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1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
Liberia
    n 1: a republic in West Africa; established in 1822 by Americans
         as a way to free negro slaves [syn: Liberia, Republic of
         Liberia]

2. CIA World Factbook 2002
Liberia

   Introduction Liberia
   --------------------
                            Background: Seven years of civil strife were
                                        brought to a close in 1996 when free
                                        and open presidential and
                                        legislative elections were held.
                                        President TAYLOR now holds strong
                                        executive power with no real
                                        political opposition. The 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 army
                                        embargo and a travel ban on
                                        government officials for Liberia's
                                        support of the rebel insurgency in
                                        Sierra Leone.
  
   Geography Liberia
   -----------------
                              Location: Western Africa, bordering the North
                                        Atlantic Ocean, between Cote
                                        d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
                Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W
                        Map references: Africa
                                  Area: total: 111,370 sq km
                                        water: 15,050 sq km
                                        land: 96,320 sq km
                    Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
                       Land boundaries: total: 1,585 km
                                        border countries: Guinea 563 km,
                                        Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
                                        306 km
                             Coastline: 579 km
                       Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM
                               Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters
                                        with hot days and cool to cold
                                        nights; wet, cloudy summers with
                                        frequent heavy showers
                               Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal
                                        plains rising to rolling plateau and
                                        low mountains in northeast
                    Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
                                        highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
                     Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold,
                                        hydropower
                              Land use: arable land: 1.97%
                                        permanent crops: 2.08%
                                        other: 95.95% (1998 est.)
                        Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1998 est.)
                       Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from
                                        the Sahara (December to March)
          Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation;
                                        soil erosion; loss of biodiversity;
                                        pollution of coastal waters from oil
                                        residue and raw sewage
            Environment - international party to: Biodiversity,
                            agreements: Desertification, Endangered Species,
                                        Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
                                        Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
                                        Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
                                        signed, but not ratified: Climate
                                        Change, Environmental Modification,
                                        Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
                                        Marine Life Conservation
                      Geography - note: facing the Atlantic Ocean, the
                                        coastline is characterized by
                                        lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-
                                        deposited sandbars; the inland
                                        grassy plateau supports limited
                                        agriculture
  
   People Liberia
   --------------
                            Population: 3,288,198 (July 2002 est.)
                         Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.3% (male 714,563;
                                        female 709,582)
                                        15-64 years: 53.2% (male 854,324;
                                        female 894,753)
                                        65 years and over: 3.5% (male
                                        57,925; female 57,051) (2002 est.)
                Population growth rate: 1.91% (2002 est.)
                            Birth rate: 45.95 births/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                            Death rate: 16.05 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                    Net migration rate: -10.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population
                                        note: by the end of 1999, all
                                        Liberian refugees who had fled the
                                        domestic strife were assumed to have
                                        returned (2002 est.)
                             Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
                                        under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
                                        15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
                                        65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/
                                        female
                                        total population: 0.98 male(s)/
                                        female (2002 est.)
                 Infant mortality rate: 130.21 deaths/1,000 live births
                                        (2002 est.)
              Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.8 years
                                        female: 53.33 years (2002 est.)
                                        male: 50.33 years
                  Total fertility rate: 6.29 children born/woman (2002 est.)
      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 9% (2001 est.)
     HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 125,000 (2001 est.)
                                  AIDS:
                     HIV/AIDS - deaths: 13,000 (2001 est.)
                           Nationality: noun: Liberian(s)
                                        adjective: Liberian
                         Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95%
                                        (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru,
                                        Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi,
                                        Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella),
                                        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: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian
                                        40%, Muslim 20%
                             Languages: English 20% (official), some 20
                                        ethnic group languages, of which a
                                        few can be written and are used in
                                        correspondence
                              Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
                                        and write
                                        total population: 38.3%
                                        male: 53.9%
                                        female: 22.4% (1995 est.)
                                        note: these figures are increasing
                                        because of the improving school
                                        system
  
