Mois : avril 2018

LIBERIA. A general view

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LIBERIA

Area: 111,369 sq km

Population: 4.319.496 (2014)

Border countries: Guinea 590 km, Ivory Coast 778 km, Sierra Leone 299 km

Counties of Liberia (15)/ Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Ethnical groups: Kpelle 20.3%, Bassa 13.4%, Grebo 10%, Gio 8%, Mano 7.9%, Kru 6%, Loma 5.1%, Kissi 4.8%, Gola 4.4%, others 20.1% , Americano-Liberiens 3% (2008 Census)

Capital: Monrovia

Important cities: Gbarnga, Kakata, Bensonville, Harper, Voinjama, Buchanan, Zwedru, New Yekepa, Greenville

Political system: presidential republic Liberian with the executive headed by the President of the country. The bicameral legislature is composed of 64 representatives and 30 senators. The Legislative Assembly is elected for 6 years and the Senate for nine years.

Main political parties: Unity Party, Congress for Democratic Change, Movement for Progressive Change, Liberty Party, National Patriotic Party etc.

Official language: English

Local languages (belongs to the West African language groups):

-          Mel (Gola, Kissi),

-          Mandé (Vai, Mende, Gbandi, Kpelle, Loma, Mano, Gio, Mandingo),

-          Kwa (Dei, Bella, Bassa, Kru, Krahn, Grebo)

National holidays:

– Independence Day – July 26, the day of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of Liberia,

– Flag Day – August 24, to celebrate the Liberian flag,

– National Unification Day – May 14, feast established to celebrate the national unity policies initiated by TUBMAN, continued by TOLBERT and underline the commitment to a single political body and integrator,

– Constitution Day and Decoration Day (commemorating the dead) on the second Wednesday of March ; April 8, National Fast & Prayer Day,

– February 11, Celebration of the Liberian Armed Forces (Armed Forces of Liberia) ; February 15 – Anniversary of J.J. ROBERTS ; March 11 – Day of decorations ; January 1 – New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day – First Thursday of November ; 29 November – Anniversary of President Tubman and 25 December – Christmas.

Religions: Christian 85%, Muslim 12.5% and the rest practice animism

Density: 33 people per km²

Rivers: Mano, Lofa, St. Paul, St. John Rivers, Cestos and Cavalla

Ports: Monrovia, Buchanan, Greenville, Harper

International airport: Roberts International Airport (also known as the Robertsfield), located 60 km southeast of Monrovia,

Domestic airport / Regional: Spriggs Payne Airport, close to the center of Monrovia

Natural resources: timber, latex, coffee, cocoa, diamonds, iron

Agriculture: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (manioc, tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas

Industries: mining (iron ore), rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Exports: rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Common currency: Liberian dollar, US dollar

Liberian hymn: All Hail Liberia, Hail! (Glory to you, Liberia, glory to you)

Country motto: « The love of liberty brought us here »

Membership organizations: United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organization

 

© Liana Maria URSA, « Libéria. La difficile construction nationale », Editions L’Harmattan, Paris, France, mai 2016

 

Premier article de blog

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LIBERIA

Established as a republic in 1847, Liberia (a derision of the Latin word, liber, which means free; Liberia also signified a newfound liberation for the returned victims of the Slave Trade, and a country to govern all of its own) has been subject to political turmoil starting in 1980, and has only after the end of the Liberian civil war on 2003 begun the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure.

The gradual return of security eventually led to the free and fair legislative and presidential elections of October 2005 and the subsequent run-off in November 2005, which resulted in the inauguration of Africa’s first democratically elected female president. Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF won another term as President and a new government team was appointed and endorsed by legislature on October 2011. The new government created a National Vision: Liberia Rising 2030 that calls for transforming the economy to middle-income status by 2030. To achieve the vision, a second Poverty Reduction Strategy for 2013-17, Agenda for Transformation (AfT) was designed.

In 2017, with George WEAH President, a new chapter of the history of Liberia begun. Note the uniqueness of the ascent to power: an atypical political profile (that of a football player international career), a first democratically elected indigenous to the presidency and a first woman to the vice presidency of the country. The hopes placed in this presidential team are immense especially on the side of those who supported it: young people and the masses disadvantaged. For the first time since the end of the civil war, Liberians have organized the ballot in full. We noticed the first peaceful political power transfer in 74 Years of an elected Head of State democratically to another, which is a major step towards democratic consolidation in Liberia. Another first in the history of the country: the executive is composed of two Indigenous people Liberians (WEAH is of ancestry Kru and HOWARD-TAYLOR is Kpelle).