Liberia General Information Area: 97,754 sq km (37,743 sq miles). Population: 3,164,000 (2000). Population Density: 32.4 per sq km. Capital: Monrovia. Population: 421,000 (2000). GEOGRAPHY: Liberia borders Sierra Leone, Guinea Republic and Côte d’Ivoire. The Atlantic coastline to the west is 560km (348 miles) long, of which over half is sandy beach. Lying parallel to the shore are three distinct belts. The low coastal belt is well watered by shallow lagoons, tidal creeks and mangrove swamps, behind which rises a gently undulating plateau, 500-800m (1640-2625ft) high, partly covered with dense forests. Inland and to the north is the mountain region which includes Mount Nimba at 1752m (5748ft) and Waulo Mountain at 1400m (4593ft). About half the country’s population are rural dwellers. Government: Republic. Declared independence in 1847. Head of State and Government: President Charles Ghankay Taylor since 1997. Language: English is the official language. The main local languages are Bassa, Dan (Gio), Kpelleh, Kru, Lorma and Mano. There are 16 major languages and dialects. Religion: Officially a Christian state, with more than 30 denominations represented; Islam is practised in the north and traditional animist beliefs exist throughout the country. Time: GMT. Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60Hz. Communications:   Telephone IDD service to some cities. Country code: 231 (no area codes). Outgoing international code: 00. The internal network in Monrovia is gradually being extended over the country. Mobile telephone GSM 900 network operated by LonestarCell. Internet There are a few Internet cafes in Monrovia. ISPs include Afrlink (website: www.afrlink.com). Post Airmail to Europe takes up to one month. Press The Liberian press is in English; the main papers are The Daily Observer and the Inquirer. The Ministry of Tourism of Liberia also publishes a bi-annual tourist publication, Tourism in Liberia, which is available free of charge to visitors from the Ministry of Tourism (see Contact Addresses section). BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 17.83 15.40 11.77 7.160 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 15.58 11.98 6.035 0.909 Passport/Visa   Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required? British Yes Yes Yes Australian Yes Yes Yes Canadian Yes Yes Yes USA Yes Yes Yes OtherEU Yes Yes Yes Japanese Yes Yes Yes PASSPORTS: Passport valid for a minimum of six months from date of entry required by all. VISAS: Required by all except the following: (a) nationals of other countries belonging to ECOWAS (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo), Israel and Korea (Rep); (b) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft within 48 hours, provided holding onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport. Types of visa and cost: Tourist and Business: £30 (single-entry); £60 (multiple-entry). Validity: Two months from date of issue (single-entry visa); six months from date of issue (multiple-entry visa). Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section. Application requirements: (a) Valid passport. (b) Completed application form. (c) Two passport-size photos attached to each form. (d) Onward ticket. (e) International yellow fever vaccination certificate. (f) Inoculation against cholera may be required. (g) Letter stating purpose of visit and name of contact in Liberia. Applicants must produce proof of financial status while in the country. (h) For business trips, a letter from company, or statement giving purpose of visit. Working days required: One. Temporary residence: Application should be made prior to arrival to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Monrovia. Note: All visitors holding a visa issued abroad and intending to stay in Liberia for more than 15 days must report within 48 hours of their arrival to the Immigration Office, Broad Street, Monrovia. Two passport-size photos must be submitted. Money Currency: Liberian Dollar (L$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of L$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. US Dollar notes are in circulation in the following denominations: US$100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Note: The Liberian Dollar is tied to the US Dollar. Currency exchange: Money can be exchanged at the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI), corner of Randall and Ashmun Streets in Monrovia. LBDI also incorporates a Western Union office, which can receive urgent money transfers from abroad (though the procedure is lengthy and will take approximately one day). Credit & debit cards: Not generally accepted. Travellers cheques: These are generally not accepted. Currency restrictions: There are no restrictions on the import or export of local currency. The import of foreign currency over the equivalent of US$10,000 should be declared or heavy fines may be imposed. The export of foreign currency is permitted up to US$7500; more may be exported only as bank drafts, travellers cheques or money orders. Exchange rate indicators The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Liberian