Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. 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 continues.
Population
3,685,076 (July 2010 est.)
Country comparison to the world:129
Nationality
Noun:Liberian(s)
Adjective:Liberian
Ethnic groups
indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), 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
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Languages
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence
Country Name
Conventional long form:Republic of Liberia
Conventional short form:Liberia
Government Type
republic
Capital
Name:Monrovia
Geographic coordinates:6 18 N, 10 48 W
Time difference:UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state:President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government:President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006)
Cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate
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Elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 November 2005 (next to be held in October 2011)
Election results:Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6%, George WEAH 40.4%
Legislative branch
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note - number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; 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 on 11 October 2005 (next to be held in October 2011); House of Representatives - last held on 11 October 2005 (next to be held in October 2011)
Election results:Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15; note - the UP now holds 13 out of 30 senate seats and 16 out of 64 house seats following a merger with several smaller parties in 2009
note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Political Parties and Leaders
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH]; Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL [H. Varney SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Other:demobilized former military officers
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES
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 Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD
Embassy:111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10
Mailing address:use embassy street address
Telephone:[231] 7-705-4826
FAX:[231] 7-701-0370
Flag description
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a white five-pointed star appears on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the stripes symbolize the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence; the blue square represents the African mainland, and the star represents the freedom granted to the ex-slaves; according to the constitution, the blue color signifies liberty, justice, and fidelity, the white color purity, cleanliness, and guilelessness, and the red color steadfastness, valor, and fervor
note: the design is based on the US flag
