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: