History

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. Click for Detail

Geography of Liberia
Liberia is situated on the west coast of Africa and covers an area of 111,370 km2 of which 96,320 km2 is land and the remaining 15,050 km2 water. Liberia is bordered to the east by la Cote d’Ivoire, to the northeast by Guinea, Sierra Leone to the northwest and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Click for Detail

Political & Military Situation

The 1980 coup signalled the demise of the minority settler government that had ruled the country since its independence. It also heralded a period of instability that rocked the country for the better part of 14 years. Leaving an estimated 250,000 people killed and many thousands more displaced and made refugees. The conflict left the country in economic ruin and infrastructure destroyed. The capital, Monrovia, remains without mains electricity and running water. Unemployment and illiteracy are endemic.Click for Detail

Leaders
Born in 1938, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia is a mother of four sons. She was inaugurated on 16 January 2006 at a program attended by several African and world dignitaries including the US First Lady Laura Bush, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, Ghanaian President John Kuffour, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Togolese President Faure Nassingbe, Burkinabe President Blaise Campore, and the Presidents of Niger Tandja Mamadou, Mali’s Amadou Toumani Toure and Sierra Leone’s Tejan Kabbah.Click for Detail

The state-run broadcaster has no television service and operates a single radio service. The station does not have national coverage. Television and short wave radio services are provided by privately own media entities.

Community radio stations are on the air, some of them run with the support of international agencies. Click for Detail

Demographics
Population: 3.6 million (source UN, 2005)
Capital: Monrovia
Area: 99,067 sq km (38,250 sq miles) Click for Detail