Freedmen's Union of Liberia Factbook

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The Freedmen's Union of Liberia

Introduction

Liberian Union

Background:

Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. During his presidency, many colonies such as French West Africa, Portuguese Guinea-Bissau, and the British Gambia and Sierra Leone won their independence. They nominally joined the Freedmen's Union of Liberia, while other colonies in French West Africa nominally remained independent. After the death of William Tubman in 1971, Obiu DAKOR won the presidency-for-life.

Geography

South Africa

Location:

Western Africa

Geographic coordinates:

0 S, 2 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 1,219,912 sq km

land: 1,219,912 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total: 4,862 km

border countries: Democratic Africa 1,840 km, other nations

Coastline:

2,798 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:

mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights

Terrain:

vast interior desert rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Monroe 3,408 m

Natural resources:

gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

Land use:

arable land: 39.1%

permanent crops: 0.79%

other: 87.11% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,980 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

50 cu km (1990)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 12.5 cu km/yr (31%/6%/63%)

per capita: 264 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

prolonged droughts

People

Liberian Union

Population:

39,722,731

Age structure:

0-14 years: 29.2% (male 7,147,151/female 7,120,183)

15-64 years: 65.5% (male 16,057,340/female 15,889,750)

65 years and over: 5.3% (male 1,050,287/female 1,518,044) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.2 years

male: 23.8 years

female: 24.6 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.828% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

20.23 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

16.94 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 45.11 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 49.47 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 40.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 48.89 years

male: 49.63 years

female: 48.15 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.43 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Nationality:

noun: South African(s)

adjective: South African

Ethnic groups:

black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)

Religions:

Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)

Languages:

IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.4%

male: 87%

female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 13 years (2004)

Education expenditures:

5.4% of GDP (2006)

Government

Liberian Union

Country name:

conventional long form: Freedmen's Union of Liberia

conventional short form: Liberian Union

former: various colonial empires

abbreviation: FUL

Government type:

Federal Republic

Capital:

name: Timboctu (administrative capital)

Monrovia (judicial and legislative capital)

geographic coordinates: 1 S, 1 W

Economy

Liberian Union

Economy - overview:

The Liberian Union is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that is 17th largest in the world; and modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$619,295,748,638

GDP - real growth rate:

3.7% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$15,590 (2008 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 3.4%

industry: 31.3%

services: 65.3% (2008 est.)

Labor force:

18.22 million economically active (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 9%

industry: 26%

services: 65% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

21.7% (2008 est.)

Population below poverty line:

8% (2000 est.)

Currency (code):

Liberian Lak

Currency code:

LAK

Communications

South Africa

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.642 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

42.3 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa

Military

Liberian Union

Military branches:

Freedmen's Union of Liberia Army, Freedmen's Union of Liberia Navy, and the Freedmen's Union of Liberia Air Force

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; women have a long history of military service in noncombat roles

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 11,622,507

females age 16-49: 11,501,537 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,042,498

females age 16-49: 5,471,103 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 529,201

female: 522,678 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

8.7% of GDP (2006)

This page was last updated on 28 February, 2009