[49] The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, a rebel group based in the northwest of the country, launched an armed insurrection against Taylor. [168], In 2010, the literacy rate of Liberia was estimated at 60.8% (64.8% for males and 56.8% for females). 911. [15], The Pepper Coast, also known as the Grain Coast, has been inhabited by indigenous peoples of Africa at least as far back as the 12th century. [62] In November 2011, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was re-elected for a second six-year term. [7], In 1822, the American Colonization Society began sending free people of color to the Pepper Coast voluntarily to establish a colony. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. [200], According to an Overseas Development Institute report, private health expenditure accounts for 64.1% of total spending on health. "Congos." For much of Liberia's early history, the Congos were classed below the Americo -Liberians. [79] The survey was conducted during the last civil war, and bushmeat consumption is now believed to be far higher. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. King and Vice President Allen N. Yancy resigned. As observed on Liberia's physical map, the elevation of the land gradually increases with distance from the coast. [155], As of the 2017 national census, Liberia was home to 4,694,608 people. Liberia imports 90% of its rice, a staple food, and is extremely vulnerable to food shortages. As the nation's primate city, Monrovia is the country's economic, financial and cultural center; its economy is primarily centered on . [22] These free African Americans and their descendants married within their community and came to identify as Americo-Liberians. This triggered the First Liberian Civil War. The Liberian constitution exercises jus sanguinis, which means it usually restricts its citizenship to "Negroes or persons of Negro descent. [198] As of November17, 2014[update], there were 2,812 confirmed deaths from the ongoing outbreak. The Greater Monrovia District has 970,824 residents. [49] By July 2003, the rebels had launched an assault on Monrovia. As of 2016, it had approximately 9,118 students. [119] This led to a United Nations ban on Liberian diamond exports in 2001, which was lifted in 2007 following Liberia's accession to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. [90] GDP per capita peaked in 1980 at US$496, when it was comparable to Egypt's (at the time). [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. [39], In the mid-20th century, Liberia gradually began to modernize with American assistance. [165] Liberians also speak a variety of creolized dialects collectively known as Liberian English. Liberia is divided into 15 counties which are subdivided into 90 and further into clans. The internal security is characterized by a general lawlessness coupled with the danger that former combatants in the late civil war might reestablish militias to challenge the civil authorities. Findings included government involvement in widespread "Forced or compulsory labour". [1] The country's education sector is hampered by inadequate schools and supplies, as well as a lack of qualified teachers. [37] (The loser actually received around 60% of the eligible vote. Between 1461 and the late 17th century, Portuguese, Dutch, and British traders had contacts and trading posts in the region. (2007). Professor of Geography, East Carolina College, Greenville, North Carolina. (Nelson) See the Map of Liberia with Monrovia. [15], Microlithic industries with ceramics became common by the Mid-Holocene, coupled with an apparent intensification of wild food exploitation. [46], Under Taylor's leadership, Liberia became internationally known as a pariah state due to its use of blood diamonds and illegal timber exports to fund the Revolutionary United Front in the Sierra Leone Civil War. [citation needed] On July 16, 1892, Martha Ann Erskine Ricks met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle and presented her a handmade quilt, Liberia's first diplomatic gift. [24], The Americo-Liberian settlers did not relate well to the indigenous peoples they encountered, especially those in communities of the more isolated "bush". [15], The record shows that aceramic and ceramic Later Stone Age (LSA) assemblages in West Africa overlap chronologically, and that changing densities of microlithic industries from the coast to the north are geographically structured. [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. During the rainy season there is often severe flooding in the coastal plains. [105], The Central Bank of Liberia is responsible for printing and maintaining the Liberian dollar, Liberia's primary currency (the United States dollar is also legal tender in Liberia). Liberia forms part of the West African Shield, a rock formation 2.7 to 3.4 billion years old, composed of granite, schist, and gneiss. [54], The United Nations Mission in Liberia began arriving in September 2003 to provide security and monitor the peace accord,[55] [172], Higher education is provided by a number of public and private universities. The most popular sport in Liberia is association football, with President George Weahthe only African to be named FIFA World Player of the Yearbeing the nation's most famous athlete. The government has three co-equal branches of government: the executive, headed by the president; the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Legislature of Liberia; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and several lower courts. [25] Indigenous tribesmen did not enjoy birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904. Latosols of low to medium fertility occur in rolling hill country and cover about three-fourths of the total land surface. [113] Liberia used the United States dollar as its currency from 1943 until 1982 and continues to use the U.S. dollar alongside the Liberian dollar. Time zone: Noon = noon GMT. Howard Brotz, ed., African American Social & Political Thought 18501920 (New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1996), 3839. It built the Freeport of Monrovia and Roberts International Airport under the Lend-Lease program before its entry into the Second World War. Cape Mount near the border with Sierra Leone receives the most precipitation in the nation. [35], In 1927, the country's elections again showed the power of the True Whig Party, with electoral proceedings that have been called some of the most rigged ever;[36] the winning candidate was declared to have received votes amounting to more than 15 times the number of eligible voters. Omissions? Liberia has one of the highest incidences of sexual violence against women in the world. Life expectancy in Liberia is estimated to be 64.4 years in 2020. Commerce is prohibited by law on Sunday and major Christian holidays. The ethnic Kru opposed the influx of Vai, forming an alliance with the Mane to stop further influx of Vai.[17]. [173], In 2009, Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County was established as the second public university in Liberia. When President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf moved into the Executive Mansion, she reportedly had a Liberian-made quilt installed in her presidential office. [citation needed], Liberia has a rich history in textile arts and quilting, as the settlers brought with them their sewing and quilting skills. [58][59], In 2006, the government established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the causes and crimes of the civil war. Nimba is the largest of the counties in size at 11,551km2 (4,460sqmi), while Montserrado is the smallest at 737.069sqmi (1,909.00km2). [12] Americo-Liberians encouraged religious organizations to set up missions and schools to educate the indigenous peoples. For virtually all of its history, the AFL has received considerable material and training assistance from the United States. [86] As of 2006[update], Liberia had the highest population growth rate in the world (4.50% per annum). St. Clements University College (Liberia), a private higher education institution that was founded in 2008. Mortality from tropical diseases was highof the 4,571 emigrants who arrived in Liberia between 1820 and 1843, only 1,819 survived. However, over the years the two groups joined and the terms "Americo -Liberian" and "Congo" were used interchangeably. Hemispheres: Northern and Eastern. [56] Starz University, is a private higher education institution that was established in the United States in 2007, and became incorporated in Monrovia, 2009; with the objective of addressing the Information Technology(IT) need of Liberia. The first town (1822) was on Providence Island at the mouth of the Mesurado River. [159] The population of Liberia was 1,016,443 in 1962 and increased to 1,503,368 in 1974. In a conscious effort to emulate the American South, the Americo-Liberian settlers adopted clothing such as hoop skirts and tailcoats, and excluded natives from economic opportunities, including creating plantations on which natives were forced to work as slaves. [16] Shortly after the Mane conquered the region, the Vai people of the former Mali Empire immigrated into the Grand Cape Mount County region. [194], Approximately 95% of the country's healthcare facilities had been destroyed by the time civil war ended in 2003. The Republic of Liberia is a country located in western Africa off the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. The judiciary is further divided into circuit and speciality courts, magistrate courts and justices of the peace. Many treessuch as red ironwood, camwood, whismore, teak, and mahoganyare valuable, but occur with other species, preventing easy harvest. Olukoju, Ayodeji. It was founded during the administration of U.S. Pres. [bettersourceneeded][1], English is the official language and serves as the lingua franca of Liberia. 15th-century Portuguese navigators named itfor the cavalla (or horse mackerel) found at its mouth. Liberian independence was proclaimed in 1847, and its boundaries were expanded. [186][187] A number of highly communicable diseases are widespread, including tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases and malaria. These features may represent social networks or some form of cultural diffusion allied to changing ecological conditions. [26], By 1877, the True Whig Party was the country's most powerful political entity. Forestry is an important industry in Liberia. [68], Tropical rainforests cover the hills, while elephant grass and semi-deciduous forests make up the dominant vegetation in the northern sections. Adolescent girls are the most frequently assaulted, and almost 40% of perpetrators are adult men known to victims. List of 99 Liberia mountains showing elevation, prominence, and popularity The 7 Best Small Towns In Nevada To Chill Out, 11 Coolest Small Towns in Washington for a Summer Vacation. The landscape is characterized by mostly flat to rolling coastal plains that contain mangroves and swamps, which rise to a rolling plateau and low mountains in the northeast. [151][152][153] An additional 13 ultra-deep offshore blocks were demarcated in 2011 and planned for auction. [143], Public electricity services are provided solely by the state-owned Liberia Electricity Corporation, which operates a small grid almost exclusively in the Greater Monrovia District. Both Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast annexed territories. "[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. Liberia began in the early 19th century as a project of the American Colonization Society (ACS), which believed black people would face better chances for freedom and prosperity in Africa than in the United States. Area: 111,370 square kilometers (43,000 square miles) Highest point on mainland: Mount Wutivi (1,380 meters/4,528 feet) Lowest point on land: Sea level. Other ingredients include cassava, fish, bananas, citrus fruit, plantains, coconut, okra and sweet potatoes. [80] The West African pariah dog is also a host for Tbg. [25], On July 26, 1847, the settlers issued a Declaration of Independence and promulgated a constitution. United Methodist University, a private Christian university located in Liberia, West Africa, it is commonly known amongst locals as UMU. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Ricks said, "I had heard it often, from the time I was a child, how good the Queen had been to my peopleto slavesand how she wanted us to be free. [167] A multitude of diverse Protestant confessions such as Lutheran, Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, United Methodist, African Methodist Episcopal (AME) and African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) denominations form the bulk of the Christian population, followed by adherents of the Catholic Church and other non-Protestant Christians. Coeditor of. Other major rivers are the Lofa in the north and, moving southward, the St. Paul, St. John, and Cestos, all of which parallel each other and flow perpendicular to the coast. [133] This was dismissed as a "misconception" by Liberia's Minister of Agriculture. [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. 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). [204], A rich literary tradition has existed in Liberia for over a century. [77] Bushmeat is often exported to neighboring Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, despite a ban on the cross-border sale of wild animals. [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. Liberia is a country in West Africa. [citation needed] Liberia struggled to attract investment to develop infrastructure and a larger, industrial economy. [43], After Liberia adopted a new constitution in 1985, Doe was elected president in subsequent elections that were internationally condemned as fraudulent. Gbarpolu is the newest county, created in 2001. Rape is the most frequently reported crime, accounting for more than one-third of sexual violence cases. [18] Formed in 1816, the American Colonization Society (ACS) was made up mostly of Quakers and slaveholders. [51] [120], In 2003, additional UN sanctions were placed on Liberian timber exports, which had risen from US$5 million in 1997 to over US$100 million in 2002 and were believed to be funding rebels in Sierra Leone. [146] The vast majority of electric energy services is provided by small, privately owned generators. Subsequent Portuguese explorers named Grand Cape Mount, Cape Mesurado (Montserrado), and Cape Palmas, all . The Cavalla is the longest river in the nation at 320 mi (515 km). Four physiographic regions run nearly parallel to the Atlantic coast of the country. [48] A peace deal between warring parties was reached in 1995, leading to Taylor's election as president in 1997. The Liberian national basketball team has reached the AfroBasket twice, in 1983 and 2007. Subsequently, it was one of 32 nations to take part in the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919, which ended the war and established the League of Nations; Liberia was among the few African and non-Western nations to participate in both the conference and the founding of the League. and an interim government took power the following October. [76], Endangered species are hunted for human consumption as bushmeat in Liberia. [66] The inauguration marked Liberia's first fully democratic transition in 74 years. [68], Liberia's main northwestern boundary is traversed by the Mano River while its southeast limits are bounded by the Cavalla River. Map of the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent, located on the African continental plate. Located on Capitol Hill, the school has approximately 2,000 students. [92], In the past, both of Liberia's neighbors, Guinea and Sierra Leone, have accused Liberia of backing rebels in their countries. This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name. As of 2015, it had more than 8,000 mostly Liberian employees, making it the country's largest private employer. [86] Montserrado is also the most populous county with 1,144,806 residents as of the 2008 census. The country's major rivers include the Mano River in the northwest and the Cavalla River in the southeast. ", "Ellen Describes Tubman University's Opening As PRS Success", "Remarks by H.E. The Liberian constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right. 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. For most of the 194189 period, training was largely provided by U.S. advisors, with combat experience in the Second World War also playing a role in training. One of the most well-known Liberian quilters was Martha Ann Ricks,[203] who presented a quilt featuring the famed Liberian coffee tree to Queen Victoria in 1892. The countrys first post-conflict elections, held in 2005, were noteworthy for the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to the presidency, as she was the first woman to be elected head of state in Africa. Sirleaf's Vision With Passion", "Notes, Presented by Professor and Dean of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, David A. [79], Trypanosoma brucei gambiense is endemic in some animal hosts here including both domestic and wild. In Liberia the shield has been intensely folded and faulted and is interspersed with iron-bearing formations known as itabirites. The settlers wore top hat and tails and modeled their homes on those of Southern slaveowners. 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. [57] Public schools offer biblical studies, though parents may opt their children out. [97], Both male and female homosexuality are illegal in Liberia. [57] The 2005 elections marked the first time that the president's party did not gain a majority of seats in the Legislature. [76], Pollution is a significant issue in Monrovia. [117], While official commodity exports declined during the 1990s as many investors fled the civil war, Liberia's wartime economy featured the exploitation of the region's diamond wealth. [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. 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. [68] However, Mount Nimba near Yekepa, is higher at 4,724 feet (1,440m) above sea level but is not wholly within Liberia as Nimba shares a border with Guinea and Ivory Coast and is their tallest mountain as well. The University of Liberia is the country's largest and oldest university. 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. Indigenous peoples comprise about 95 percent of the population. As inland regions underwent desertification, inhabitants moved to the wetter coast. For a treatment of earlier periods and of the country in its regional context, see western Africa. Crane, Keith; Gompert, David C; Oliker, Olga; Riley, Kevin Jack; and Lawson, Brooke Stearns.
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