Liberia geographical location. Liberia. Fine arts and crafts
Geographical location and nature
State in West Africa. In the east it borders with Cote d'Ivoire (border length 716 km), in the north with Guinea (563 km) and Sierra Leone (306 km). In the south and west, the country is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The total length of the border is 1,585 km , the length of the coastline is 579 km. The total area of the country is 111,370 km 2 (land area is 96,320 km 2). The country is dominated by lowland plains. In the north there is the Leon-Liberian Upland with the highest point of the country - Mount Nimba (1,752 m). The main rivers are Mano, Lofa, St. Paul, St. John. Natural resources include iron ore, diamonds, gold, and timber. About a quarter of the country is covered with evergreen tropical forests with valuable wood species.
Population
The population is 3,073,245 people (1995), the average population density is about 28 people per km 2. The main ethnic groups are Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Mano, about 5% of the population are Liberians, descendants of African slaves from the United States. The official language is English; local dialects are also common among residents. The majority of the population adheres to traditional pagan beliefs, 16% are Muslims, 14% are Christians. Birth rate - 43.08 newborns per 1,000 people (1995). Mortality - 12.05 deaths per 1,000 people (infant mortality rate - 110.6 deaths per 1,000 births). Average life expectancy: men - 55 years, women - 61 years (1995).
The climate of the country is subequatorial, hot and humid. On the coast, up to 5,000 mm of precipitation falls, in inland areas - 1,500 - 2,000 mm; the winter months are usually relatively dry. Average temperatures throughout the country are not lower than 24°C.
Vegetable world
About 1/3 of the territory is occupied by tropical rainforests with valuable tree species: mahogany and rosewood, hevea, wine palm and oil palm. The savanna has thick grass cover, umbrella acacias and baobabs.
Animal world
The fauna is widely represented by monkeys and snakes; there are buffaloes, antelopes, wild boars, and leopards. Coastal waters are rich in fish.
State structure, political parties
Full name - Republic of Liberia. The government system is a republic. The country consists of 13 counties. The capital is Monrovia. Liberia achieved its independence on July 26, 1847 (national holiday - Independence Day). The country has a dual system of legislation: based on American common law and customary law based on tribal laws. All executive power and legislative power belong to the State Council, headed by its chairman. The largest political parties: National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO).
Economics, transport communications
Before it started in 1990 civil war The country's economy was mainly associated with the production of rubber and wood processing (main exports), and agriculture developed successfully due to favorable climatic conditions. As a result of the interethnic conflict, many residents left the country, and with them there was an outflow of capital. GNP amounted to $2.3 billion in 1994 (GNP per capita - $770). The monetary unit is the Liberian dollar (1 Liberian Dollar (LS) is equal to 100 cents). Major trading partners: USA, Netherlands, other EU countries.
Total length railways- 490 km, roads - 10,087 km. The main ports of the country: Buchanan, Greenville, Monrovia, Harper.
Opened in the 15th century. Portuguese, the territory of modern Liberia soon became one of the centers of the slave trade. Returned in the 20s. 19th century In Africa, freed slaves created the independent Republic of Liberia in 1847, the constitution of which was practically copied from the US Constitution. The military coup that took place in 1985 divided the country into supporters of the ruling regime and rebels of the Patriotic National Front of Liberia and led to a civil war in the country in 1990.
Participation in international organizations
AfDB, TCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, MAP, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, NAP, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO.
The content of the article
LIBERIA, Republic of Liberia. State in West Africa. Capital– Monrovia (550.2 thousand people – 2003). Territory– 111.4 thousand sq. km. Administrative division– 15 counties. Population– 3.48 million people. (2005, evaluation). Official language- English. Religion– Christianity, Islam and traditional African beliefs. Currency unit– Liberian dollar. National holiday– Independence Day (1847), July 26. Liberia is a member of approx. 40 international organizations, incl. The UN since 1945, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) since 1963, and since 2002 its successor - the African Union (AU), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Economic Community of States West Africa(ECOWAS) since 1975, Mano River Union (MRU) since 1973.
Geographical location and boundaries. Continental State. It borders in the north with Sierra Leone and Guinea, in the east with Cote d'Ivoire, in the south and southwest it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the coastline is 579 km.
Nature.
Terrain.
The coastline is flat, but in some places disturbed by estuaries large rivers Mano, Lofa, St. Paul. St. John, Cess and Cavalli, flowing parallel to each other along the coastal lowland. Strong surf and tides contributed to the formation of sandy coastal bars and spits, oriented from northwest to southeast and often blocking access to river mouths.
The coastal lowland, 30–65 km wide, is bordered by thickets of palm trees and pandanus; In some places, lagoons and mangrove swamps form behind the sand banks, which are breeding grounds for malaria. Rocky outcrops rise above the coastal lowland, including Cape Mount (near the city of Robertsport), rising 326 m above the surface of the lake. Fisherman, which is also known as Piso and is a vast lagoon, and Cape Mesurado, 91 m high, on which the city of Monrovia is located. Dense tropical rainforest remains only in some areas of the coast. In the northern coastal lowland, 65 km north of Monrovia, are the outlier Bomi Hills, where rich iron ore deposits were mined. Other minerals include diamonds, bauxite, graphite, gold, ilmenite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, tin, uranium, chromium, zinc, etc.
