NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Liberia
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Seven years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1996 when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held. President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real political opposition. The years of fighting coupled with the flight of most businesses have disrupted formal economic activity. A still unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country. In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds along with an army embargo and a travel ban on government officials for Liberia's support of the rebel insurgency in Sierra Leone. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone |
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Geographic coordinates:
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6 30 N, 9 30 W |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 111,370 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km land: 96,320 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Tennessee |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km |
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Coastline:
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579 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers |
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Terrain:
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mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m |
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Natural resources:
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iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 1.97%
permanent crops: 2.08% other: 95.95% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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30 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) |
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Environment - current issues:
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tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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3,288,198 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 43.3% (male 714,563; female 709,582)
15-64 years: 53.2% (male 854,324; female 894,753) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 57,925; female 57,051) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.91% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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45.95 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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16.05 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-10.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: by the end of 1999, all Liberian refugees who had fled the domestic strife were assumed to have returned (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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130.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 51.8 years
female: 53.33 years (2002 est.) male: 50.33 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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6.29 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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9% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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125,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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13,000 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian |
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Ethnic groups:
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indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves) |
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Religions:
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indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% |
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Languages:
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English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 38.3% male: 53.9% female: 22.4% (1995 est.) note: these figures are increasing because of the improving school system |