Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor-general. Prime minister : Freundel Stuart
President: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Population
287,733
3,887,886
Life Expectancy
74.520 years
57.410 years
Capital City
Bridgetown
Monrovia
Largest city
Bridgetown (population: 98,511)
Monrovia (population: 939,524)
Human Development Index
0.889
0.364
GDP per capita
$23,700 US
$500 US
Literacy Rate
99.7%
57.5%
Corruption Perception Index
7
2.4
Percentage of Women in Parliament
13.7%
13.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
12.000%
85.000%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished in practice
Political System
parliamentary democracy
republic
Independence date
30 November 1966 (from UK)
26 July 1847
Religions
Protestant 63.4% (Anglican 28.3%, Pentecostal 18.7%, Methodist 5.1%, other 11.3%), Roman Catholic 4.2%, other Christian 7%, other 4.8%, none or unspecified 20.6% (2008 est.)
Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Languages
English
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Exports
manufactures, sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
External Debt
$668,000,000 $
$228,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Barbadian dollars (BBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003)
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.800%
1.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Area
430 km sq
111,369 km sq
Coastline
97 km
579 km
Climate
tropical; rainy season (June to October)
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