Dollar against Sterling and the US Dollar: Date May ’02 Aug ’02 Nov ’02 Feb ’03 £1.00= 1.46 1.52 1.58 1.59 $1.00= 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Banking hours: Mon-Thurs 0900-1200, Fri 0800-1400. Some banks may open on Saturday. Duty Free The following goods may be imported into Liberia without incurring customs duty: 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 250g tobacco products; 1l of spirits and 1l of wine; 100g of perfume; goods to the value of US$125. Public Holidays Oct 29 2002 Youth Day. Nov 7 Thanksgiving Day. Nov 29 President Tubman’s Birthday. Dec 25 Christmas Day. Jan 1 2003 New Year’s Day. Feb 11 Armed Forces Day. Mar 8 Decoration Day. Mar 15 J J Roberts’ Birthday. Apr 12 National Redemption Day. Apr 14 Fast and Prayer Day. May 6 Samuel K Doe’s Birthday. May 14 National Unification Day. May 25 Africa Day. Jul 26 Independence Day. Aug 24 Flag Day. Oct 29 Youth Day. Nov 7 Thanksgiving Day. Nov 29 President Tubman’s Birthday. Dec 25 Christmas Day. Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. Feb 11 Armed Forces Day. Mar 8 Decoration Day. Mar 15 J J Roberts’ Birthday. Apr 12 National Redemption Day. Apr 14 Fast and Prayer Day. May 6 Samuel K Doe’s Birthday. May 14 National Unification Day. May 25 Africa Day. Jul 26 Independence Day. Aug 24 Flag Day. Oct 29 Youth Day. Nov 7 Thanksgiving Day. Nov 29 President Tubman’s Birthday. Dec 25 Christmas Day. Health   Special Precautions Certificate Required Yellow Fever Yes 1 Cholera 2 No Typhoid and Polio 3 N/A Malaria 4 N/A 1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over one year of age. Note that the certificate must be presented with all visa applications. 2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to Liberia. However, cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. See the Health appendix. 3: Typhoid is widespread and poliomyelitis is still endemic. 4: Malaria risk, predominantly in the malignant falciparum form, exists all year throughout the country. High resistance to chloroquine and resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine has been reported. Food & drink: All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. Other risks: Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water. Swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Meningococcal meningitis is a risk, depending on the area visited and time of year. Cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis occur. Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) is reported. Hepatitis B is hyperendemic, and hepatitis A and E are widespread. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix. Health care: International travellers are strongly advised to take out full medical insurance before departure. The British Embassy in Abidjan advises that at present there are no hospital facilities in Liberia and anyone requiring treatment will need to be evacuated to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Travel - International Note: Foreigners are advised against all travel to the country: there is fighting between government and dissident forces. For further advice they should contact their local government travel advice department. AIR: Main airlines serving Liberia include Air Afrique (RK) and Ghana Airways (GH). Air Ivoire operates flights between Monrovia and Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire). Weasua Air Transport (XA) operates flights between Monrovia and Freetown (Sierra Leone) (tel: 275 440; fax: 226 067; e-mail: weasuaklm@yahoo.com). Approximate flight times: From Monrovia to New York (via Dakar) is 9 hours; to London (via Brussels) is 11 hours. International airports: Monrovia (ROB) (Roberts International) is 60km (38 miles) southeast of the city. There are bus services and taxis to and from the city. Airport facilities are limited, but include restaurant and first-aid facilities. No airlines currently land at Spriggs Payne Airport (MLW) which is in the city itself. Departure tax: US$20; children under 12 years are exempt. An airport expansion fee of US$15 may also be charged. SEA: There are unscheduled freighter services with passenger accommodation from European ports. The main Liberian ports are Monrovia, Buchanan, Greenville, Harper and Robertsport. The port in Monrovia is being expanded. ROAD: Best routes to Liberia are through Guinea Republic and Côte d’Ivoire, but they are impassable during the rainy season. The northeastern route to Sierra Leone (via Kolahun and Kailahun) is currently closed. Travel - Internal AIR: There are 60 airfields for small aircraft. SEA/RIVER: There is a passenger service between Monrovia and Buchanan. There is also a boat service which runs weekly between Harper and Greenville. Unscheduled coastal steamers may sometimes take passengers. Small craft are used for local transportation on Liberia’s many rivers. Canoe safaris: Between December and March, specialist companies arrange canoe trips upriver from Greenville, a small seaport 200km (125 miles) southeast of Monrovia. Contact the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism for further details (see Contact Addresses section). RAIL: No service at present. ROAD: Traffic drives on the right. Difficulties in bypassing lagoons and bridging river estuaries often result in long detours and delays along the coast. Main roads are from Monrovia to Buchanan and from Monrovia to Sanniquellie with branches to Ganta and Harper. Many of the smaller roads are still untarred. Vehicle transport is limited. Bus: No services between main towns at present. Car hire: Self-drive or chauffeured cars may be hired in Monrovia. Documentation: An International Driving Permit is recommended, although it is not legally required. A temporary licence to drive is available from local authorities on presentation of a valid British, Northern Ireland or US driving licence and is valid for up to 30 days. URBAN: Taxis are available and tipping is unnecessary. Accommodation HOTELS: Hotel accommodation can be quite expensive, but is not extortionate by international standards. It is advisable to book well in advance, whatever the category of accommodation. There are a few air-conditioned hotels of international standard and a range of inexpensive hotels and motels. The top hotels charge from US$110 a night. Hotels in the mid range charge from US$60 and tend to provide the bare minimum. GUEST-HOUSES: There are several mission guest-houses with both cooking and laundry facilities about 4km (2 miles) from the city centre. CAMPING: There are few official sites. Camping is free but caution should be exercised when choosing where to camp. Specialist operators run sites near national parks, contact the Ministry of Tourism or West African Safaris for details (see Contact Addresses section). YOUTH HOSTELS: The YMCA is cheap, but often full, and is located on the corner of Broad and McDonald streets. Introduction The most evocative description of Liberia can be found in Graham Greene’s Journey without Maps, an account of his overland trip across the country in 1935. Although it can now hardly pretend to be an up-to-date guide book, the descriptions and the atmosphere of the country it creates – particularly when dealing with the mysterious and jungle-rich interior – make the book a valuable and entertaining introduction for anyone planning to visit the country. MONROVIA: The capital is a sprawling city on the coast divided by inlets, lagoons and rocky headlands. The city has several nightclubs, restaurants and bars, centred on the area around Gurley Street. There are several good sandy beaches near the capital. Excursions: Around 80km (50 miles) from the capital is Lake Piso, ideal for fishing and watersports. Conducted tours of the Firestone Rubber Plantation, one of the largest in the world, make an interesting day excursion, situated only 50km (30 miles) from Monrovia. Some of the country’s most beautiful beaches can be found at Robertsport. The Kpa-Tawe Waterfalls are a 4 hour 30 minutes’ drive away from Monrovia (a four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended). SAPO NATIONAL PARK: For wildlife and nature enthusiasts, the Sapo National Park has much to offer: located in Sinoe County, this pristine forest wilderness is home to a great variety of plants and animal species (including elephant, leopard, giant forest hog and the rare pygmy hippo). The park is only accessible on foot (there are no roads) and consists largely of rainforest, which has never been logged, and hence makes it Western Africa’s largest untouched tract of rainforest. The park’s western boundary is formed by the Sinoe River. Sport & Activities Safaris: The Sapo National Park (see Resorts & Excursions section) is West Africa’s largest untouched tract of rainforest and offers excellent opportunities for safaris and jungle treks. West African Safaris, a company in the USA, offers comprehensive and exclusive safari packages that include transport to the park, accommodation in luxury safari tents as well as experienced local guides. River trips on the Sinoe River are also available. For further information, contact the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (see Contact Addresses section). Watersports: Swimming and boating are popular at Liberia’s many sandy beaches. These include Bernard’s Beach, Elwa Beach, Kenema Beach, Kendaje Beach, Sugar Beach, Cedar Beach, Cooper’s Beach and Caesar’s Beach, all of which charge a small entrance fee. Lake Piso is also ideal for watersports. The skindiving season is from December to May, when the sea is at its clearest. There is good fishing in the Saint Paul and Mesurado rivers, along the coast and at Lake Piso, where there are traditional fishing villages. Other: There is a private golf club in Monrovia. Football is the Liberian national sport. Social Profile Food & Drink: Liberia’s hotels, motels and restaurants serve a variety of American, European, Asian, Chinese, Lebanese and African dishes, as well as the more predictable fare of hotel dining rooms. Here, as well as in the smaller towns of the north and east, the visitor should enjoy sampling some of the more unusual West African foods in ‘cookhouses’ which serve