The coastal lowland gradually turns into a densely populated hilly plain with an altitude of 120–370 m. This plain is limited by steep plateau ledges that occupy a large part of the country. In some places, the surface of the plateau is complicated by ridges 760 m above sea level. In the Bong Mountains (about 100 km northeast of Monrovia) there are iron ore deposits, the exploitation of which was facilitated by the construction of a main road leading from the coast through the Reputa escarpment into Guinea. The plateau is covered with dense tropical forest.
The Guinean Highlands enter the northern regions of Liberia, where there is a watershed between the rivers of the Niger basin and the rivers flowing through the territory of Liberia in Atlantic Ocean. The elevation is most elevated in the north (Mount Vuteve, 1380 m) and northeast (near Mount Nimba, 1752 m, located at the junction of the border with Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire). Rich deposits of iron ore are concentrated in the latter region. For the Guinean Upland Savannas with sparse tree vegetation are typical, and only in the valleys is a dense forest stand developed.
Climate
Liberia is tropical, hot and humid. The average annual precipitation in the coastal lowlands exceeds 5000 mm, and in the inland areas it is 1500–2000 mm. Maximum precipitation occurs between April and November, when the southwest monsoon blows. In the interior of the country, the wet season is shorter, usually from June to September. In winter, the harmattan blows from the Sahara, which brings dry, pleasant weather with on sunny days and cool nights. Average monthly temperatures in Liberia do not fall below 28° C.
Vegetable world.
Mangrove forests are common along the coast of Liberia. Beyond the reach of the tides, palm trees grow: raffia (providing industrial fiber), rattan, oilseed and coconut, as well as pandanus. In the evergreen tropical forests there are approximately 200 species of trees, including a number of valuable species (Erythrophleum guinea, Hevea, Kaia, or mahogany, etc.). The northeastern regions are characterized by deciduous forests and woodlands, while the northern regions are characterized by tall grass savannas with umbrella acacias and baobabs.
Liberia has significant reserves of valuable timber.
Animal world.
Wildlife remains mainly in the east and northwest of Liberia. Large mammals include elephants, leopards, antelopes (bongo, Liberian forest and zebra duiker and water deer), pygmy hippopotamus, brush-eared pig, African (black) buffalo. The country is home to crocodiles and numerous snakes, including a number of poisonous ones. Freshwater fish resources have been greatly reduced due to predatory fishing, but the coastal waters of the ocean are abundant with fish. A significant part of Liberia's territory is included in the range of the tsetse fly (which limits the development of livestock) and malaria mosquitoes.
Population.
The most densely populated areas are those adjacent to the country's capital. The average population density is 33.1 people. per 1 sq. km (2002). Its average annual growth is 2.64%. Birth rate – 44.22 per 1000 people, mortality – 17.87 per 1000 people. Infant mortality is 128.9 per 1000 births. 44.1% of the population are children under 14 years of age. Residents over 65 years of age – 2.8%. The average age of the population is 18.7 years. The fertility rate (average number of children born per woman) is 5.24. Life expectancy is 56.58 years (men - 55.05, women - 58.14) (all data for 2010).
The purchasing power of the population is $700 (2005 estimates).
Liberia is a multi-ethnic state. 95% of the population are African (there are more than 20 ethnic groups– Bassa, Belle, Vai, Kpelle, Gbandi, Gio, Gola, Grebo, Dei, Kissi, Kru, Loma, Mandingo, Mano, Mende, etc.). The most numerous are Kpelle (19.4%), Bassa (13.8%) and Grebo (9%) - 2001. Americo-Liberians (descendants of immigrants from the USA) and descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean make up 2.5% of the population each . Of the local languages, the most common languages are those of the Kpelle, Mano, Gio, and Bassa peoples. Most local languages do not have a written language.
The urban population is 56% (2004). Big cities– Buchanan (27.3 thousand people), Harper (20 thousand people), Greenville (13.5 thousand people), Ganta (11.2 thousand people), Grand Sess, Duabo, Kakata , Mano River, Marshall, Njebele, Robertsport, Sagleipie, Tappita, and Chien (2003).
Labor migrants from Liberia are in Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and other countries. The refugee problem remains serious. Liberia has been one of the main suppliers of refugees and internally displaced persons in recent decades African continent. During the civil war that began in 1989, approx. 700 thousand people (420 thousand of them found refuge in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ghana). In 1998, after the signing of an agreement to disarm the rebels, 235 thousand Liberian refugees returned to their homeland. After the resumption of the military conflict, a new mass exodus of the population began (more than 150 thousand Liberians fled to Sierra Leone - 2002). Refugees from Liberia are also located in the countries of the European Union, the USA (2.5 thousand people - 2000), etc. Liberia was also the host country for refugees from Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire (25 thousand people - 2003) .
Religions.
40% of the country's population are Christians (the majority are Protestants), 40% are Muslims (the majority profess Sunni Islam), 20% of Liberians adhere to traditional African beliefs (animalism, fetishism, cult of ancestors, forces of nature, etc.) - 2003. According to the constitution , Liberia guarantees complete freedom of religion.
