(descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Religions:
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a
few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.5%
male: 73.3%
female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

Government Liberia

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia

Government type:
republic

Capital:
Monrovia

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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note
- this is an interim position until presidential elections in 2005;
the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);
note - this is an interim position until presidential elections in
2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
Senate; note - current cabinet positions are divided among groups
participating in the Liberian peace process
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held 11
October 2005)
election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent
of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF
(UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - TAYLOR
stepped down in August 2003
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

Legislative branch: