LIBERIA
Brief History |  |
The Republic of Liberia is located along the West coast of Africa. It is bordered by Côte d’Ivoire on its east, Sierra Leone on its west, Guinea on its north, and the Atlantic Ocean on its south. Liberia is about 43,000 square miles (111,369 sq km). Liberia, “Land of the Free” was founded in 1822 with the support of Negro slaves set free from the United States of America who declared independence from the American Colonization Society in 1847. The major capital of Liberia is Monrovia, named after the former president of the United States, James Monroe.
The population of Liberia is about 3.5 million (2008 census) with currently sixteen (16) political subdivisions called Countries. The average household size is about 5.3 and the official language is English with sixteen indigenous languages spoken throughout the country.
Liberia is one of the poorest nations in the world with the majority (80%) of the population living in object poverty with increased unemployment and illiteracy. The country suffered fourteen years civil war, which caused great destruction of infrastructure and significantly affected the health care, the education and the socio-economic status. |  |
The war officially ended in 2003, after the deployment of the UN peace keeping force known as UNMIL. A peaceful, free, fair and democratic election was held in 2005, which brought Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to power as the first elected female President in Africa. United Nations peace keeping forces are still present in the country, and Liberia has been relatively stable since 2003.
