Africa Information Safari

LIBERIARepublic of Liberia

GEOGRAPHY:

• Location:-------------- Western Africa
• Area:
     Total area:--- 111,370 sq. km
     Land area:--- 96,320 sq. km
• Capital city:--------------- Monrovia
• Natural resources:--------------- Iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold.
  
  PEOPLE:
• Population:-------------- 3,441,790
• Literacy rate:------------- 38.3% of total population, (Males:53.9, Females:22.4%)
• Languages:-------------- English (official), Niger-Congo language group, about 20 local languages come from this group
• Religions:-------------- 70%-traditional, 20%-Muslim, 10%-Christian
  
  VITAL STATISTICS:
• Birth rate:-------------- 42.3 (per 1,000 population)(1997)
• Death rate:-------------- 11.53 (per 1,000 population)
• Infant Mortality rate:------------- 105.6 (deaths per 1,000 live births)
• Fertility rate:--------------- 6.16 (per woman)
• Life Expectancy at birth:
     Total Population:--- 59.02 (Males:56.43, Females:61.69)
  GOVERNMENT:
• Type of Government:--------------- Republic
• Independence:-------------- July 26, 1847
• President:------------- Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
  
  ECONOMY:
• GDP:---------------- purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (1995)
     GDP real growth rate:--- 0%
     GDP per capita:--- $1,100
• Inflation rate (consumer prices):-------------- 50% (1994)
• National budget:
     Revenues:--- $225 million
     Expenditures:--- $285 million
• External debt:-------------- $1.9 billion
• Currency:------------- 1 Liberian dollar = 100 cents
• Labor force:-------------- 510,000 (including 220,000 in the monetary economy)
• Unemployment rate:---------------NA%
• Agriculture:-------------- Rubber processing, food processing, construction materials, furniture, palm oil processing, iron ore, diamonds
• Exports:-------------- $667 million
     Commodities:--- Iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee
• Imports:-------------- $5.8 billion
     Commodities:--- Mineral fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; rice and other foodstuffs
  
  
  DEFENCE:
• Defence expenditures:---------------- Exchange rate conversion - $14 million, 2.9% of GDP

Geography:Liberia is located in the southern part of West Africa