], By 1877, the True Whig Party was the country's most powerful political entity. Official Name: Republic of Liberia Location: West Africa coast between Sierra Leone, Guinea, Cte d'Ivoire, and the Atlantic Ocean Population: 5,057,681 (as of 2020) Land Area: 43,000 square miles (111,369 square kilometres) Capital: Monrovia Official Language: English Form of Government: Unitary presidential constitutional republic The population includes 16 indigenous ethnic groups and various foreign minorities. [18] Formed in 1816, the American Colonization Society (ACS) was made up mostly of Quakers and slaveholders. [87], Parallel to the administrative divisions of the country are the local and municipal divisions. [202] Most Americo-Liberian men were members of the Masonic Order of Liberia, which became heavily involved in the nation's politics. [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. [46], The rebels soon split into various factions fighting one another. [76] In September 2014, Liberia and Norway struck an agreement whereby Liberia ceased all logging in exchange for $150 million in development aid. "[163] That being said, numerous immigrants have come as merchants and become a major part of the business community, including Lebanese, Indians, and other West African nationals. [189], In 2014, an outbreak of Ebola virus in Guinea spread to Liberia. [bettersourceneeded][1], English is the official language and serves as the lingua franca of Liberia. 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. Sirleaf's Vision With Passion", "Notes, Presented by Professor and Dean of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, David A. 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. [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. Located on Capitol Hill, the school has approximately 2,000 students. Liberia has one of the highest incidences of sexual violence against women in the world. "Congos." For much of Liberia's early history, the Congos were classed below the Americo -Liberians. [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. Guinea, Cote D'Ivoire, Sierra Leone. The map can be downloaded, printed, and used for educational purposes or coloring. The Liberian constitution exercises jus sanguinis, which means it usually restricts its citizenship to "Negroes or persons of Negro descent. Quiz, Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Liberia, Liberia - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Liberia - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). United Methodist University, a private Christian university located in Liberia, West Africa, it is commonly known amongst locals as UMU. Edward Wilmot Blyden, Bai T. Moore, Roland T. Dempster and Wilton G. S. Sankawulo are among Liberia's more prominent authors. As inland regions underwent desertification, inhabitants moved to the wetter coast. [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. [16] Shortly after the Mane conquered the region, the Vai people of the former Mali Empire immigrated into the Grand Cape Mount County region. [43] The coup leaders formed the People's Redemption Council (PRC) to govern the country. List of 99 Liberia mountains showing elevation, prominence, and popularity 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 [28] The United Kingdom was the first country to recognize Liberia's independence. 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. Subsequent Portuguese explorers named Grand Cape Mount, Cape Mesurado (Montserrado), and Cape Palmas, all . A Brief History of the African Country of Liberia - ThoughtCo [195] In 2009, government expenditure on health care per capita was US$22,[196] accounting for 10.6% of total GDP. [citation needed], Liberia has a rich history in textile arts and quilting, as the settlers brought with them their sewing and quilting skills. 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). It has a population of around 5 million and covers an area of 43,000 square miles (111,369km2). Open Location Code. However, Lincoln in 1862 described Liberia as only "in a certain sensea success", and proposed instead that free people of color be assisted to emigrate to Chiriqu, today part of Panama. The presence of MSA populations in forests remains an open question; however technological differences may correlate with various ecological zones. [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. [48] A peace deal between warring parties was reached in 1995, leading to Taylor's election as president in 1997. [86], Prior to the 2008 census, the last census had been taken in 1984 and listed the country's population as 2,101,628. The judiciary is further divided into circuit and speciality courts, magistrate courts and justices of the peace. This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 03:12. 15 Best Places to Visit in Liberia - The Crazy Tourist [44] Government repression intensified in response, as Doe's troops retaliated by executing members of the Gio and Mano ethnic groups in Nimba County. [206], One-third of married Liberian women between the ages of 1549 are in polygamous marriages. The second most popular sport in Liberia is basketball. Adolescent girls are the most frequently assaulted, and almost 40% of perpetrators are adult men known to victims. 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. [7], In 1822, the American Colonization Society began sending free people of color to the Pepper Coast voluntarily to establish a colony. It built the Freeport of Monrovia and Roberts International Airport under the Lend-Lease program before its entry into the Second World War. 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. During World War II, Liberia supported the United States war effort against Germany, and in turn received considerable American investment in infrastructure, which aided the country's wealth and development. [210] Liberia also has a tradition of baking imported from the United States that is unique in West Africa.[211]. [216] However, this change has been gradual, with government reports concurrently using both United States Customary and metric units. 2278117. [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. [16], This influx of these groups was compounded by the decline of the Mali Empire in 1375 and the Songhai Empire in 1591. On average, children attain 10 years of education (11 for boys and 8 for girls). The ethnic Kru opposed the influx of Vai, forming an alliance with the Mane to stop further influx of Vai.[17]. Town of Monrovia 1827 Hemispheres: Northern and Eastern. Please read the. The national capital of Monrovia is located in Montserrado. "China and Liberia: Engagement in a Post-Conflict Country 20032013". [1][162][bettersourceneeded] These latter two groups established political control in the 19th century which they kept well into the 20th century. While Christian, many Liberians also participate in traditional, gender-based indigenous religious secret societies, such as Poro for men and Sande for women. [173], In 2009, Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County was established as the second public university in Liberia. What are the six major rivers of Liberia and their location? Liberia occupies an area of about 43,000 square miles and has a population of about 4,900,000 people. Latosols of low to medium fertility occur in rolling hill country and cover about three-fourths of the total land surface. 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. This institution was founded in 1998. [90] The judicial system is a blend of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law. Like many other countries in Africa, Liberia both faces existing environmental issues, as well as sustainable development challenges. 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. Members are nominated to the court by the president and are confirmed by the Senate, serving until the age of 70. [172], Higher education is provided by a number of public and private universities. Liberia is a country in West Africa. [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. [127][128], Due to its status as a flag of convenience, Liberia has the second-largest maritime registry in the world behind Panama. King and Vice President Allen N. Yancy resigned. It is located in the Northern and Western Hemispheres. 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. 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). [125] Palm oil companies like Sime Darby (Malaysia) and Golden Veroleum (USA) have been accused of destroying livelihoods and displacing local communities, enabled by government concessions. [86] As of 2006[update], Liberia had the highest population growth rate in the world (4.50% per annum). The Americo-Liberian settlers did not relate well to the indigenous peoples they encountered. [citation needed]. Additional rivers of note are the Lofa, St. Paul, St. John and Cestos River, all of which flow into theAtlantic. [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. [12] Americo-Liberians encouraged religious organizations to set up missions and schools to educate the indigenous peoples. [114] Following Sirleaf's inauguration in 2006, Liberia signed several multi-billion-dollar concession agreements in the iron ore and palm oil industries with numerous multinational corporations, including ArcelorMittal, BHP and Sime Darby. Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Delaware, Newark. [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. 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]. 911. It has 3,500 vessels registered under its flag, accounting for 11% of ships worldwide. 1820 to 1847 | History Of Liberia: A Time Line | Articles and Essays

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