Liberia is a country located in the western part of Africa. The capital is called Monrovia, and the country stretches over 111,370 km². The official language is English.
The landscape is mostly characterized by flat to undulating coastal plains, which rise to low mountains to the northeast. The climate is tropical: hot and humid. Winters are dry with hot days and cool to cold nights. The summers are wet and cloudy with many heavy rain showers.
Highest point: Mount Wuteve (1,380 m), which lies to the north.
According to Ethnicityology, Liberia has always had close ties to the United States, and the political system is based on the United States. Parliament is divided into two parts, and the country is governed by a president who is elected for six years at a time. The country has many different ethnic groups, and there have been particular tensions between American Liberians and smaller tribes. Over the past 35 years, the country has experienced eight coups and several civil wars. More than 250,000 people have lost their lives and the big cities lack electricity and clean water. The country has an acute shortage of doctors and other health professionals, while the AIDS epidemic is growing. Several villages are controlled by rebel groups and gangs, and the capital Monrovia is completely destroyed.
TIMELINE:
1461 – When the Portuguese arrived on the coast of Liberia, the country was inhabited by smaller tribes who ran simple farms inland. The Europeans and the tribes joined forces in an extensive slave trade.
1822 – The country is founded by freed slaves (American-Liberians), who settled in what is today the capital Monrovia the year before by the American Colonization Society. Over 20 years, a total of 13,000 free slaves came to the country.
1847 – Liberia becomes an independent republic.
1877 – The True Whig Party becomes the strongest political force in the country.
1980 – A presidential coup overthrows the president.
1990-96 – Civil War.
2003 – A civil war breaks out, forcing dictator Charles Taylor to leave the country. A peace plan was subsequently developed by the UN, the remnants of the Taylor government and the major rebel movements.
2006 – Liberia enters history in 2005 as the first country in Africa with a female president. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was sworn in as president on January 16.
March 29, 2006 Former President Charles Taylor was arrested and put on trial for his war crimes.
2008 – The Dane Ellen Magrethe Løj became the leader of the UN’s total effort for 15,000 peacekeeping forces in the country.
