STATSFACTANDFIGURES
| The World Factbook |
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Liberia |
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Background:
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In August 2003, a
comprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years of civil war and prompted
the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to
Nigeria. After two years of rule by a transitional government,
democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF
to power. The legislative and presidential polls were broadly deemed
free and fair despite fraud allegations from JOHNSON-SIRLEAF's rival
George WEAH. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong
presence throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for
former combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still
volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure
of this war-torn country remains sluggish. |
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Location:
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Western Africa, bordering
the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone |
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Geographic coordinates:
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6 30 N, 9 30 W |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 111,370 sq
km
land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than
Tennessee
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra
Leone 306 km
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Coastline:
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579 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea:
200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid; dry
winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with
frequent heavy showers |
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Terrain:
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mostly flat to rolling
coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m |
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Natural resources:
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iron ore, timber,
diamonds, gold, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 3.43%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 94.59% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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30 sq km (2003) |
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Natural hazards:
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dust-laden harmattan
winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) |
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Environment - current issues:
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tropical rain forest
deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal
waters from oil residue and raw sewage |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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facing the Atlantic
Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and
river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited
agriculture
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Population:
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3,042,004 (July 2006
est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 43.1%
(male 656,016/female 653,734)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 816,443/female 832,152)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 40,591/female 43,068) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 18.1 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.3 years (2006 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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4.91% (2006 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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44.77 births/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
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Death rate:
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23.1 deaths/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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27.39 migrant(s)/1,000
population
note: at least 238,500 Liberian refugees are in surrounding
countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their ability
to return (2006 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 155.76
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 171.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 139.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
39.65 years
male: 37.99 years
female: 41.35 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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6.02 children born/woman
(2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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5.9% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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100,000 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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7,200 (2003 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree of risk:
very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2005)
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Nationality:
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noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian |
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Ethnic groups:
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indigenous African tribes
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) |
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Religions:
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indigenous beliefs 40%,
Christian 40%, Muslim 20% |
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Languages:
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English 20% (official),
some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are
used in correspondence |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15
and over can read and write
total population: 57.5%
male: 73.3%
female: 41.6% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long
form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Monrovia |
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Administrative divisions:
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15 counties; Bomi, Bong,
Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa,
Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
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Independence:
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26 July 1847 |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 26 July
(1847)
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Constitution:
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6 January 1986 |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age;
universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 6
January 2006); 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 8 November 2005 (next to be held NA
2011)
election results: Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF elected president;
percent of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF (UP) 59.6%, George
WEAH (CDC) 40.4%
note: a UN-brokered cease-fire among warring factions and the
Liberian Government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of former
president, Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement, Chairman
Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as head of the National Transitional
Government on 14 October 2003; free elections were held 11 October 2005,
with a runoff election between the two leading candidates on 8 November
2005 |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral National
Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats - 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 11 October 2005 (next to be held in
2014); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be
held NA 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, UP 8, COTOL 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15
note: the current six-year term for junior senators - those who
received the second most votes in the election - is mandated by the
Liberian constitution to stagger Senate elections and ensure continuity
of government |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Alliance for Peace and
Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH]; Coalition for the Transformation of
Liberia or COTOL; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH];
Liberian Action Party or LAP [H. Varney SHERMAN]; Liberty Party or LP
[Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN];
Unity Party or UP [Charles CLARKE]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Charles A. MINOR
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
consulate(s) general: New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba
Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380
FAX: [231] 226-148 |
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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Civil war and government
mismanagement have destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the
infrastructure in and around Monrovia, while continued international
sanctions on diamonds and timber exports will limit growth prospects for
the foreseeable future. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking
capital and expertise with them. Some have returned, but many will not.
Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate
favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of
basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing,
mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The departure of the
former president, Charles TAYLOR, to Nigeria in August 2003, the
establishment of the all-inclusive Transitional Government, and the
arrival of a UN mission have helped diffuse the political crisis, but
have done little to encourage economic development. Wealthy
international donors, who are ready to assist reconstruction efforts,
are withholding funding until Liberia's National Assembly signs onto a
Governance and Economic Management Action Plan (GEMAP). The Plan was
created in October 2005 by the International Contact Group for Liberia
to help ensure transparent revenue collection and allocation - something
that was lacking under the Transitional Government and that has limited
Liberia's economic recovery. The reconstruction of infrastructure and
the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on
generous financial support and technical assistance from donor
countries. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$2.598 billion (2005
est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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NA |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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8% (2005 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$900 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 76.9%
industry: 5.4%
services: 17.7% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 70%, industry
8%, services 22% (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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85% (2003 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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80% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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15% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $85.4
million
expenditures: $90.5 million; including capital expenditures of
$NA (2000 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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rubber, coffee, cocoa,
rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats;
timber |
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Industries:
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rubber processing, palm
oil processing, timber, diamonds |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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509.4 million kWh (2003)
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption:
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473.8 million kWh (2003)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2003) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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3,400 bbl/day (2003 est.)
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day |
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2003 est.) |
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Exports:
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$910 million f.o.b. (2004
est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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rubber, timber, iron,
diamonds, cocoa, coffee |
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Exports - partners:
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Denmark 28.1%, Germany
18%, Poland 13.6%, US 8.5%, Greece 7.6%, Thailand 4.8% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$4.839 billion f.o.b.
(2004 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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fuels, chemicals,
machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs
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Imports - partners:
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South Korea 38.8%, Japan
21.2%, Singapore 12.2%, Croatia 5.3%, Germany 4.2% (2004) |
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Debt - external:
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$3.2 billion (2005 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$94 million (1999) |
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Currency (code):
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Liberian dollar (LRD)
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Currency code:
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LRD |
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Exchange rates:
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Liberian dollars per US
dollar - NA (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003), 61.754 (2002), 48.583
(2001) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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6,900 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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47,300 (2003) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment:
the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the
capital Monrovia
domestic: fully automatic system with very low density of .21
fixed main lines per 100 persons; limited wireless service available
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2
(2001)
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Radios:
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790,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (plus four low-power
repeaters) (2001) |
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Televisions:
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70,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.lr |
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Internet hosts:
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5 (2005) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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2 (2001) |
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Internet users:
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1,000 (2002) |
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Airports:
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53 (2005) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 38 (2005)
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Railways:
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total: 490 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
note: none of the railways are in operation because of the civil
war (2004) |
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Roadways:
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total: 10,600 km
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km (1999) |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 1,533 ships
(1000 GRT or over) 56,681,509 GRT/88,825,842 DWT
by type: barge carrier 9, bulk carrier 290, cargo 82, chemical
tanker 189, combination ore/oil 14, container 409, liquefied gas 75,
passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 355, refrigerated cargo
55, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 34
foreign-owned: 1,460 (Argentina 8, Australia 2, Austria 14, The
Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Brazil 4, Canada 4, Chile 1, China 35, Croatia 6,
Cyprus 6, Denmark 5, France 3, Germany 510, Greece 229, Hong Kong 40,
India 4, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 5, Israel 5, Italy 20, Japan 100,
Kuwait 1, Latvia 17, Lebanon 1, Monaco 11, Netherlands 13, Norway 46,
Poland 14, Russia 65, Saudi Arabia 24, Singapore 16, Slovenia 2, Sweden
8, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 68, Thailand 1, Turkey 2, Ukraine 15, UAE 15,
UK 49, US 77, Uruguay 3) (2005)
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Ports and terminals:
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Buchanan, Monrovia
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Military branches:
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Armed Forces of Liberia
(AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years of age for
voluntary military service; no conscription (2001) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 18-49:
575,384
females age 18-49: 588,780 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 18-49:
267,430
females age 18-49: 286,231 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$67.4 million (2005 est.)
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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7.5% (2005 est.)
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Transnational Issues |
Liberia |
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Disputes - international:
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although Liberia's
domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth
gangs was declared over in 2003, civil unrest persists, and in 2004,
133,000 Liberian refugees remained in Guinea, 72,000 in Cote d'Ivoire,
67,000 in Sierra Leone, and 43,000 in Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters
refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone; since 2003,
the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has maintained about 18,000
peacekeepers in Liberia; the Cote d'Ivoire Government accuses Liberia of
supporting Ivoirian rebels; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting
diamonds and timber |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of
origin): 13,941 (Sierra Leone) 12,408 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 464,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began
in November 2004) (2005) |
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Illicit drugs:
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transshipment point for
Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the
European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing,
and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering,
but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's
utility as a major money-laundering center
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This page was last updated on 1 November,
2005
Source: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/li.html |
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