Liberia

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 faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. 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) maintains a strong presence throughout the country, but the security situation is still fragile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country will take many years.

Population (1): 3,334,587 (July 2008 estimate)

Religions (1): Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%

HIV/AIDS 2003 estimates (1):
Adult prevalence rate: 5.9%
People living with HIV/AIDS: 100,000
HIV/AIDS deaths: 7,200

Life expectancy in years (2): 42

Annual per capita GNI U.S. dollars (3): $140.00

Total number of orphans (4): 250,000

Education:
Children enrolled in secondary school (5): Male – 37%; Female – 27%

Number of physicians per 100,000 people (7): 3

(1) CIA – The World Factbook
(2) (5) Source: State of the World Population 2007
(3) Source: World Bank World Development Indicator Database, 1 July 2007, 2006 estimates
(4) Sources: UNICEF Africa’s OVCs affected by AIDS 2005
(7) WHO Human Resources for Health

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Residents and staff of Rafiki Village Liberia

ROS in Liberia

Julie McKeighen
Babs and Dave Veneman