Christianity began to spread in the 16th and 17th centuries, the first missionary society was created in Monrovia in 1827. Currently, a number of Christian African churches also operate. The active penetration of Islam began in the middle. 18th century Muslims inhabit mainly the northwestern counties of the country. Among the Muslims of Liberia, the Sufi order (tariqa) Ahmadiyya ( Cm. SUFISM). Among adherents of traditional African beliefs, the influence of male (Poro) and female (Bundu and Sande) secret societies remained.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
State structure.
Liberia is a presidential republic (the oldest republic in Tropical Africa). The constitution adopted on January 6, 1986 with subsequent amendments is in force. The head of state and government, as well as the supreme commander of the armed forces, is the president, who is elected by direct universal elections (by secret ballot) for a 6-year term. Legislative power is exercised by a bicameral parliament (National Assembly), which consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. 64 deputies of the House of Representatives are elected by general direct and secret elections for 6 years. The Senate, consisting of 30 senators, is also elected by universal direct and secret ballot (the term of office of the 15 senior senators is 9 years, the 15 junior senators are 7 years).
State flag.
A rectangular panel consisting of 11 horizontal alternating stripes of the same width in red and white(6 red and 5 white). In the upper left corner (at the shaft) there is a square of blue color, in the center of which there is a white five-pointed star.
Administrative device.
The country is divided into 15 counties - Bomi, Bong, Gparbolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Marjibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Kess, River Gui and Sino.
Judicial system.
Based on Anglo-American civil law using the norms of customary (traditional) law. The Supreme Court is in operation.
Armed forces and defense.
The armed forces were formed after the proclamation of the republic in 1847 on a voluntary basis from among the Americo-Liberians. The Air Force and Navy were created in the 1960s. In 2003, the Liberian armed forces were estimated to number 11–15 thousand people. Currently being formed new army, which will consist of 4 thousand people. Security internal order provided by the police (2 thousand people – 2006). In March 2006, a woman was appointed to the post of chief of police in the country for the first time. Defense expenditures in 2004 amounted to $1.5 million (0.2% of GDP).
Foreign policy.
It is based on the policy of non-alignment. In 2002, relations with Côte d'Ivoire worsened due to an armed group from Liberia siding with the rebels. While Charles Taylor, who supported the Sierra Leonean rebels in exchange for illegally mined diamonds, was in power, interstate relations with Sierra Leone: Relations with China are being improved; Liberian Defense Minister Daniel Chi visited Beijing in May 2005. Relations with the United States are maintained. In March 2006, the new President of Liberia, E. Johnson Sirleaf, was on an official visit to the United States, where she was received by the President. George W. Bush. Among the international observers of the 2005 general elections was former US President Jimmy Carter. In September 2005, the United States allocated $6.6 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to return Liberian refugees to their homeland.
Diplomatic relations between the USSR and Liberia were established on January 11, 1956 (interrupted in 1985–1986 on the initiative of the Liberian government). In the 1960–1970s, delegations were exchanged along state, parliamentary and public lines. The first trade agreement was signed in 1979. The USSR provided assistance to Liberia in the field of health care. In con. 1970 Cooperation in the field of culture was carried out (tours of Soviet pop artists to Liberia, exchange of delegations of writers, exhibition of USSR photographers in Monrovia). In December 1991, the Russian Federation was recognized as the legal successor of the USSR. The resumption of trade cooperation began in 2000. The UN mission in Liberia includes 80 Russian peacekeepers. During the years of cooperation in the USSR/RF, 123 citizens of Liberia received higher education. In 2004, 22 Liberians studied at universities in the Russian Federation. Russia annually provides 10 scholarships for students from Liberia.
Political organizations.
The country has a multi-party system (on the eve of the 2005 general elections there were 30 political parties). The most influential of them:
– « Unity Party», PE(Unity Party, UP), leader – Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, female. Created in 1984;
– « National Patriotic Party», NPP(National Patriotic Party, NPP), Chairman – Cyril Allen, General. sec. – John Whitfield Basic in 1996 on the basis of a military-political group called the National Patriotic Front;
– « National Democratic Party of Liberia», NTFP(National Democratic Party of Liberia, NDPL), leader – George Boley. Created in 1996 on the basis of a military-political group called the Liberian Peace Council;
– « All Liberia Coalition Party», PVK(All Liberian Coalition Party, ALCOP), leader - Alhaji G.V. Kromah, chairman - David Kortie. Basic in 1996 on the basis of the military-political group “United Liberation Movement for Democracy in Liberia”.
Trade union associations.
Liberian Federation of Labor Unions. The country's unified trade union center has more than 10 thousand members. Formed in February 1980 as a result of the merger of the Labor Congress of Liberia and the United Workers' Congress of Liberia. General Secretary - Amos Gray.
ECONOMY
Liberia is an agricultural country and belongs to the group of the poorest countries in the world. As a result of the long civil war, the industrial and transport infrastructure, agriculture is destroyed. According to experts, the process of restoring the national economy may take up to 15 years. More than 80% of the population is below the poverty line (2005). Foreign capital (USA, Japan, etc.) occupies a significant position in the economy.
Labor resources.
The country's economically active population is 1.24 million people (2001). Unemployment rate – 80% (2006).
Agriculture.
Share in GDP – 76.9% (2002), 829 thousand people employed. (2001). 3.9% of land is cultivated (2001). The main cash crops are cocoa, rubber, coffee and oil palm. Before the outbreak of military conflict, Liberia was one of the world's largest producers and exporters of natural rubber. The main food crops are rice and cassava. Livestock farming (breeding cattle, goats, sheep and pigs) is poorly developed due to the spread of the tsetse fly. Fisheries are developing (catch of ocean and freshwater fish). In 2000, the catch of fish and seafood amounted to 11.7 thousand tons. Agriculture does not provide the population of Liberia with basic food products.
Industry.
Share in GDP – 5.4% (2002), 8% of the population is employed (2000). The mining industry (extraction of iron ore and diamonds) is developing. Before the start of the military conflict, the country was one of the world's largest exporters of iron ore. Enterprises are open Food Industry, as well as small factories for rubber processing and cement production.
International trade.
Plays an extremely important role in the Liberian economy. The volume of imports significantly exceeds the volume of exports: in 2004, imports (in US dollars) amounted to 4.84 billion, exports - 910 million. Main import goods: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, vehicles, industrial goods and food products. The main import partners are Korea (38.8%), Japan (21.2%), Singapore (12.2%) and Germany (4.2%) - 2004. The main export products are diamonds, iron ore, valuable timber rocks, cocoa, coffee and raw rubber. The main export partners are Denmark (28.1%), Germany (18%), Poland (13.6%), USA (8.5%), Greece (7.6%) and Thailand (4.8%) – 2004.
Energy.
Liberia has significant hydropower potential. Electricity production (generated at hydroelectric power stations and thermal power plants) in 2003 amounted to 509.4 million kilowatt-hours. The vast majority of the population uses wood as fuel.
Transport.
The main mode of transport is automobile. Its development began at the end. 1940s The total length of roads is 10.6 thousand km (with hard surfaces - 657 km) - 1999. The total length of railways is 490 km (2004). After World War II, Liberia began lending its flag to foreign ships, providing a significant portion of its foreign exchange earnings. The merchant fleet (one of the largest in the world in terms of total displacement) has 1,465 ships (2005). Seaports are Monrovia, Buchanan, Greenville and Harper. There are 53 airports and runways (2 of them have hard surfaces) - 2005. Robertsfield International Airport is located 56 km from the capital.
Finance and credit.
The currency is the Liberian dollar (LRD), divided into 100 cents. In the beginning. In 2005, the national currency exchange rate was: 1 USD = 54.91 LRD.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
Education.
The first primary schools were opened in 1827, the first secondary school in 1834. In 1839, the West African College opened in Monrovia. System school education created on the American model.
Officially compulsory is 9 years of primary education, which children receive between the ages of 7 and 16. Education in primary and high school is free (except for an annual entrance fee of 10 thousand Liberian dollars). Children receive primary education (6 years) from the age of 7. Secondary education (6 years) begins at age 13 and takes place in two stages of 3 years each. According to UNESCO, in 2000, 83.4% of children of the corresponding age attended primary school (95.6% of boys and 71.2% of girls), and 20.3% of children attended secondary school (23.7% of boys and 16.9% of girls ). During the civil war, many schools were destroyed. There is one university in the country - the University of Liberia (opened in Monrovia in 1951 on the basis of the Liberian College, founded in 1862). The university is under state control, training is carried out on English language. In 2002, 282 teachers worked at its 7 faculties and 5.1 thousand students studied. To the system higher education It also includes the Anglican University College Cuttington (founded in the capital in 1889) and the Catholic College of Our Lady of Fatima. In 2003, 57.5% of the population was literate (73.3% of men and 41.6% of women). One of the pressing problems facing the new government is the problem of integrating 100 thousand former rebels who are teenagers into civilian life. In May 2005, teacher training was conducted in Montserrado County with the help of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). primary schools on methods of teaching children demobilized from the army.
Healthcare.
Architecture.
The most common type of folk dwelling is a hut with a round plan, placed on a frame made of poles. The walls are erected from stakes or bamboo ties held together by vines, and the outside is plastered with white clay. Walls and sometimes doors are covered with carvings or colored paintings of a geometric nature. The high, conical roof is made of raffia palm leaves (in the southern regions) or grass (in the north of the country). Often a spire decorated with a faience plate is installed on the roof. Houses in the north of the country (among the Kru people and others) have a rectangular shape, often with a veranda attached to them. The materials used to build such dwellings are wood and clay. IN modern cities houses are built from brick, reinforced concrete structures and glass.
Fine arts and crafts.
The traditional visual arts of the peoples of Liberia have a long history. Stone cylindrical figurines called “pomdo” among the Kissi people date back to the 16th century. Wooden masks are widespread and used in various rituals, especially in secret societies Poro, Bundu and Sande. Mende masks are distinguished by their originality - narrow faces are framed by a high hairstyle, the head is carved together with the neck, which is decorated with several rings. Among the Loma people there are anthropomorphic masks called “landa” - images of long, flat and mouthless faces with a convex forehead and small horns.
Professional fine art began to develop after World War II. One of Liberia's most famous artists and sculptors is Laron Brown. Other artists - Ahmed W. Sirleaf, Barclay G. Waters, Boulou John Barbour, I. E. Dangua, John N. Thompson, Samuel Reeves, Samuel Walker, Cesar W. Harris, Fable Walker. From the beginning In the 2000s, the work of contemporary battle painter Michael Mitchell became popular. His war paintings are done in black and white. Collections of African traditional and contemporary art are presented at the National Museum, which is located in Monrovia.
Crafts and arts are well developed - wood carving (making masks and ritual objects (drums, wands, figurines), household utensils and women's combs), ivory carving, pottery (making pottery decorated with bright multi-colored ornaments), metal processing (ritual bells, bracelets made of copper and silver, rings, necklaces), as well as weaving a variety of baskets and bags from straw and plant fibers.
Literature.
Based on the rich traditions of oral creativity (myths, songs, proverbs and fairy tales) of local peoples, primarily the Vai, Grebo and Kru. Modern literature develops in English and local languages. In the 1830s, Massolu Duvalu Booker wrote a history of the Vai in the language of the people. In con. 19th century works of religious content were published in the Bassa language. The founder of English-language prose in the country was E. Bosolow. Most books by national authors were published abroad. The author of the first Liberian novel (Love in Ebony: A West African Novel, published in London in 1932) was Warfelli Carli (pseudonym of Cooper Clarke Edward). Other significant writers, poets and playwrights are Ronald Tombekaya Demster, Henriss Doris Bana, Sankovulu Wilton, H.K. Thomas.
Music and theater.
National musical culture is diverse, formed as a result of the interaction of traditions numerous peoples inhabiting the country. Music is an important part Everyday life Liberians. The musical instruments are diverse: gbegbetele harp, drums (gbili, gbingbin, gio, dukpa, kaleng, likpa, sangba, tu"n, fanga, chbungbung, etc.), duu guitar, xylophones (bali, bilophone, blinde, ballau, kongoma ), konni (string), musical bow zino, rattles and rattles (saasaa, semkon), jomokor (wind), flutes (bong, puu), zither konang, etc. Ensemble performance of music, which is characterized by polyrhythm, is popular. Solo and. choral singing. To this day, some peoples of Liberia have preserved songs and dances associated with the cults of the forces of nature, animals and plants (for example, rice).
Professional musicians and singers appeared on Wednesday. 20th century In con. In the 1990s, musician Otto Braun and the traditional music ensemble Loffa-30 were popular. Popular music in the styles of high-life and al-jad has become widespread. Amateur theater groups have been established at the University of Liberia and in some schools. Famous Liberian playwright – Edith Bright.
Press, radio broadcasting, television and Internet.
The first newspaper, the weekly “Laibiria Herald” (“Bulletin of Liberia”), began publication in 1826. Currently published in English:
– government newspaper “The New Liberian”, daily private newspaper “Daily Observer”, independent newspaper “Inquirer”, private, the Wednesday newspaper Express, as well as the weekly independent newspaper News and the Catholic newspaper Herald.
The government's Liberian News Agency, LINA, has been operating in Monrovia since 1978. The government's Liberian Broadcasting System, RM, was established in 1960 and is located in the capital. Radio broadcasts are broadcast in English, French and Portuguese, in Swahili, as well as in local languages (Gio, Mano, Bassa, etc.). Television has been operating since 1964 (color programs have been broadcast since 1979). In 2002 there were 1 thousand Internet users.
STORY
The indigenous population entered the territory of modern Liberia from the north, northeast and east in the 12th–16th centuries. Portuguese sailors first visited this coast in the 15th century. Throughout the 15th–16th centuries. ivory and pepper were the main items of trade, but in the 17th century. The slave trade came first. Until the middle of the 19th century. coastal residents were intermediaries in the transatlantic slave trade.
In 1816, a group of white Americans founded the American Colonization Society in the United States, which set itself the goal of solving the “Negro problem” by settling freed black slaves in Africa. In 1818, two representatives of the society were sent to Africa to find a place to settle, and in 1820, 88 black colonists, led by three white Americans, headed to the shores of Sierra Leone. Before leaving, they signed a document stating that a representative of the American Colonization Society would manage the future settlement. For several weeks, settlers tried to settle on Sherbro Island (now part of Sierra Leone), where malaria was rampant; it killed 25 people, including all three whites. Then one of the black settlers named Elijah Johnson took over leadership and headed with the survivors to the mainland. There they were picked up by another group of colonists from the United States, and in 1821 they moved to Cape Mesurado, where they began building a settlement on lands purchased from local leaders. Malaria and raids by local tribes led to a decrease in the number of colonists. In 1822, Methodist priest Yehudi Eshmun arrived as the head of the settlement, who, with the help of Elijah Johnson, built fortifications, organized self-defense units, cleared plots of land for agricultural land and established trade relations with the population of the interior. In 1824, the entire territory of the settlement was named Liberia, and its capital - Monrovia in honor of US President James Monroe.
