Founded in 1822, Liberia is Africa's oldest republic by freed slaves from the United States of America with the sponsorship of the American Colonization Society (ACS). The country declared its independence on July 26, 1847. Although founded by freed slaves, Liberia is mostly made up of indigenous Africans, with the slaves' descendants comprising some 5% of the population.

The West African nation was relatively calm until 1980 when Sergeant Samuel Doe overthrew William Tolbert after food price riots. Other coups followed the Doe Government, the most significant of which were the November 12, 1985 failed attempt by Gen. Thomas Quionkpa, and the December 24, 1989 rebellion, started by Charles Taylor, that finally led to the ousting of Doe’s government in later 1990.

Liberia has had twenty-two past presidents. The nation’s first president was Joseph Jenkins Roberts, an émigré from the United States of America. Its current leader is Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.