ABOUT LIBERIA
The Republic of Liberia is located on the west coast of Africa. Liberia, which means, "Land of the Free", was founded in 1821 as an independent nation for freeborn and formerly enslaved African Americans. It has a population of over 3 million.
Liberia is emerging from over ten years of civil war, which displaced thousands and resulted in the destruction of much of its viable infrastructure. Following the end of the war, the US-educated economist and former finance minister, Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, won the second round of presidential elections. In January 2006 she was inaugurated as Africa's first elected woman head of state.
The UN maintains a large peacekeeping presence in Liberia, as the country seeks to rebuild its infrastructure and economy and attract foreign investment.
Historically, the Liberian economy was reliant on iron ore and rubber exports, foreign direct investment, as well as the export of other natural resources, such as timber.
The landscape of Liberia is characterized by mostly flat to rolling coastal plains, which rise to rolling plateaus and low mountains in the northeast. The climate is classed as equatorial, with hot and humid temperatures and significant annual rainfall.