   Government Liberia
   ------------------
                          Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
                                        Liberia
                                        conventional short form: Liberia
                       Government type: republic
                               Capital: Monrovia
              Administrative divisions: 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gparbolu,
                                        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
                              Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
                      Executive branch: chief of state: President Charles
                                        Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August
                                        1997); note - the president is both
                                        the chief of state and head of
                                        government
                                        head of government: President
                                        Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2
                                        August 1997); 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 19
                                        July 1997 (next to be held NA July
                                        2003)
                                        election results: Charles Ghankay
                                        TAYLOR elected president; percent of
                                        vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP)
                                        75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP)
                                        9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%,
                                        other 11.1%
                    Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists
                                        of the Senate (26 seats; 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 19
                                        July 1997 (next to be held NA 2006);
                                        House of Representatives - last held
                                        19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
                                        2003)
                                        election results: Senate - percent
                                        of vote by party - NA%; seats by
                                        party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House
                                        of Representatives - percent of vote
                                        by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP
                                        49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of
                                        Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1;
                                        note - the Alliance of Political
                                        Parties was a coalition of the LAP
                                        and the Liberia Unification Party or
                                        LUP
                       Judicial branch: Supreme Court
         Political parties and leaders: All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP
                                        [David KORTIE]; Free Democratic
                                        Party or FDP [George BORWAH];
                                        Liberian Action Party or LAP [C.
                                        Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian National
                                        Union or LINU [Victor MOMOH];
                                        Liberian People's Party or LPP
                                        [Koffa NAGBE]; National Democratic
                                        Party of Liberia or NDPL [Isaac D.
                                        DIKENAH]; National Patriotic Party
                                        or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing
                                        party; People's Progressive Party or
                                        PPP [Weah A. WEAH]; Reformation
                                        Alliance Party or RAP [James
                                        THOMAS]; True Whig Party or TWP
                                        [Rudolph SHERMAN]; United People's
                                        Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity
                                        Party or UP [Charles Clarke]
          Political pressure groups and NA
                               leaders:
             International organization ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-
                         participation: 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
                                        IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
                                        IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM,
                                        OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
                                        UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
                                        WIPO, WMO
   Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William
                                        V. S. BULL
                                        consulate(s) general: New York
                                        telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
                                        chancery: 5201 16th Street NW,
                                        Washington, DC 20011
     Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
                                    US: Bismarck MYRICK
                                        embassy: 111 United Nations Drive,
                                        P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,
                                        Monrovia
                                        mailing address: use embassy street
                                        address
                                        telephone: [231] 226-370 through
                                        226-380
                                        FAX: [231] 226-148
                      Flag description: 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
  
   Economy Liberia
   ---------------
                    Economy - overview: A civil war in 1989-96 destroyed
                                        much of Liberia's economy,
                                        especially the infrastructure in and
                                        around Monrovia. Many businessmen
                                        fled the country, taking capital and
                                        expertise with them. Some returned;
                                        many will not return. Richly endowed
                                        with water, mineral resources,
                                        forests, and a climate favorable to
                                        agriculture, Liberia had been a
                                        producer and exporter of basic
                                        products, while local manufacturing,
                                        mainly foreign owned, had been small
                                        in scope. The democratically elected
                                        government, installed in August
                                        1997, inherited massive
                                        international debts and currently
                                        relies on revenues from its maritime
                                        registry and timber industry to
                                        provide the bulk of its foreign
                                        exchange earnings. The restoration
                                        of the infrastructure and the
                                        raising of incomes in this ravaged
                                        economy depend on the implementation
                                        of sound macro- and micro-economic
                                        policies of the new government,
                                        including the encouragement of
                                        foreign investment. Recent growth
                                        has been from a low base, and
                                        continued growth will require major
                                        policy successes and containment of
                                        armed rebellion.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.6
                                        billion (2001 est.)
                GDP - real growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,100
                                        (2001 est.)
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 60%
                                        industry: 10%
                                        services: 30% (2001 est.)
         Population below poverty line: 80%
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (2001 est.)
           Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 70%, industry 8%,
                                        services 22% (2000 est.)
                     Unemployment rate: 70%
                                Budget: revenues: $85.4 million
                                        expenditures: $90.5 million,
                                        including capital expenditures of
                                        $NA (2000 est.)
                            Industries: rubber processing, palm oil
                                        processing, timber, diamonds
     Industrial production growth rate: NA
              Electricity - production: 450 million kWh (2000)
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
                                        hydro: 0%
                                        other: 0% (2000)
                                        nuclear: 0%
             Electricity - consumption: 418.5 million kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
                Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava
                                        (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane,
                                        bananas; sheep, goats; timber
                               Exports: $55 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
                 Exports - commodities: rubber, timber, iron, diamonds,
                                        cocoa, coffee
                    Exports - partners: Belgium 38.5%, Germany 17.6%, Italy
                                        6.0%, US 5.8% (2000)
                               Imports: $170 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
                 Imports - commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery,
                                        transportation equipment,
                                        manufactured goods; rice and other
                                        foodstuffs
                    Imports - partners: France 29.1%, South Korea 20.6%,
                                        Japan 15.8%, Singapore 8.4% (2000)
                       Debt - external: $2.1 billion (2000 est.)
              Economic aid - recipient: $94 million (1999)
                              Currency: Liberian dollar (LRD)
                         Currency code: LRD
                        Exchange rates: Liberian dollars per US dollar -
                                        46.0400 (December 2001), 48.5833
                                        (2001), 40.9525 (2000), 41.9025
                                        (1999), 41.5075 (1998), 1.0000
                                        (officially fixed rate 1940-97);
                                        market exchange rate: Liberian
                                        dollars per US dollar - 40 (December
                                        1998), 50 (October 1995)
                                        note: until December 1997, rates
                                        were based on a fixed relationship
                                        with the US dollar; beginning in
                                        January 1998, rates are market
                                        determined
                           Fiscal year: calendar year
  
   Communications Liberia
   ----------------------
        Telephones - main lines in use: 6,700 (2000)
          Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1998)
                      Telephone system: general assessment: telephone and
                                        telegraph service via microwave
                                        radio relay network; main center is
                                        Monrovia
                                        domestic: NA
                                        international: satellite earth
                                        station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
                                        Ocean)
              Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)
                                Radios: 790,000 (1997)
         Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus four low-power repeaters)
                                        (2001)
                           Televisions: 70,000 (1997)
                 Internet country code: .lr
     Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2001)
                        Internet users: 500 (2000)
  
   Transportation Liberia
   ----------------------
                              Railways: total: 490 km (328 km single-track)
                                        standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
  
                                        note: in 1989, Liberia had three
                                        rail systems owned and operated by
                                        foreign steel and financial
                                        interests in conjunction with the
                                        Liberian Government; one of these,
                                        the Lamco Railroad, closed in 1989
                                        after iron ore production ceased;
                                        the other two were shut down by the
                                        civil war; large sections of the
                                        rail lines have been dismantled;
                                        approximately 60 km of railroad
                                        track was exported for scrap (2001)
                                        narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
                              Highways: total: 10,600 km
                                        paved: 657 km
                                        unpaved: 9,943 km
                                        note: there is major deterioration
                                        on all highways due to heavy rains
                                        and lack of maintenance (1996 est.)
                             Waterways: none
                     Ports and harbors: Buchanan, Greenville, Harper,
                                        Monrovia
                       Merchant marine: total: 1,513 ships (1,000 GRT or
                                        over) totaling 51,912,244 GRT/
                                        79,297,046 DWT
                                        note: includes some foreign-owned
                                        ships registered here as a flag of
                                        convenience: Argentina 9, Australia
                                        2, Austria 15, Belgium 9, Brazil 5,
                                        Canada 4, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 7,
                                        China 39, Croatia 11, Denmark 4,
                                        Ecuador 1, Estonia 1, Germany 437,
                                        Greece 154, Hong Kong 69, India 5,
                                        Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Italy 5,
                                        Japan 90, Latvia 20, Man, Isle of 5,
                                        Monaco 56, Netherlands 12, New
                                        Zealand 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 103,
                                        Pakistan 1, Portugal 5, Russia 66,
                                        Saudi Arabia 21, Singapore 20,
                                        Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, South
                                        Korea 10, Spain 2, Sweden 9,
                                        Switzerland 17, Taiwan 29, Turkey 3,
                                        Ukraine 4, United Arab Emirates 12,
                                        United Kingdom 39, United States
                                        113, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 1 (2002
                                        est.)
                                        ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk
                                        313, cargo 89, chemical tanker 167,
                                        combination bulk 16, combination
                                        ore/oil 32, container 318, liquefied
                                        gas 99, multi-functional large-load
                                        carrier 4, passenger 23, petroleum
                                        tanker 302, refrigerated cargo 69,
                                        roll on/roll off 20, short-sea
                                        passenger 3, specialized tanker 13,
                                        vehicle carrier 42
                              Airports: 47 (2001)
         Airports - with paved runways: total: 2
                                        over 3,047 m: 1
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
       Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
                                        914 to 1,523 m: 6
                                        under 914 m: 35 (2001)
  
   Military Liberia
   ----------------
                     Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
      Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 729,469 (2002 est.)
   Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 393,028 (2002 est.)
                               service:
         Military expenditures - dollar $7.8 million (FY01)
                                figure:
     Military expenditures - percent of 1.3% (FY01)
                                   GDP:
  
   Transnational Issues Liberia
   ----------------------------
              Disputes - international: rebels and refugees contribute to
                                        border instabilities with Sierra
                                        Leone
                         Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southeast
                                        and Southwest Asian heroin and South
                                        American cocaine for the European
                                        and US markets
  
                                       



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