Liberia was Africa's first republic. Liberia was found in 1822 as a result of the efforts of the American Colonization Society to settle freed American slaves in West Africa. The society contended that the emigration of blacks to Africa was an answer to the problem of slavery and the incompatibility of the races. Over the course of forty years, about 12,000 slaves were voluntarily relocated. Originally called Monrovia, the colony became the Free and Independent Republic of Liberia in 1847.
Liberia climate
Liberia's climate is tropical and humid, with little change in temperature throughout the year. The mean is 27° C (81° F ), with temperature rarely exceeding 36° C (97° F ) or falling below 20° C (68° F ). On the coast the heat is tempered by an almost constant breeze. Yearly rainfall is as high as 510 cm (200 in) on the coast, decreasing to about 200 cm (80 in) in areas farthest inland. There are distinct wet and dry seasons, most of the rainfall occurring between late April and mid-November. Average relative humidity in the coastal area is about 82% during the rainy season and 78% in the dry, but it may drop to 50% or lower between December and March.
Landforms
East of Liberia there is The Cavalla river. It is the longest river in the nation at 320 mi (515 km). It was named by 15th-century Portuguese navigators.
Mount Nimba is a 1 mile high iron ore mountain on the border of Liberia. It has the highest grade iron deposit in the world and is also the location of important minerals. Iron ore mining on Mount Nimba accounts for approximately 1 per cent of the world production, currently set at around 900 million tons. More than 200 species of plant and animal are unique to the Mount Nimba Reserve. Species diversity is exceptionally rich because of the variety of ecosystems created by the presence of grasslands laced with forest.
Liberia lays against the Atlantic ocean and has many beautiful beaches.
Liberia's economy
Liberia's main industries include rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, and diamonds. Agricultural products include pigs, goats, cattle, rice
Liberia's exports are rubber, diamonds, timber, iron, coffee, and cocoa. Liberia's imports are oil, petroleum products, chemicals, heavy machinery, manufactured goods, transportation equipments and food products.
Liberia's biggest trading partners are the US and India but they also trade with lots of European countries and South-East Asia.
Liberian historical events
On July 26, 1847 The Liberian Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed. In it, Liberians charged their mother country, the United States, with injustices that made it necessary for them to leave and make new lives for themselves in Africa. They called upon the international community to recognize the independence and sovereignty of Liberia. Britain was one of the first nations to recognize the new country. The United States did not recognize Liberia until the American Civil War.
In 1926 a Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. opens plantations, rubber then becomes the backbone of the Libera’s economy.
In 1978 Liberia signs a trade agreement with the European Economic Community. Making them allies
Geographic map of Liberia
Much of Liberia is dominated by flat to rolling coastal plains that contain mangroves and swamps. Those plains slope into a rolling plateau and rainforest-covered hills central, and into relatively low mountains in the northeast.
Map of Liberia
Liberia's Government
Liberia's president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Liberia's constitution is US based. They have an executive branch which is headed by a president, who is popularly elected for a renewable six-year term. The president is both the head of state and the head of government. The bicameral legislature, the National Assembly, consists of the 30-seat Senate, whose members are popularly elected for nine-year terms, and the 64-seat House of Representatives, whose members are popularly elected for six-year terms.
historical figures
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
She is a Liberian politician who became the first female to lead an African country when she became the 24th President of Liberia in 2006. She had previously served as the Minister of Finance from 1979 to 1980. 2. George Weah He is a Liberian striker who was named 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year; scored 193 goals in his 411-game club career and competed for the Liberian national team from 1987 to 2007. 3. Kandeh Yumkella A politician who was appointed the Chairman of UN-Energy in 2009 and formerly served as Director-General of UNIDO from 2005 to 2013. He often speaks and writes about global issues such as poverty and climate change.