Liberia

Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Monrovia, 750,000
Monetary unit: Liberian dollar
Languages: English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence
Ethnicity/race: Kpelle 20.3%, Bassa 13.4%, Grebo 10%, Gio 8%, Mano 7.9%, Kru 6%, Lorma 5.1%, Kissi 4.8%, Gola 4.4%, other 20.1% (2008 Census)
Religions: Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.4% (2008 Census)
National Holiday: Independence Day, July 26
Literacy rate: 60.8% (2010 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $2.898 billion; per capita $700. Real growth rate: 8.1%. Inflation: 5.2%. Unemployment: 85% (2003 est.). Arable land: 4.04%. Agriculture: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber. Labor force: 1.372 million (2007): agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.). Industries: rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds. Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower. Exports: $929.8 million (2013 est.): rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee. Imports: $2.457 billion (2013 est.): fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs. Major trading partners: South Korea, Japan, China, Spain, Algeria, Thailand, Malaysia, France, Singapore (2012).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 3,200 (2011); mobile cellular: 2.394 million (2012). Broadcast media: 3 private TV stations; satellite TV service available; 1 state-owned radio station; about 15 independent radio stations broadcasting in Monrovia, with another 25 local stations operating in other areas; transmissions of 2 international broadcasters are available (2007). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (2012). Internet users: 20,000 (2009).
Transportation: Railways: total: 429 km; note: most sections of the railways were inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003, but many are being rebuilt (2008). Highways: total: 10,600 km; paved: 657 km; unpaved: 9,943 km (2000 est.). Ports and harbors: Buchanan, Monrovia. Airports: 28 (2013).

Fun Facts

• It is comparable in size to Tennessee
• Liberia serves as one of the biggest exporters of iron ore in Africa
• Contains one of the richest ecosystems on the African continent
• Spectacular but difficult to reach beaches
• The longest river in Liberia is named after a fish
• Houses are usually built from sun-dried local clay bricks and an iron roof
• Liberia has over 700 bird species, it is a bird-haven!
• Oprah Winfrey traced her ancestry to Liberia
• Liberia was the world’s second Black Republic