The successes achieved by Ashmun contributed to further colonization of the coast of Liberia. In 1827, the Maryland Colonization Society founded the Independent Republic of Maryland at Cape Palmas, which in 1857 became part of Liberia as a county. In 1835, thanks to the efforts of the Pennsylvania Young Christian Association, a group of Quakers founded the settlement of Basa Cove (Buchanan) at the mouth of the St. John River. Three years later, another settlement was created by the Mississippi Colonization Society at the mouth of the Sino River. In 1838, when difficulties arose with financing and attracting new settlers, all settlements except Maryland became part of the Commonwealth of Liberia. A new constitution was adopted, and Thomas Buchanan became the first governor. By this time, the number of colonists was 2247 people. The missionaries performed worship among the settlers and tried to expand their flock to the local population and Congolese Africans from captured slave ships who were settled in Liberia. Around the same time in northwestern regions Islam was gaining strength in modern Liberia.
In 1841, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, who was born and educated in Virginia, became governor and managed to expand the coastal possessions of Liberia to the Grand Sess River on the border with the Maryland settlement. The colonization society aimed to create an agricultural colony. However, D.D. Roberts sought to develop trade in the country, since most of the colonists were emigrants from the northern cities of the United States and preferred to engage in trade rather than agriculture. Roberts failed to organize the collection of customs duties and taxes from French and English merchants. As the costs of the colonizing society grew, and the colonists themselves supported the idea of independence and wanted legal rights to their land, the society helped the settlers create a sovereign state. In 1847, the Declaration of Independence was promulgated and a constitution was adopted. On July 26 of that year, Roberts became the first president of independent Liberia. The new state was recognized by Great Britain and later by other countries, including the United States.
The young republic faced numerous problems. Some coastal tribes, notably the Grebo and Kru, rebelled over government interference in the slave trade in the 1850s. From the 1860s, Britain and France began to lay claim to the territory previously recognized as Liberian. During the American Civil War, emigration of black Americans to Liberia decreased, and it also entered a period of protracted economic crisis caused by the cessation of sugar exports, which could not withstand competition with cheaper sugar from the West Indies. In 1870, Brazilian coffee exporters dealt a crushing blow to Liberian coffee exports, and african republic, which found itself in a difficult situation, was forced to take out foreign loans on unfavorable terms. By 1890, the production of artificial dyes had reduced demand for the natural dye bafia, mined in the interior of Liberia, and Sierra Leone had displaced Liberia from the world market for piassava. Government revenues continued to decline, and Liberia was forced to borrow more to pay its debts. Creditors insisted on establishing their control over funds from customs duties, the main revenue item in Liberia's budget. Despite complete bankruptcy, Liberia continued to maintain sovereignty, since England, France and Germany, pursuing their own financial interests, could not agree on the issue of dividing the country. In addition, the independent Liberia was supported by the United States.
In 1926 with active participation The US State Department provided Liberia with a loan of $5 million for a period of 40 years, necessary to pay off debts. In exchange, the Liberian government leased an area of approximately 400 thousand hectares to the American company Firestone for a period of 99 years for the cultivation of rubber. In the 1930s, the League of Nations investigated allegations of slave labor by the Liberian government and revealed the involvement of Vice President Allen N. Yancey in the forced recruitment of indigenous Liberians to work on Fernando Po Island. President King was forced to resign. Taking advantage of this situation, Great Britain raised the question of establishing trusteeship of the League of Nations over Liberia. The new president, Edwin Barclay, prevented the establishment of international control by prohibiting the use of Liberian workers abroad and the practice of turning over relatives of the debtor to the creditor as collateral until the debt was paid. He managed to negotiate more favorable terms for Liberia under the contract with Firestone.
When did the second one begin? World War, Liberia declared its neutrality. However, the agreement with Firestone significantly strengthened economic ties with the United States, and in 1942, having received guarantees of sovereignty and technical assistance to the Liberian armed forces, the Liberian government agreed to the construction of the Robertsfield air force base. In 1943, an agreement was concluded between Liberia and the United States to build a modern port in Monrovia. At the same time, an agreement was reached on US assistance in implementing the economic and social development Liberia, which was based on the idea of uniting Americo-Liberians with the indigenous population and implementing policies open doors for private foreign capital. In 1944 Liberia declared war on Germany. Thanks to growing rubber exports and periodic US loans and subsidies to post-war period by 1951 Liberia had managed to pay off all of Firestone's debts. Significant new foreign investment in mining allowed Liberia to become a major exporter of iron ore by the mid-1960s. In 1971, President Tubman died and was succeeded by William Tolbert, vice president since 1951. Continuing domestic policy his predecessor, Tolbert maintained close ties with the United States, but at the same time sought to increase Liberia's role in African affairs and improve relations with communist countries. Under Tolbert, as under Tubman, the monopoly of power remained in the hands of the Americo-Liberian elite.
During the 1970s, a strong and well-organized political opposition emerged in Liberia. Population dissatisfaction with rising food prices led to serious “rice riots” in April 1979. On April 12, 1980, as a result of a coup carried out by indigenous Liberians, led by Staff Sergeant Samuel Doe, the Tolbert government was overthrown. Power in the country passed to the Council of People's Salvation, whose chairman was Doe, who awarded himself the rank of general.
The outside world condemned the assassination of President Tolbert and 13 members of his cabinet, but soon relations with the United States were restored, and the amount of American financial assistance even increased. This did not prevent Liberia's economy from falling into a deep recession in the early 1980s. Doe's regime became increasingly unpopular, and its victims included former associates of the country's leader, who were imprisoned or executed. In October 1985, Liberia formally returned to civilian rule. However, Doe won the presidential election.
In December 1989, an armed uprising of the hitherto unknown National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) began in Nimba County. It was led by Charles Taylor, a former government employee who was accused by Doe of embezzling one million dollars in 1984. Initially a small guerrilla group, by the end of 1990 the NPFL had increased its ranks to several thousand fighters and controlled more than 90% of the country's territory. A splinter group led by Yormie Johnson fought against the forces of both Taylor and Doe. Military actions were accompanied by massive repressions against the civilian population, aggravation of interethnic contradictions, chaos in the economy, hunger and impoverishment of a huge number of the country's inhabitants. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to emigrate (according to various estimates, there are from 700 thousand to 1 million refugees in countries neighboring Liberia).
To achieve a ceasefire, in August 1990, by decision of the Economic Community of West African Countries (ECOWAS), a military contingent of 3 thousand people was sent to Liberia. During negotiations between Johnson and Doe in September, the President was captured by Johnson's men and later killed. By 1991, the number of ECOWAS armed forces in Liberia, known as the Economic Community of West African Countries Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), reached 10 thousand people. An agreement was reached between Taylor, Johnson and Captain Wilmot Diggs, who led the remnants of the Liberian armed forces, to cease hostilities. It was observed until the spring of 1992, when armed clashes between ECOMOG units and NPFL units broke out again. The summer saw several clashes between Taylor's forces and a new participant in the civil war, the United liberation movement Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO), where main force there were supporters of the overthrown Doe regime, their bases were located in Sierra Leone. The fighting for Monrovia intensified, during which ECOMOG units attacked NPFL fortifications from land, sea and air. Numerous cases of brutal massacres of civilians have been reported, such as the June 1993 killing of more than 400 people in the Harbel refugee camp near Monrovia. The massacre was initially blamed on the NPFL, but a UN investigation determined that it was the work of government soldiers and ULIMO members.
The civil war continued until mid-1995, then in August an agreement was reached on the disarmament of 60 thousand partisans. ECOMOG forces and a group of UN military observers sought to achieve the implementation of the 1995 agreements. The interim government, the State Council, tried to establish governance of the country with varying success, but often its orders were carried out only in Monrovia.
After the State Council accused the leader of one of the armed groups, D. Roosevelt Johnson, of the murders in April 1996 and ordered his arrest, the largest armed clashes during the civil war occurred in Monrovia, accompanied by mass looting. After two weeks, a fragile truce was reached, and then hostilities resumed.
In July-August 1996, at the initiative of ECOWAS, two rounds of negotiations took place between the leaders of the main military-political groupings. During the negotiations, an agreement was reached on the reorganization of the transitional government body - the State Council. Although the leaders of the main factions, including Taylor, remained in its composition, the agreement provided for their resignation on the eve of general elections scheduled for May 1997. The new plan to end the armed conflict called for all warring factions to lay down their arms by January 1997.
In pursuance of the provisions of the peace agreement, former Senator Ruth Perry became head of the Council of State in September 1996.
Sporadic armed clashes that continued throughout 1996 hampered the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians who were suffering from famine and other consequences of the protracted civil war.
In early 1997, Taylor disbanded and disarmed the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, creating on its basis a political organization called the National Patriotic Party (NPP). Leaders of other factions soon followed his example, disbanding their military formations and creating political parties. In accordance with the terms of the peace agreement in March 1997, Taylor and other group leaders resigned from the Council of State.
On July 19, 1997, presidential and parliamentary elections were held, with 13 candidates competing for the presidency. The elections were supervised by an independent election commission. On July 23, she announced Taylor as the winner with 75.3% of the votes. The NPP, created by Taylor, won an overwhelming majority of seats in both houses of the newly created legislature.
Upon taking the presidency, Taylor promised to organize two commissions - on human rights and national reconciliation. He formed a cabinet of ministers consisting of 19 people, which included some members of the provisional government. In August 1997, ECOWAS member countries revised their mandate for peacekeeping operations and called on ECOMOG forces to remain in Liberia to maintain order during the period of national reconciliation.
The government's relationship with ECOWAS became strained after Taylor ordered the formation of a 1,000-strong security force to patrol the border between Liberia and Sierra Leone. This decision was contrary to one of the provisions of the peace plan, which provided for the participation of ECOMOG in the formation of the armed forces of Liberia.
Throughout 1998 there were reports of the Taylor government using repressive measures against political opponents, although a human rights commission was established in late 1997.
In September 1998, armed clashes broke out in Monrovia between government troops and rebel military units supporting D. Roosevelt Johnson.
Liberia in the 21st century
In 2000–2001, military conflict engulfed the border areas with Guinea and Sierra Leone. In February 2002, a state of emergency was declared in Liberia. On June 17, 2002, a ceasefire agreement was signed between the government and the rebels in Accra (Ghana). However, the rebels violated the agreement and demanded the immediate resignation of President Taylor. On August 11, 2003, he voluntarily handed over power to Vice President Moses Blah and left for Nigeria, which granted him asylum. On August 18 of the same year, a peace agreement was signed between the warring parties, according to which a provisional government and a unicameral parliament were formed in October. (During the years of military conflict, 200–250 thousand people died.)
Economic growth began in 2004. In 2005, GDP was $2.59 billion.
On October 11, 2005, general elections took place. 28 candidates ran for the presidency. None of them received the required more than 50% of the votes. The largest number of votes was received by George Weah (world football legend - 28.3%) and former senior World Bank official Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (19.8%). In the second round (November 8, 2005), Johnson Sirleaf won, becoming the first female president in African history. In the parliamentary elections, the largest number of seats in the House of Representatives were won by the Congress for Democratic Change, CDP (15), Freedom Party, PS (9), Unity Party, PE and the Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia, CPL (8 each seats each). In the Senate, the majority of mandates were received by the Coalition to Transform Liberia (7) and the National Patriotic party", NPP (4). The elections were held under the supervision of the UN mission in Liberia. More than 400 international observers monitored the voting process. According to observers, the elections took place in a peaceful and calm atmosphere.
In March 2006, the new government canceled some contracts concluded by the previous government of the country (for the extraction of iron ore, for the exploration of oil deposits on the coastal shelf, etc.), as not meeting national interests. On March 17, 2006, the Liberian government officially asked Nigeria to extradite former President Charles Taylor. On April 3, 2006, in Freetown (Sierra Leone), he appeared before the UN International War Crimes Tribunal for Sierra Leone. Taylor has been charged with 17 counts (he is considered the main culprit of the civil war in Liberia, as well as the conflict in Sierra Leone) and faces life imprisonment.
Paris Club members welcomed Liberia's determination in the fight against poverty and efforts for economic growth. Major industrialized countries have agreed to write off Liberia's government debt of more than a billion dollars.
Lyubov Prokopenko
Literature:
Khodosh I.A. Liberia(historical essay). M., “Science”, 1961
Recent history of Africa. M., “Science”, 1968
Republic of Liberia. Directory. M., “Science”, 1990
Smirnov E.G. Essays on the economic history of Liberia and Sierra Leone. M., Publishing House of the Institute of African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1997
Huband, M. The Liberian Civil War. London, Frank Cass & Co, 1998
Frenkel M.Yu. History of Liberia in the new and modern times
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The World of Learning 2003, 53rd Edition. L.-N.Y.: Europa Publications, 2002
Levitt, J. Liberia: Evolution of Conflict. Durham, NC, Carolina Academic Press, 2003
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African countries and Russia. Directory. M., Publishing House of the Institute of African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2004
The coastal lowland plain, several tens of kilometers wide, is poorly dissected and swampy in places. There are quite a lot of rivers in Liberia, however, they are short, and even the largest of them: Mano, Lofa, St. Paul, St. John, Sess, Cavalli are unsuitable for navigation. As you move away from the coastline, the plain becomes more hilly and turns into the Leono-Liberian Upland with individual mountains, the highest of which is Mount Nimba (1752 m). On the slopes of this mountain is the only reserve in Liberia created to protect rare local flora.
Liberia's climate is tropical, humid and hot. The two rainy seasons last from June to July and from October to November. The average January temperature is about 26 degrees. WITH; average temperature July about 24 degrees. C. The average annual precipitation in coastal areas exceeds 5000 mm; inland areas, precipitation is usually less, ranging from 1500 to 2000 mm per year.
On the territory of Liberia there are various types of vegetation: rare tree species (erythrofleum guinea, hevea, kaya, or mahogany, etc.), different kinds palm trees (raffia, rattan, oilseed and coconut, as well as pandanus). In the northern regions, baobabs and acacias mostly grow, and in the northeast there are deciduous forests. In total, there are about 200 tree species in Liberia. IN agriculture Rice and cassava cultivation is widespread.
Wildlife is mainly preserved in eastern and northwestern Liberia. These areas are inhabited by elephants, leopards, antelopes, pygmy hippopotamus, brush-eared pigs, and African buffalo. Crocodiles and poisonous snakes are quite common. Concerning water resources, then in fresh water bodies the number of fish has decreased due to predatory fishing, but in the coastal areas of the ocean there are a large number of fish. A big problem for livestock farming is the abundance of tsetse flies and malaria mosquitoes.
Liberia has such mineral resources as iron ore, gold, and diamonds. New deposits are being actively developed.
Having analyzed geographical features And Natural resources Liberia, we can conclude that the country occupies an advantageous economic position: access to the Atlantic Ocean provides great opportunities for the development of trade, shipbuilding, fishing, and tourism; the country borders three states, which can also contribute to the development of international economic relations; rich plant resources allow the development of the timber industry; the presence of rare tree species allows for the harvesting of valuable wood and the development of the furniture industry. Significant reserves of iron ore, gold and diamonds are promising development mining and manufacturing industries.