rice with traditional Liberian dishes. Liberia produces a lot of its own brands of alcoholic drink, which are readily available – some of the beers are excellent; wines and imported beverages are also available. Nightlife: In Monrovia, nightlife is extensive with dozens of crowded nightclubs, discos and bars open until the early hours. Most of the nightlife centres are on Gurley Street. Providence Island has a bandstand and an amphitheatre where performances of traditional African music and dance are staged. Shopping: Monrovia’s sidestreets are crowded with tailors selling brightly coloured tie-dyed and embroidered cloth which they will make up immediately into African or European styles. Monrovia offers the shopper elegant boutiques and shops as well as modern, air-conditioned supermarkets which compete with old-fashioned stores. Liberian handicrafts include carvings in sapwood, camwood, ebony and mahogany, stone items, soapstone carvings (such as fertility symbols from the Kissi), ritual masks, metal jewellery and figurines and reed dolls of the Loma. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0800-1300 and 1500-1800. Social Conventions: In Muslim areas, the visitor should respect the conventions of dress and the food laws, since failure to do so will be taken as an insult. Dress is casual and must be practical, but smarter dress will be expected in hotel dining rooms and for important social functions. The visitor should be aware that the cost of living is high. Sending flowers or chocolates to hosts is inappropriate; a letter of thanks is all that is required. Tipping: There is no need to tip taxi drivers, but other tips are normally around ten per cent. Business Profile Economy: The civil war has caused severe damage to the economy although the peaceful periods have allowed at least an opportunity for economic reconstruction. 70 per cent of the population work the land, producing rice and cassava as staple foods and palm oil, coffee and cocoa as cash crops. The country’s principal export commodities are iron ore and rubber. Some gold and diamonds are also mined. The manufacturing industry – still operating far below capacity – produces cement and other building materials, chemicals, drinks and tobacco and consumer products. Liberia operates one of the longest established open registry (flag of convenience) merchant shipping fleets. This continues to be an essential source of foreign exchange and government revenue. Liberia relies heavily on international aid and financial support, although it has suffered from poor relations with the IMF following disputes about repayment terms. Liberia is a member of the West African trading bloc ECOWAS. The USA is Liberia’s largest trading partner, followed by Germany, Belgium, France and Italy. Business: Business dress is informal – normally a shirt and tie is acceptable. The language used in business circles is English. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1400-1700. Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Liberia Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 92, Monrovia (tel: 222 040 or 223 738). Climate Hot, tropical climate with little variation in temperature. The wet season runs from May to October. The dry Harmattan wind blows from December to March, making the coastal belt particularly arid. Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens are worn throughout the year, with waterproofing advised during the wet season. History and Government History: Prior to the 19th century, the region now known as Liberia was inhabited by tribes originating from the Sudan. These tribes fall into three main groupings: the Kru group, who have a seafaring tradition; the Mande-speaking group, who have a rich and influential reservoir of tribal traditions; and a third grouping with a farming tradition. Modern Liberia came into existence as a result of negotiations conducted between local rulers and the representatives of settlers from the USA, mostly freed black slaves who were encouraged to resettle in the lands of their forebears and were aided by various philanthropic organisations in the USA. They controlled Liberia almost exclusively for more than 100 years from the early 19th century. For many years, the colonial powers refused to recognise the new state, and it was not until 1847 that the country was formally able to proclaim itself an independent republic – the first in Africa. This state of affairs did not, unfortunately, produce even the limited material and commercial benefits that colonialism conferred on other parts of the continent, and the settlers, hampered largely by a lack of capital and foreign investment, were never able to develop the kind of economic base that would make them as independent in practice as they were in name. Large sections of the country’s territory were ceded to the colonies of Britain and France during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Since 1926, the date of the Firestone Concession, Liberia has cultivated close ties with the USA. The aim of government policy was to develop a national consciousness in a unified society whose members can no longer trace their origins. Traditional cultural values, however, are strong, being transmitted mainly through powerful secret societies. Urban culture is a mixture of 19th-century American, traditional African and contemporary US and Western European customs and values. Liberia was ruled by elected civilian governments until a right-wing military coup in 1980, during which President William Tolbert was assassinated. A People’s Redemption Council, led by Master-Sergeant Samuel Doe, then took power. In January 1986, Doe became President. Doe proved to be solidly pro-Western in both domestic and foreign policy, though his regime was not wholly stable (nor, indeed, was Doe). A number of coup attempts and a worsening economic situation led the Doe government to adopt increasingly repressive measures to maintain its position. Late in 1989, severe communal violence broke out after a failed coup attempt. As the fighting escalated into civil war, three distinct factions became engaged in a national power-struggle: forces loyal to Doe, and two mutually opposed rebel groups led by Charles Taylor and Prince Yormie Johnson. Taylor, a former Doe aide, and Johnson had started their campaign under the same banner, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL). Tribal affiliations played a key role in the split between the Krahn, to which Doe and most of his adherents belonged, and the Gio and Mano people, who formed the bulk of the rebel forces. Fighting between Doe’s troops and the Taylor/Johnson axis began at the end of 1989. In September 1990, Doe was formally deposed and then shot and killed under uncertain circumstances. ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States) led the search for an elusive political settlement. Johnson assumed the presidency temporarily during September, after which it passed through several hands, settling for a time in those of Amos Sawyer, who managed to pacify some parts of the country. Sawyer was backed by a Nigerian-led peacekeeping force, known as ECOMOG (ECOWAS Monitoring Group). Meanwhile Taylor and his NPFL guerrillas – mostly from the Gio and Mano peoples who are historic rivals of the Krahn – kept up the fight. To complicate matters further, at least three new guerrilla formations appeared as both Taylor’s NPFL and its main opponents split into factions. A peace accord signed in the Beninois capital, Cotonou, in the spring of 1994 was quickly forgotten. Then, in August 1995, to the amazement of the many observers who had all but given up on Africa’s oldest republic, six years of civil war came to a sudden end as the main factions signed an agreement largely brokered by Ghanaian President Gerry Rawlings. At the beginning of September, Liberia’s three principal warlords – Taylor, George Boley and Alhaji Kromah – made theatrical entrances into Monrovia. A six-strong ruling council took control of the country preparatory to elections originally scheduled for 1996. Simultaneous elections for the presidency and the national assembly did finally take place in July 1997. The overwhelming winner was Taylor and his restyled political vehicle, the National Patriotic Party. Taylor took 75 per cent of the presidential poll (no other candidate won more than 10 per cent) while the NPP won a similar proportion of seats in both parliamentary chambers. Over the next few years, despite occasional outbreaks of violence in Monrovia and elsewhere, it seemed that Liberia was finally on the road to a lasting peace. It was not to be. In 1999, diehard opponents of Taylor moved their centre of operations to Lofa province, in the north near the Guinea border and by the spring of 2001 they were posing a major threat to the Taylor government. Liberia was now engaged in a complex three-way conflict with Sierra Leone and the Guinea Republic. By the beginning of 2002, both of these countries were supporting the latest addition to the lexicon of Liberian guerrilla outfits – Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD). Taylor remobilised his forces and called upon his allies among Sierra Leonean rebel forces (this policy has made him important enemies, notably Britain, which backs the Sierra Leonean government – see Sierra Leone section). After nine months of fighting, Taylor’s forces had pushed the opposition back far enough to end the state of emergency imposed at the beginning of the year, when there was a serious threat to the capital. But LURD has said that it will not cease fighting until Taylor has been deposed. Government: The Constitution accepted in the 1995 political settlement is largely based on the 1986 version. It allows for a bicameral legislature comprising a 26-strong Senate, whose members are directly elected for nine-year terms in two-seat constituencies, and a House of Representatives with 64 members directly elected to serve six-year terms in single-seat constituencies. Executive power is vested in the president, who is also elected for a six-year term of office, assisted by an appointed cabinet of ministers. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.