aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups:
indigenous African 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)
Religions:
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Languages:
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which
can be written or used in correspondence
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.5%
male: 73.3%
female: 41.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 8 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Liberia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Monrovia
geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount,
Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba,
River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
Independence:
26 July 1847
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution:
6 January 1986
Legal system:
dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for
the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal
practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January
2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16
January 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005
(next to be held in October 2011)
election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF elected president; percent
of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 59.6%, George WEAH
40.4%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note -
number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members
elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
six-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in
October 2011); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005
(next to be held in October 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15
note: junior senators - those who received the second most votes in
each county in the 11 October 2005 election - will only serve a
six-year first term because the Liberian constitution mandates
staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all
senators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH];
Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL [H. Varney
SHERMAN]; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH];
Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUMSKINE]; National Patriotic Party or
NPP [Roland MASSAQUOI]; Unity Party or UP [Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: demobilized former military officers
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU,
ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Milton Nathaniel BARNES
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda THOMAS-GREENFIELD
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 98, Mamba Point, 1000
Monrovia, 10
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [231] 7-705-4826
FAX: [231] 7-701-0370
Flag description:
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with
white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the
upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
Economy ::Liberia
Economy - overview:
Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's
economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital,
Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and
expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the
installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, some
have returned. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources,
forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a
producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and
rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in
scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and
administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support
from international donors, and encourage private investment.
Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new
sources of revenue for the government. The reconstruction of
infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
will largely depend on generous financial and technical assistance
from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as
infrastructure and power generation.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.531 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
$1.43 billion (2007 est.)
$1.306 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$850 million (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
9.5% (2007 est.)
7.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$500 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 226
$400 (2007 est.)
$400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 76.9%
industry: 5.4%
services: 17.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry: 8%
services: 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
85% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Population below poverty line:
80% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.4% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 40
15.05% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$145.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$49.89 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$1.157 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane,
bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Industries:
rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
350 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Electricity - consumption:
325.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Oil - exports:
23.37 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Oil - imports:
4,263 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 74
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Current account balance:
-$224 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 91
Exports:
$1.197 billion (2006)
country comparison to the world: 148
Exports - commodities:
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
Exports - partners:
India 26.5%, US 17.9%, Poland 13.9%, Germany 10.1%, Belgium 6.8%
(2008)
Imports:
$7.143 billion (2006)
country comparison to the world: 103
Imports - commodities:
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured
goods; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
South Korea 27.2%, Singapore 25.5%, Japan 11.8%, China 11% (2008)
Debt - external:
$3.2 billion (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$124.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006),
53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)
Communications ::Liberia
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 224
Telephones - mobile cellular:
732,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 148
Telephone system:
general assessment: the limited services available are found almost
exclusively in the capital Monrovia; coverage extended to a number
of other towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network
operators
domestic: fixed line service stagnant and extremely limited;
mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity exceeding
20 per 100 persons
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2007)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2007)
Internet country code:
.lr
Internet hosts:
5 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 226
Internet users:
20,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 190
Transportation ::Liberia
Airports:
33 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 112
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 18 (2009)
Railways:
total: 429 km
country comparison to the world: 118
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge
note: most sections of the railway are inoperable because of damage
suffered during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003 (2008)
Roadways:
total: 10,600 km
country comparison to the world: 137
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 2,204
country comparison to the world: 2
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 390, cargo 107, chemical
tanker 241, combination ore/oil 7, container 750, liquefied gas 84,
passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 460, refrigerated
cargo 103, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 12, vehicle
carrier 36
foreign-owned: 2,109 (Argentina 3, Belgium 4, Brazil 3, Canada 7,
China 11, Croatia 2, Cyprus 63, Denmark 12, Estonia 1, France 5,
Germany 849, Gibraltar 5, Greece 358, Hong Kong 44, India 2,
Indonesia 2, Isle of Man 5, Israel 23, Italy 41, Japan 116, South
Korea 3, Latvia 21, Lebanon 2, Mexico 2, Monaco 8, Netherlands 6,
Nigeria 2, Norway 40, Poland 13, Qatar 4, Romania 2, Russia 94,
Saudi Arabia 27, Singapore 32, Slovenia 3, Sweden 10, Switzerland
13, Taiwan 91, Turkey 7, Ukraine 25, UAE 23, UK 20, US 98, Uruguay
3, Vietnam 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Buchanan, Monrovia
Military ::Liberia
Military branches:
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 729,813
females age 16-49: 741,223 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 387,417
females age 16-49: 382,334 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 34,059
female: 33,281 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Transnational Issues ::Liberia
Disputes - international:
although civil unrest continues to abate with the assistance of
18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January
2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire,
Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing
turmoil in Cote d'Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN
forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict
continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send
their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban
Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 12,600 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in
November 2004) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and
South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption,
criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide
significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
major money-laundering center
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Libya (Africa)
Introduction ::Libya
Background:
The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli
in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated
in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved
independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar
Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI began to espouse his own political system, the
Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of socialism and
Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is supposed to be
implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of
"direct democracy." QADHAFI has always seen himself as a
revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during the
1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting
subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and
capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged in military
operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to gain access to
minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics - but
was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI
politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight 103 over
Lockerbie, Scotland. During the 1990s, QADHAFI began to rebuild his
relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999
and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya accepted
responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing. In December 2003, Libya
announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to
develop weapons of mass destruction and to renounce terrorism.
QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with
Western nations since then. He has received various Western European
leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delegations,
and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he
traveled to Brussels in April 2004. The US rescinded Libya's
designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June 2006. In January
2008, Libya assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council
for the 2008-09 term. In August 2008, the US and Libya signed a
bilateral comprehensive claims settlement agreement to compensate
claimants in both countries who allege injury or death at the hands
of the other country, including the Lockerbie bombing, the LaBelle
disco bombing, and the UTA 772 bombing. In October 2008, the US
Government received $1.5 billion pursuant to the agreement to
distribute to US national claimants, and as a result effectively
normalized its bilateral relationship with Libya. The two countries
then exchanged ambassadors for the first time since 1973 in January
2009.
Geography ::Libya
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Tunisia
Geographic coordinates:
25 00 N, 17 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,759,540 sq km
country comparison to the world: 17
land: 1,759,540 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Alaska
Land boundaries:
total: 4,348 km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Coastline:
1,770 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north
exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior
Terrain:
mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, gypsum
Land use:
arable land: 1.03%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 98.78% (2005)
Irrigated land:
4,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.6 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 4.27 cu km/yr (14%/3%/83%)
per capita: 730 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four
days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues:
desertification; limited natural fresh water resources; the Great
Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the
world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the
Sahara to coastal cities
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert
People ::Libya
Population:
6,310,434
country comparison to the world: 105
note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 1,064,866/female 1,019,790)
15-64 years: 62.7% (male 2,033,478/female 1,920,755)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 133,092/female 138,453) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 23.9 years
male: 24 years
female: 23.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.17% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Birth rate:
25.15 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Death rate:
3.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 78% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.05 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 102
male: 23.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.26 years
country comparison to the world: 57
male: 74.98 years
female: 79.65 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.08 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
10,000 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Libyan(s)
adjective: Libyan
Ethnic groups:
Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians,
Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians)
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3%
Languages:
Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major
cities
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.6%
male: 92.4%
female: 72% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years
male: 16 years
female: 17 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (1999)
country comparison to the world: 152
Government ::Libya
Country name:
conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya
conventional short form: Libya
local long form: Al Jamahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
al Ishtirakiyah al Uthma
local short form: none
Government type:
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
populace through local councils; in practice, an authoritarian state
Capital:
name: Tripoli (Tarabulus)
geographic coordinates: 32 53 N, 13 10 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al
'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions
Independence:
24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)
Constitution:
none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow of the
Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the
existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in
December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the
Establishment of the People's Authority
Legal system:
based on Italian and French civil law systems and Islamic law;
separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial
review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and technically compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
but is de facto chief of state
head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
(Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAHMUDI (since 5 March 2006)
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
People's Congress
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
people's committees; head of government elected by the General
People's Congress; election last held March 2006 (next to be held
March 2009)
election results: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral General People's Congress (760 seats; members elected
indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: Arab nationalist movements; anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile
Movement; Islamic elements
International organization participation: