The Republic of Liberia

Date of Independence: January 26, 1847 Capital: Monrovia Languages: English and over 20 indigenous languages Ethnic groups: Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende, Americo-Liberians Major Religions: Christianity, Islam, indigenous religions Currency: Liberian Dollar Population: 3.6 million (2005) Main Exports: Diamonds, iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa

Liberia , which means "Land of the Free", owes its existence to the American Colonization Society, founded in 1816 to resettle freed American slaves in Africa. Granted land by native rulers on the coast, near Cape Mesurado, the Society established a colony and began resettling slaves. In 1824, the colony was named Liberia, with the capital, Monrovia, named after then U.S. president, James Monroe. Other settlements were established over 20 years. In 1847, the colony declared its independence, with a constitution, flag motto and seal modeled on that of the United States. Its existence was precarious in those early decades, as the settlers not only had to deal with indigenous resistance to their control but also with European countries who did not recognize their authority over the region. It was only in the very early 20 th century, with heavy U.S. support, that agreements with France and Great Britain were reached, recognizing its sovereignty and establishing present-day borders.

The settler’s relationship with the indigenous people remained fractious well into the 20 th century. In 1931, the League of Nations exposed the Americo-Liberians’ use of native people as forced labor, causing a scandal that went as far as the President and Vice-President of the country. Even after the government took steps to eradicate the practice, native Liberians were still treated as second-class citizens.

However, U.S. relations with the country thrived. Liberia declared war on Germany during both World Wars. In 1926, the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, a U.S. corporation, was allotted 1 million acres of land on which to build a rubber plantation and given a 100-year lease. Liberia, with U.S. support, became a founding member of the United Nations.

Politically, Americo-Liberians dominated until 1980, when in a bloody coup, Army Lieutenant Samuel K. Doe seized power and executed then-president William Tolbert and several members of his Cabinet. Relations with the United States had begun to cool, after Tolbert accepted aid from the Soviet Union. Doe continued in the same vein, and relations with the U.S. and other western benefactors continued to deteriorate. As a result, Liberia’s economy went into decline and inflation was rampant.

In 1989, an armed group led by an Americo-Liberian, Charles Taylor, invaded the country and within weeks, controlled much of the countryside. Doe was executed. In the power vacuum after Doe’s removal, the group splintered. Various factions battled each other for dominance for the next seven years. In 1996, a peace accord was signed and Taylor was elected president. However, the peace was short-lived. In 1999, anti-government violence broke out in the northern part of the country. Taylor accused Guinea of participating. On the other hand, several West African states accused Taylor of having a hand in the civil war in neighboring Sierra Leone. Under pressure from Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria, Taylor was finally forced to step down in 2003. A peace accord was signed, and a transitional government established to lead the country to elections. In October 2005, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became Liberia (and Africa’s) first female president.

Sources:

The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, available at : http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/li.html

Country Profile: Liberia, BBC News, available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1043500.stm

Liberia, MSN Encarta, available at: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565772/Liberia.html

Liberia, Wikipedia, available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberia