Independence Year : 1847
Population : 3154000
Life Expectancy : 51.0
Capital : 2440
GNP : 2012.00
GNP Old : 0.00
Local Name : Liberia
Government Form : Republic
Location : Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone.
Terrain : Three areas--Mangrove swamps and beaches along the coast, wooded hills and semideciduous shrublands along the immediate interior, low mountains in northeast, dense tropical forests and plateaus in the interior. Liberia has 40% of West Africa's rain forest
Climate : tropical; hot, humid; in winter: dry with hot days and cool to cold nights; dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) in summer: wet, cloudy with frequent heavy showers.
Ethnic Group : Kpelle 20%, Bassa 16%, Gio 8%, Kru 7%, 49% spread over 12 other ethnic groups.
Religions : Christian 40%, Animist 40%, Muslim 20%.
Official Website :
www.micat.gov.lr
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General Information - Liberia
Background
Eight years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1997 when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held. President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real political opposition. 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. In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds, along with an arms embargo and a travel ban on government officials, for Liberia's support of the rebel insurgency in Sierra Leone. Renewed rebel activity has further eroded stability and economic activity. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a strong presence throughout the country, but the security situation is still fragile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country will take many years.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)
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