:Liberia Government
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Eugenia A. WORDSWORTH-STEVENSON; Chancery at 5201 16th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20011; telephone (202) 723-0437 through 0440; there is a
Liberian Consulate General in New York
US:
Ambassador Peter J. de VOS; Embassy at 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia
(mailing address is P. O. Box 98, Monrovia, or APO AE 09813; telephone [231]
222991 through 222994; FAX (231) 223-710
Flag:
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white;
there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side
corner; the design was based on the US flag
:Liberia Economy
Overview:
Civil war during 1990 destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the
infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Expatriate businessmen fled the
country, taking capital and expertise with them. Many will not return.
Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate
favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic
products, while local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in
scope. Political instability threatens prospects for economic reconstruction
and repatriation of some 750,000 Liberian refugees who fled to neighboring
countries. In 1991, the political impasse between the interim government and
the rebel leader Charles Taylor prevented restoration of normal economic
life.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $988 million, per capita $400; real growth rate
1.5% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12% (1989)
Unemployment rate:
43% urban (1988)
Budget:
revenues $242.1 million; expenditures $435.4 million, including capital
expenditures of $29.5 million (1989)
Exports:
$505 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
commodities:
iron ore 61%, rubber 20%, timber 11%, coffee
partners:
US, EC, Netherlands
Imports:
$394 million (c.i.f., 1989 est.)
commodities:
rice, mineral fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, other
foodstuffs
partners:
US, EC, Japan, China, Netherlands, ECOWAS
External debt:
$1.6 billion (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 1.5% in manufacturing (1987); accounts for 22% of GDP
Electricity:
410,000 kW capacity; 750 million kWh produced, 275 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
rubber processing, food processing, construction materials, furniture, palm
oil processing, mining (iron ore, diamonds)
Agriculture:
accounts for about 40% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); principal
products - rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava, palm oil,
sugarcane, bananas, sheep, and goats; not self-sufficient in food, imports
25% of rice consumption
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $665 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $870 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $25 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $77
million
Currency:
Liberian dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars (L$) per US$1 - 1.00 (fixed rate since 1940); unofficial
parallel exchange rate of L$7 = US$1, January 1992
:Liberia Economy
Fiscal year: calendar year
:Liberia Communications
Railroads:
480 km total; 328 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 152 km 1.067-meter narrow
gauge; all lines single track; rail systems owned and operated by foreign
steel and financial interests in conjunction with Liberian Government
Highways:
10,087 km total; 603 km bituminous treated, 2,848 km all weather, 4,313 km
dry weather; there are also 2,323 km of private, laterite-surfaced roads
open to public use, owned by rubber and timber companies
Ports:
Monrovia, Buchanan, Greenville, Harper (or Cape Palmas)
Merchant marine:
1,564 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 54,049,124 DWT/ 95,338,925 DWT;
includes 19 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger, 145 cargo, 51 refrigerated
cargo, 22 roll-on/roll-off, 62 vehicle carrier, 89 container, 4 barge
carrier, 460 petroleum tanker, 105 chemical, 57 combination ore/oil, 50
liquefied gas, 6 specialized tanker, 465 bulk, 1 multifunction large-load
carrier, 27 combination bulk; note - a flag of convenience registry; all
ships are foreign owned; the top 4 owning flags are US 18%, Japan 16%, Hong
Kong 10%, and Norway 9%
Civil air:
1 major transport aircraft
Airports:
66 total, 49 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
telephone and telegraph service via radio relay network; main center is
Monrovia; broadcast stations - 3 AM, 4 FM, 5 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
earth stations; most telecommunications services inoperable due to
insurgency movement
:Liberia Defense Forces
Branches:
Monrovia-based Armed Forces of Liberia (Army only) along with a police
force; rest of country controlled by the army of the National Patriotic
Front of Liberia (NPFL) insurgent group
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 585,224; 312,420 fit for military service; no conscription
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP