Brief History of Liberia
Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire and the Atlantic Ocean. According to the 2008 Census, the nation is home to 3,476,608 people and covers 43,000 square miles.
Its capital is Monrovia, named after President James Munroe, the fifth president of the United States. Though there are other languages spoken, Liberia is an English speaking country and has always used the American dollar as the official currency. Liberia was once Africa’s first and the world’s third exporter of iron ore. However, the most important foreign investor in Liberia was the American “Firestone Tire & Rubber Company." At one point, Liberia was called the “Firestone Colony.” Unfortunately, the financial gains from the use of its resources was not returned to the native people or reinvested in the local community. Today, Liberia is recovering from the lingering effects of prolonged civil wars leaving hundreds of thousands of people dead, an estimated 200,000 people are reported to have been killed, and devastating the country's economy.
Its capital is Monrovia, named after President James Munroe, the fifth president of the United States. Though there are other languages spoken, Liberia is an English speaking country and has always used the American dollar as the official currency. Liberia was once Africa’s first and the world’s third exporter of iron ore. However, the most important foreign investor in Liberia was the American “Firestone Tire & Rubber Company." At one point, Liberia was called the “Firestone Colony.” Unfortunately, the financial gains from the use of its resources was not returned to the native people or reinvested in the local community. Today, Liberia is recovering from the lingering effects of prolonged civil wars leaving hundreds of thousands of people dead, an estimated 200,000 people are reported to have been killed, and devastating the country's economy.