Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe
Independence:
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
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Executive branch:
president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower
house or House of Representatives
Judicial branch:
People's Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
interim President Dr. Amos SAWYER (since 15 November 1990); Vice President,
vacant (since August 1991); note - this is an interim government appointed
by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that will be
replaced after elections are held under a West African - brokered peace
plan; rival rebel factions led by Prince Y. JOHNSON and Charles TAYLOR are
challenging the SAWYER government's legitimacy while observing a tenuous
cease-fire; the former president, Gen. Dr. Samuel Kanyon DOE, was killed on
9 September 1990 by Prince Y. JOHNSON
Political parties and leaders:
National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), Augustus CAINE, chairman;
Liberian Action Party (LAP), Emmanuel KOROMAH, chairman; Unity Party (UP),
Carlos SMITH, chairman; United People's Party (UPP), Gabriel Baccus
MATTHEWS, chairman
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held NA); results - Gen. Dr. Samuel
Kanyon DOE (NDPL) 50.9%, Jackson DOE (LAP) 26.4%, other 22.7%; note -
President Doe was killed by rebel forces on 9 September 1990
Senate:
last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote
by party NA; seats - (26 total) NDPL 21, LAP 3, UP 1, UPP 1
House of Representatives:
last held on 15 October 1985 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote
by party NA; seats - (64 total) NDPL 51, LAP 8, UP 3, UPP 2
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

:Liberia Government

Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Eugenia A. WORDSWORTH-STEVENSON; Chancery at 5201 16th Street