Transcript Note on Liberia

Liberia
Some History
First Habitation, around 1100s; various peoples
settle at different times
1461 to late 17th century: Portuguese, Dutch
and British traders had contacts and built
trading posts
In 1822, the American Colonization Society,
established Liberia to "repatriate" black
Americans to greater freedom in Africa
• Afro-American immigrants viewed Africa as
a "Promised Land," but they did not
integrate into African society, considering
themselves to be Americans.
• Colonization, 1821–1847
• Handing over command to AmericoLiberians
On July 26, 1847, Americo-Liberian
settlers declared independence
of the Republic of Liberia.
Joseph Jenkins Roberts, First
President of Liberia.
• Americo-Liberian Rule (1847–1980)
– Americo-Liberian domination over indigenous
population
– government, modeled after that of the U.S.,
democratic in structure, if not always in substance
• retained its independence during the
Scramble for Africa, but lost its claim to
territories annexed by Britain and France.
• Weak isolated economy
• April 12, 1980, a s military coup by a group of
noncommissioned army officers led by Master Sergeant
Samuel Doe.
– The soldiers were a mixture of the various ethnic groups that
claimed marginalization at the hands of the minority AmericoLiberian settlers.
• Samuel Doe rules with the People’s Redemption Council
(1980–1989)
President Samuel K. Doe with members of
his "Peoples Redemption Council
• First Liberian Civil War (1989–1996)
Dictatorial atmosphere that gripped the country was due
largely to Samuel Doe's rule.
Americo-Liberian Charles Taylor, invaded
• Second Liberian Civil War (1997–2003)
Bloody, confused, child soldiers, atrocities
Ended with intervention by ECOWAS and 1000 Nigerian
troops plus 100 US Marines (and potential of 2000 more)
Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace, mobilize for action
and were able to achieve peace in Liberia after a 14-year
civil war
Charles Taylor, now on trial for war crimes at The Hague.
• Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf elected president (2005)
Stability, democracy and economic improvement 2005-2010
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
A Statistical Snap-shot of Liberia
Population
+/- 4,000,000
Life Expectancy
46 years
GDP per capita (PPP)
$US 280
GDP Rank
#208
Population living on <$US1.25
per day
83.7%
GDP Growth, 1990-2000
-5.0 % per annum
GDP Growth, 2000-2007
+ 11.2% per annum
Human Development Index
0.336
#177 of 177
• Economy:
- Subsistence agricultural based
Grinding sugar cane manually
– Firestone rubber plantations since the 1930s
– Liberia has one of the world's largest national
registries of ships, due to its status as a "flag of
convenience“ (1,700 vessels registered )
– Major iron ore producer
– Informal sector alluvial diamond production
Rubber Plantaion
Informal Sector Diamond
Mining
Informal Sector Diamond
Mining