Liberia is Africa’s oldest republic. Today, the country is best known for the two long and brutal civil wars, with short interruptions from 1989 to 2003, and for the President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who was elected in 2005 and the first…
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Proportion of literate adults: 48.3% (2017, estimated) Major religions: Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2% Urban population: 51.6% (2019) Life expectancy (female / male): 64/62 years (2018) Gender Inequality Index: Rank 155 of 162 (2018) Number of births: 4.3 / woman (2019)…
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Everyday life & practical information Everyday life in Monrovia and the rural areas or small towns of Liberia is very different. The capital is often noisy with very heavy traffic, while the countryside and the smaller cities are relatively quiet….
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Entry and residence requirements With the exception of citizens of the ECOWAS countries, all travelers to Liberia need a passport that is valid for at least 6 months and a visa. The visa for German citizens is usually issued without…
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Traditional culture History, religion and ethnicity play an important role in Liberia’s cultural life. The country’s extremely heterogeneous society has produced very different forms of cultural expression. The cultural values of the Americo-Liberian minority with their strong roots in the…
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Education More than 70 percent of all schools were destroyed in the war. Although the government and the international donor community are trying to rebuild and expand the education sector, there is still a lack of space and school materials….
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Ethnicity and language At least 95 percent of the Liberian population belong to the indigenous groups, of which the Mande-speaking Kpelle represent the largest group with around 17 to 20 percent of Liberians. The Vai, Loma, Mano and Gio also…
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According to estatelearning, Liberia is not a classic partner country of German development cooperation. However, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) supports financial and technical cooperation projects from the regional program ” Fragile States of West Africa…
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Services and Industry Before the war, Liberia played an important role as a regional financial and commercial center. The ports of Monrovia and Buchanan served as a transshipment point for goods from neighboring countries. Although efforts are being made to…
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The mining sector was largely responsible for Liberian economic growth from the 1960’s until the beginning of the war. The mining of iron ore was the most important branch of the mining industry, its exports made up 60 percent of…
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Subsistence farming A substantial part of the Liberian population works in agriculture, especially women, who make up the majority of the workforce in this sector. A large proportion of agricultural production is used for food self-sufficiency. Nevertheless, a high proportion…
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Estimated GDP: $ 3.2 billion (2018, IMF) Per capita income (purchasing power parity): $ 1,326 per year (2018, IMF, estimated) Human Development Rank (HDI): Rank 176 (out of 189), 2019 Proportion of poverty (less than $ 1.90 per day): 68.6%…
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Legal system There is a mixed legal system consisting of civil law (based on Anglo-American law) and common law. All formal courts are part of the national system and are under the supervision of the Supreme Court. It is located…
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State building Liberia is a presidential republic based on the American model. The president is elected directly by the people for a period of six years and can run for a maximum of two terms. She / he is head…
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New beginning In August 2003, the conflicting parties agreed to form a transitional government led by civilian Gyude Bryant. Under the supervision of the United Nations, the difficult process of national reconstruction began. After just a few months it became…
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Military coup and first civil war On April 12, 1980, the military, led by Sergeant Major Samuel Doe, launched a coup against the government. President Tolbert was assassinated along with other members of his cabinet. With Doe, for the first…
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Americo-Liberian rule (1847–1980) The early decades of the young republic were marked by armed conflict with indigenous peoples and the annexation of the formerly independent Republic of Maryland in 1857. At the “Congo Conference” in Berlin in 1885, at which…
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Special features of the country’s history Liberia is the oldest republic on the continent. At the same time, besides Ethiopia, it is the only country in Africa that has never been under European colonial rule. The philanthropic American Colonization Society…
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Ecological problems A number of environmental problems in Liberia were exacerbated by fourteen years of civil war. Rainforests, especially in the southeast of the country, were cut down uncontrollably. By the arms purchases that were made with the profits from…
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West African Liberia is located on the Atlantic coast between Sierra Leone and Côte d’Ivoire. In the north it borders on Guinea. The national territory covers 111,369 km². It is distributed over 96,320 km² of land area and 15,049 km²…
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