Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic.

William Tubman, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior.

In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel Doe ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles Taylor launched a rebellion against Doe's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which Doe himself was killed.

A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought Taylor to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000.

An August 2003, peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles Taylor, who was exiled to Nigeria. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to power.

The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for former combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 3,195,931 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.6% (male 698,382/female 695,409) 15-64 years: 53.6% (male 848,951/female 865,380) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 42,745/female 45,064) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 18.1 years male: 17.9 years female: 18.2 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 4.836% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 43.75 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 22.24 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: 26.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.004 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.981 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.949 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 149.73 deaths/1,000 live births male: 165.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 133.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.39 years male: 38.93 years female: 41.89 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 5.94 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5.9% (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 100,000 (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: 7,200 (2003 est.)

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Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007)

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Nationality: noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian

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Ethnic groups: indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

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Religions: Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%

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Languages: English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.5% male: 73.3% female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

Civil war and government mismanagement have destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some have returned, but many will not. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained economist, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment. An embargo on timber exports has been lifted, opening a source of revenue for the government, but diamonds remain under UN sanctions. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial support and technical assistance from donor countries.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.821 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $902.9 million (2006 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: 7.8% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $900 (2006 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 70% industry: 8% services: 22% (2000 est.)

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Unemployment rate: 85% (2003 est.)

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Population below poverty line: 80% (2000)

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (2003 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $85.4 million expenditures: $90.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

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Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

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Industries: rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

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Industrial production growth rate: NA%

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Electricity - production: 325 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 302.3 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 3,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: 23 bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Exports: $910 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

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Exports - partners: Germany 23.4%, South Africa 16.1%, Poland 15.7%, US 11.4%, Spain 11%, Thailand 4.1% (2006)

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Imports: $4.839 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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Imports - commodities: fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs

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Imports - partners: South Korea 40.2%, Singapore 16%, Japan 13.6%, China 8.7% (2006)

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Debt - external: $3.2 billion (2005 est.)

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Economic aid - recipient: $94 million (1999)

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Currency (code): Liberian dollar (LRD)

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Exchange rates: Liberian dollars per US dollar - 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003), 61.754 (2002)

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Fiscal year: calendar year