country comparison to the world: 68
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,300 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups:
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)
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: 11 years
male: 13 years
female: 9 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 157
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
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held on 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 on 11 October 2005 (next to be held in
October 2011); House of Representatives - last held on 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 - the UP
now holds 13 out of 30 senate seats and 16 out of 64 house seats
following a merger with several smaller parties in 2009
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, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Edwin F.
SELE
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; a white five-pointed star appears on a blue square in the
upper hoist-side corner; the stripes symbolize the signatories of
the Liberian Declaration of Independence; the blue square represents
the African mainland, and the star represents the freedom granted to
the ex-slaves; according to the constitution, the blue color
signifies liberty, justice, and fidelity, the white color purity,
cleanliness, and guilelessness, and the red color steadfastness,
valor, and fervor
note: the design is based on the US flag
National anthem:
name: "All Hail, Liberia Hail!"
lyrics/music: Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA
note: lyrics adopted 1847, music adopted 1860; the anthem's author
would become the third president of Liberia
Economy ::Liberia
Economy - overview:
Liberia is a low income country heavily reliant on foreign
assistance for revenue. 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, several have returned.
Liberia has the distinction of having the highest ratio of direct
foreign investment to GDP in the world. 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 and is reviving those sectors. 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 and Liberia shipped its first
major timber exports to Europe in 2010. The country reached its
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative completion point in 2010
and nearly $5 billion of international debt was permanently
eliminated. This new status will enable Liberia to estabilish a
sovereign credit rating and issue bonds. Liberia's Paris Club
creditors agreed to cancel Liberia's debt as well. Rebuilding
infrastructure and raising incomes will 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):
$1.76 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
$1.66 billion (2009 est.)
$1.587 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$977 million (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
4.6% (2009 est.)
8.6% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$500 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 226
$500 (2009 est.)
$500 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 76.9%
industry: 5.4%
services: 17.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
1.372 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 134
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry: 8%
services: 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
85% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
Population below poverty line:
80% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 30.1% (2007)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.4% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 45
15.05% (31 December 2007)
Stock of narrow money:
$206.9 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 174
$145.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of broad money:
$NA (31 December 2009)
$NA (31 December 2008)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.202 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 145
$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: 164
Electricity - consumption:
325.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Oil - exports:
23 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 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Current account balance:
-$224 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 92
Exports:
$1.197 billion (2006)
country comparison to the world: 148
Exports - commodities:
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
Exports - partners:
Germany 27.92%, Poland 17.12%, South Africa 15.83%, India 10.48%,
Greece 7.09%, US 6.23%, Norway 5.24% (2009)
Imports:
$7.143 billion (2006)
country comparison to the world: 102
Imports - commodities:
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured
goods; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
South Korea 28.29%, Singapore 19.06%, Japan 17.06%, China 14.58%,
Taiwan 4.02% (2009)
Debt - external:
$3.2 billion (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
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 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 224
Telephones - mobile cellular:
842,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 148
Telephone system:
general assessment: the limited services available are found almost
exclusively in the capital Monrovia; fixed-line service stagnant and
extremely limited; telephone coverage extended to a number of other
towns and rural areas by four mobile-cellular network operators
domestic: mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity
reached 25 per 100 persons in 2009
international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
3 private TV stations; satellite TV service is 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 country code:
.lr
Internet hosts:
8 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 224
Internet users:
20,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 193
Transportation ::Liberia
Airports:
29 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 115
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 14 (2010)
Railways:
total: 429 km
country comparison to the world: 117
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: 135
paved: 657 km
unpaved: 9,943 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 2,512
country comparison to the world: 2
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 507, cargo 136, carrier 1,
chemical tanker 232, combination ore/oil 6, container 875, liquefied
gas 93, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 509,
refrigerated cargo 109, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 10,
vehicle carrier 25
foreign-owned: 2,356 (Angola 1, Argentina 3, Australia 2, Belgium 1,
Bermuda 4, Brazil 20, Canada 4, Chile 7, China 10, Croatia 2, Cyprus
7, Denmark 4, Finland 2, Germany 1049, Gibraltar 5, Greece 454, Hong
Kong 47, India 1, Indonesia 4, Isle of Man 19, Israel 31, Italy 48,
Japan 102, Latvia 9, Lebanon 1, Monaco 10, Netherlands 35, Nigeria
4, Norway 42, Poland 13, Qatar 5, Romania 3, Russia 108, Saudi
Arabia 24, Singapore 27, Slovenia 5, South Korea 1, Sweden 10,
Switzerland 17, Syria 1, Taiwan 88, Turkey 15, UAE 27, UK 25,
Ukraine 16, Uruguay 1, US 39, Vietnam 3) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Buchanan, Monrovia
Military ::Liberia
Military branches:
Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 797,084
females age 16-49: 808,017 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 510,337
females age 16-49: 527,737 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 33,411
female: 35,264 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
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 January 11, 2011
======================================================================
@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. Libya in May 2010 was elected to its first three-year seat on
the UN Human Rights Council, prompting protests from international
non-governmental organizations and human rights campaigners.
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:
6,461,454
country comparison to the world: 101
note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 1,065,606/female 1,020,102)
15-64 years: 62.6% (male 2,036,780/female 1,923,566)
65 years and over: 4.4% (male 136,224/female 142,079) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.2 years
male: 24.3 years
female: 24.2 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.117% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Birth rate:
24.58 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
Death rate:
3.4 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 93
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 (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.87 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 99
male: 22.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.47 years
country comparison to the world: 57
male: 75.18 years
female: 79.88 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.01 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
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: 159
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