Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Monrovia
geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 47 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount,
Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba,
River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
Independence:
26 July 1847
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution:
6 January 1986
Legal system:
dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for
the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal
practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF (since 16 January
2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF (since 6 January
2006); note - the President is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Senate
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005
(next to be held NA 2011)
election results: Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF elected president; percent
of vote, second round - Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF (UP) 59.6%, George
WEAH (CDC) 40.4%
note: a UN-brokered cease-fire among warring factions and the
Liberian Government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of
former president, Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement,
Chairman Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as head of the National
Transitional Government on 14 October 2003; free elections were held
11 October 2005, with a runoff election between the two leading
candidates on 8 November 2005
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats -
number of seats changed in 11 October 2005 elections; members
elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
six-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in
2014); House of Representatives - last held 11 October 2005 (next to
be held NA 2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
CDC 15, LP 9, UP 8, COTOL 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15
note: the current six-year term for junior senators - those who
received the second most votes in the election - is mandated by the
Liberian constitution to stagger Senate elections and ensure
continuity of government