| Background: |
Seven years of
civil strife were brought to a close in 1996 when free and
open presidential and legislative elections were held.
President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no
real political opposition. The years of fighting coupled
with the flight of most businesses have disrupted formal
economic activity. A still unsettled domestic security
situation has slowed the process of rebuilding the social
and economic structure of this war-torn country. |
| Location: |
Western Africa,
bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire
and Sierra Leone |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
6 30 N, 9 30 W |
| Area: |
total:
111,370 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly larger
than Tennessee |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire
716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
territorial
sea: 200 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical; hot,
humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights;
wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers |
| Terrain: |
mostly flat to
rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low
mountains in northeast |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m |
| Natural
resources: |
iron ore, timber,
diamonds, gold, hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
1%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 59%
forests and woodland: 18%
other: 19% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
20 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
dust-laden
harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
tropical rain
forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of
biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue
and raw sewage |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change,
Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation |
| Population: |
3,225,837 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
43.21% (male 698,178; female 695,599)
15-64 years: 53.34% (male 840,103; female
880,403)
65 years and over: 3.45% (male 56,073; female
55,481) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.92% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
46.55
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
16.36
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-11 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.)
note: by the end of 1999, all Liberian
refugees, who had fled the domestic strife, were assumed to
have returned |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
132.42
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 51.41 years
male: 49.96 years
female: 52.91 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
6.36 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
2.8% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
39,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
4,500 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
indigenous
African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo,
Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella),
Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the
US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of
immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves) |
| Religions: |
indigenous
beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% |
| Languages: |
English 20%
(official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few
can be written and are used in correspondence |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 38.3%
male: 53.9%
female: 22.4% (1995 est.)
note: these figures are increasing because of
the improving school system |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia |
| Government
type: |
republic |
| Administrative
divisions: |
13 counties; Bomi,
Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru,
Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess,
Sinoe |
| Independence: |
26 July 1847 |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
26 July (1847) |
| Constitution: |
6 January 1986 |
| Legal
system: |
dual system of
statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the
modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal
practices for indigenous sector |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2
August 1997); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Charles Ghankay
TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and
confirmed by the Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote
for a six-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July
1997 (next to be held NA July 2003)
election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR
elected president; percent of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR
(NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH
(ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1% |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral
National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the
House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997
(next to be held in NA 2006); House of Representatives -
last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2003)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of Political
Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1; note - the Alliance of Political
Parties was a coalition of the LAP and the Liberia
Unification Party or LUP |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
All Liberia
Coalition Party or ALCOP [Lusinee KAMARA]; Liberian Action
Party or LAP [Cletus WOTORSON]; Liberian National Union or
LINU [Henry MONIBA, chairman]; Liberian People's Party or
LPP [Togba-Nah TIPOTEH, chairman]; National Democratic Party
of Liberia or NDPL [Isaac DAKINAH]; National Patriotic Party
or NPP [Charles Ghankay TAYLOR] - governing party; People's
Progressive Party or PPP [Chea CHEAPOO, chairman];
Reformation Alliance Party or RAP [Henry Boimah FAHNBULLEH,
chairman]; True Whig Party or TWP [Rudolph SHERMAN,
chairman]; United People's Party or UPP [Gabriel Baccus
MATTHEWS, chairman]; Unity Party or UP [Charles Clarke] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, AfDB, CCC,
ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory
user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador William BULL
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC
20011
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Bismarck MYRICK
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box
10-0098, Mamba Point, Monrovia
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380
FAX: [231] 226-148 |
| Flag
description: |
11 equal
horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with
white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square
in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the
US flag |
| Economy
- overview: |
A civil war in
1989-96 destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the
infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen fled
the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some
returned during 1997. Many will not return. Richly endowed
with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate
favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and
exporter of basic products, while local manufacturing,
mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The
democratically elected government, installed in August 1997,
inherited massive international debts and currently relies
on revenues from its maritime registry to provide the bulk
of its foreign exchange earnings. The restoration of the
infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged
economy depend on the implementation of sound macro- and
micro-economic policies of the new government, including the
encouragement of foreign investment. Recent growth has been
from a low base, and continued growth will require major
policy successes. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $3.35 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
15% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $1,100 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
60%
industry: 10%
services: 30% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
80% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
5% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 70%,
industry 8%, services 22% (1999 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital
expenditures of $NA |
| Industries: |
rubber
processing, palm oil processing, diamonds |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA |
| Electricity
- production: |
432 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
401.8 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
rubber, coffee,
cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane,
bananas; sheep, goats; timber |
| Exports: |
$55 million
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
diamonds, iron
ore, rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa |
| Exports
- partners: |
Belgium 53%,
Switzerland 9%, US 6%, France 4% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$170 million
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
fuels, chemicals,
machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods;
rice and other foodstuffs |
| Imports
- partners: |
South Korea 30%,
Italy 24%, Japan 15%, Germany 9% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$3 billion (1999
est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$200 million
pledged (1998) |
| Currency: |
Liberian dollar (LRD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Liberian dollars
per US dollar - 39.8100 (December 2000), 41.0483 (2000),
41.9025 (1999), 41.5075 (1998), 1.0000 (officially fixed
rate 1940-97); market exchange rate: Liberian dollars per US
dollar - 40 (December 1998), 50 (October 1995)
note: until December 1997, rates were based on
a fixed relationship with the US dollar; beginning in
January 1998, rates are market determined |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
6,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
0 (1995) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: telephone and telegraph service via
microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 0, FM 6,
shortwave 4 (1999) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
2 (plus four
low-power repeaters) (2000) |
| Televisions: |
70,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.lr |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
300 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
490 km (328 km single track); note - three rail systems
owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests
in conjunction with the Liberian Government; one of these,
the Lamco Railroad, closed in 1989 after iron ore production
ceased; the other two were shut down by the civil war; large
sections of the rail lines have been dismantled;
approximately 60 km of railroad track was exported for scrap
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge |
| Highways: |
total:
10,600 km
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km
note: (there is major deterioration on all
highways due to heavy rains and lack of maintenance) (1996
est.) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Buchanan,
Greenville, Harper, Monrovia |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
1,478 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 49,456,361 GRT/76,620,648
DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 324, cargo
97, chemical tanker 163, combination bulk 20, combination
ore/oil 38, container 245, liquefied gas 97,
multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 24,
petroleum tanker 310, refrigerated cargo 74, roll on/roll
off 19, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 12,
vehicle carrier 45
note: includes some foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 8,
Australia 1, Ashmore and Cartier Islands 1, Austria 5,
Bermuda 5, Belgium 5, Burma 1, Brazil 8, Canada 1, China 28,
Chile 7, Costa Rica 8, Cyprus 27, Denmark 4, Ecuador 1,
Germany 117, Greece 83, Hong Kong 54, Croatia 9, Indonesia
2, India 8, Israel 1, Italy 8, Japan 85, South Korea 8,
Latvia 15, Monaco 28, Mexico 6, Malaysia 1, Nigeria 1,
Netherlands 7, Norway 86, Netherlands Antilles 1, NZ 1,
Poland 2, Portugal 2, Philippines 1, Russia 22, Saudi Arabia
20, South Africa 1, Slovenia 1, Singapore 30, Spain 1,
Sweden 8, Switzerland 23, UAE 5, Taiwan 10, UK 15, US 85,
Uruguay 1, Vietnam 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
44
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 36 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Air Force,
Navy |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 715,753 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 385,460 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$1 million (FY98) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2% (FY98) |
| Disputes
- international: |
large refugee
population from civil war in Sierra Leone |
| Illicit
drugs: |
increasingly a
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin
and South American cocaine for the European and US markets |
|
