security situation is still
volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic
structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.
Geography Liberia
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote
d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:
6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 111,370 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
306 km
Coastline:
579 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold
nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and
low mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3.43%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 94.59% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment - current issues:
tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of
biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw
sewage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
grassy plateau supports limited agriculture
People Liberia
Population:
3,042,004 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.1% (male 656,016/female 653,734)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 816,443/female 832,152)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 40,591/female 43,068) (2006 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.1 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
4.91% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:
44.77 births/1,000 populatio
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