139-678: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born Ellen Eugenia Johnson , 29 October 1938) is a Liberian politician who served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa. Sirleaf was born in Monrovia to a Gola father and Kru -German mother. She was educated at the College of West Africa . She completed her education in the United States , where she studied at Madison Business College ,
278-673: A Freedom of Information bill , the first legislation of its kind in West Africa. In recognition of this, she became the first sitting head of state to receive the Friend of the Media in Africa Award from The African Editor's Union. On 1 April 2011, Sirleaf told reporters that she planned to charge an opposition candidate with sedition for organizing a rally protesting corruption in the government. Her press secretary later clarified that
417-536: A Master of Public Administration . She returned to her native Liberia to work in the administration of William Tolbert , where she was appointed as Assistant Minister of Finance. Whilst in that position, she attracted attention with a "bombshell" speech to the Liberian Chamber of Commerce that claimed that the country's corporations were harming the economy by hoarding or sending their profits overseas. Sirleaf served as Assistant Minister from 1972 to 1973 in
556-516: A 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.79/10, ranking it 116th globally out of 172 countries. Liberia is a global biodiversity hotspot —a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans. Endangered species are hunted for human consumption as bushmeat in Liberia. Species hunted for food in Liberia include elephants , pygmy hippopotamus , chimpanzees , leopards , duikers , and other monkeys. Bushmeat
695-682: A Monrovia beach. The coup leaders formed the People's Redemption Council (PRC) to govern the country. A strategic Cold War ally of the West, Doe received significant financial backing from the United States while critics condemned the PRC for corruption and political repression. After Liberia adopted a new constitution in 1985, Doe was elected president in subsequent elections that were internationally condemned as fraudulent. On November 12, 1985,
834-599: A bill that would carry a term of ten years in prison for homosexual activity, while a similar bill was introduced in the House of Representatives . On 19 March, Sirleaf addressed the issue, saying that she would not repeal the current law but would also not sign into law either of the two proposed bills. Sirleaf added, "We like ourselves just the way we are [...] We've got certain traditional values in our society that we would like to preserve." According to Tiawan Gongloe, Liberia's former Solicitor General, "If she tried to decriminalise
973-686: A center of Americo-Liberian influence, after being born in poor rural areas. Sirleaf does not identify as such. Sirleaf's father, Jahmale Carney Johnson, was born into a Gola family in an impoverished rural region . He was the son of a minor Gola chief named Jahmale Carney and one of his wives, Jenneh, in Julijuah, Bomi County . Her father was sent to Monrovia for education, where he changed his surname to Johnson due to her father's loyalty to President Hilary R. W. Johnson , Liberia's first native-born president. Jahmale Johnson grew up in Monrovia, where he
1112-529: A cessation of hostilities. The nation held the 1997 general election , which Sirleaf returned to Liberia to contest. She ran as the presidential candidate for the Unity Party and placed second in a controversial election, getting 25% of the vote to Charles Taylor's 75%. After controversy about the results and being accused of treason, Sirleaf left Liberia and went into exile in Abidjan , Ivory Coast. After
1251-458: A constant presence in the rainforests here. Much research into Tbg was performed in the 1970s by Mehlitz and by Gibson, both working in Bong Mine with samples from around the country. The West African pariah dog is also a host for Tbg . Monrovia Monrovia ( / m ə n ˈ r oʊ v i ə / ) is the administrative capital and largest city of Liberia . Founded in 1822, it
1390-531: A correction to its story: "'Nobel peace prize winner defends law criminalising homosexuality in Liberia' was updated to restore material cut in the editing process. The restored material clarifies the stance that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is taking on laws concerning homosexuality in Liberia. That is: she refuses to dismantle the existing anti-sodomy law, while also saying she will refuse to sign two new bills that would toughen laws on homosexuality." The comments, letter, and clarification suggest that she considered
1529-549: A coup d'état and executed Tolbert, Sirleaf fled to the United States . She worked for Citibank and then the Equator Bank. She returned to Liberia to contest a senatorial seat for Montserrado County in 1985, an election that was disputed. She was arrested as a result of her open criticism of the military government in 1985 and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment, although she was later released. Sirleaf continued to be involved in politics. She finished in second place at
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#17327912517461668-488: A day. It reaches an estimated 2 ⁄ 3 of the population. The state-owned Liberia Broadcasting System broadcasts nationwide from its headquarters in Monrovia. STAR radio broadcasts at 104 FM. Monrovia is home to the University of Liberia , along with African Methodist Episcopal University , United Methodist University , Stella Maris Polytechnic , and many other public and private schools. Medical education
1807-584: A failed coup was launched by Thomas Quiwonkpa , whose soldiers briefly occupied the national radio station . Government repression intensified in response, as Doe's troops responded by executing members of the Gio and Mano ethnic groups in Nimba County . The National Patriotic Front of Liberia , a rebel group led by Charles Taylor , launched an insurrection in December 1989 against Doe's government with
1946-550: A handmade quilt, Liberia's first diplomatic gift. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Ricks said, "I had heard it often, from the time I was a child, how good the Queen had been to my people—to slaves—and how she wanted us to be free." American and other international interests emphasized resource extraction, with rubber production as a major industry in the early 20th century. In 1914, Imperial Germany accounted for three-quarters of
2085-623: A joint meeting of the United States Congress , asking for American support to help her country "become a brilliant beacon, an example to Africa and the world of what love of liberty can achieve." Sirleaf has also strengthened relations with the People's Republic of China , reaffirming Liberia's commitment to the One-China policy . In return, China has contributed to Liberia's reconstruction, building several transmitters to extend
2224-601: A map of the area. In 1816, with the aim of establishing a self-sufficient colony for emancipated American slaves, something that had already been accomplished in Freetown , the first group of African American settlers arrived in West Africa from the United States under the auspices of the American Colonization Society and with the support of the U.S. government. They landed on Sherbro Island , part of modern-day Sierra Leone . On January 7, 1822,
2363-408: A result of the boycott, Sirleaf won the second round with 90.7% of the vote, though voter turnout significantly declined from the first round. Following the election, Sirleaf announced the creation of a "national peace and reconciliation initiative," led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee , to address the country's divisions and begin "a national dialogue that would bring us together." She took
2502-474: A result of the report, President Charles D. B. King and Vice President Allen N. Yancy resigned. In the mid-20th century, Liberia gradually began to modernize with American assistance. During World War II , the United States made major infrastructure improvements to support its military efforts in Africa and Europe against Germany. It built the Freeport of Monrovia and Roberts International Airport under
2641-504: A ship took these settlers to Dazoe Island (now called Providence Island) at the mouth of the Mesurado River. They subsequently went ashore at Cape Mesurado , and established a settlement they called Christopolis . In 1824, the city was renamed Monrovia after James Monroe , president of the United States at the time. Monroe was a prominent supporter of developing the city as a place to relocate formerly enslaved Black people from
2780-514: A supporter of Pan-Africanism . Liberia also helped to fund the Organisation of African Unity . On April 12, 1980, a military coup led by Master Sergeant Samuel Doe of the Krahn ethnic group overthrew and killed President William R. Tolbert Jr. Doe and the other plotters later executed most of Tolbert's cabinet and other Americo-Liberian government officials and True Whig Party members on
2919-498: A temple in Monrovia. [1] The city also has Muslim mosques. Pollution is a significant challenge in Monrovia. Piles of household and industrial rubbish tend to build up. The World Bank pays sanitation companies to collect it, but collections are irregular. In 2013, the problem of uncollected rubbish in the Paynesville area of Monrovia became so acute that traders and residents burnt "the huge garbage piles that seemed on
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#17327912517463058-617: A way to avoid slave rebellions . In 1822, the American Colonization Society began sending free people of color to the Pepper Coast voluntarily to establish a colony. Mortality from tropical diseases was high—of the 4,571 emigrants who arrived in Liberia between 1820 and 1843, only 1,819 survived. By 1867, the ACS (and state-related chapters) had assisted in the migration of more than 13,000 people of color from
3197-518: A while," while 13% cooked it once a week and 7% cooked bushmeat daily. The survey was conducted during the last civil war, and bushmeat consumption is now believed to be far higher. Trypanosoma brucei gambiense is endemic in some animal hosts here including both domestic and wild . This causes the disease nagana . In pigs here and in Ivory Coast , that includes Tbg group 1 . Tbg and its vector Glossina palpalis gambiense are
3336-594: Is 37 miles (60 km) away in Harbel . Monrovia is connected with the rest of the country via a network of roads and railways. Monrovia is listed as the home port by between ten and fifteen percent of the world's merchant shipping, registered in Liberia under Flag of Convenience arrangements. Both private taxis and minibuses run in the city, and are supplemented by larger buses run by the Monrovia Transit Authority . In recent years (2005–present)
3475-466: Is a compilation of news and Bible quotations written daily on a roadside blackboard in the Sinkor section of Monrovia. Monrovia also has radio and TV stations. Radio is the dominant source of news, because problems with the electric grid make watching television more difficult. UNMIL Radio has been broadcasting since October 1, 2003, and is the only radio station in Liberia that is on the air 24 hours
3614-551: Is also home to the city's secondary airport, Spriggs Payne , and the area immediately next to the airport, called Airfield, is a major nightlife district for the whole city. East of the Airfield is the Old Road section of Sinkor, which is predominantly residential, and includes informal settlements such as Chugbor and Gaye Town . At the southeastern base of the peninsula is the independent township of Congo Town, and to its east
3753-416: Is characterized by mostly flat to rolling coastal plains that contain mangroves and swamps , which rise to a rolling plateau and low mountains in the northeast. Tropical rainforests cover the hills, while elephant grass and semi-deciduous forests make up the dominant vegetation in the northern sections. Liberia's watershed tends to move in a southwestern pattern toward the sea as new rains move down
3892-453: Is classified as a tropical monsoon climate ( Am ). It is the wettest capital city in the world, with annual rainfall averaging 182 in (4,600 mm). It has a wet season and a dry season but gets precipitation even during the dry season. Temperatures are fairly constant throughout the year, averaging around 79.5 °F (26.4 °C). The only slight differences are the high temperatures, as they are around 81 °F (27 °C) in
4031-500: Is dominated by its harbor - the Freeport of Monrovia - and as the location of Liberia's government offices. Monrovia's harbor was significantly expanded by U.S. forces during the Second World War and the main exports include latex and iron ore . Materials are also manufactured on-site, such as cement , refined petroleum , food products, brick and tile , furniture, and chemicals . Located on Bushrod Island between
4170-660: Is internationally known as Africa's Iron Lady, due to her political prowess. She resigned from this role in 1997 in order to run for the presidency of Liberia. During her time at the UN, she was one of the seven internationally eminent persons designated in 1999 by the Organization of African Unity to investigate the Rwandan genocide , one of the five Commission Chairs for the Inter-Congolese Dialogue, and one of
4309-830: Is located in Congo Town . The places of worship in Monrovia are predominantly Christian churches and temples. These include the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia ( Catholic Church ), the United Methodist Church in Liberia ( World Methodist Council ), the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational convention ( Baptist World Alliance ) and the Assemblies of God . In October 2021, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints announced plans to construct
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - Misplaced Pages Continue
4448-460: Is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic coast and as of the 2022 census had 1,761,032 residents, home to 33.5% of Liberia’s total population. Its largely urbanized metro area, including Montserrado and Margibi counties , was home to 2,225,911 inhabitants as of the 2022 census. As the nation's primate city , Monrovia is the country's economic, financial and cultural center; its economy
4587-528: Is not wholly within Liberia as Nimba is located at the point where Liberia borders both Guinea and Ivory Coast . Nimba is thus the tallest mountain in those countries, as well. The equatorial climate, in the south of the country, is hot year-round with heavy rainfall from May to October with a short interlude in mid-July to August. During the winter months of November to March, dry dust-laden harmattan winds blow inland, causing many problems for residents. Climate change in Liberia causes many problems as Liberia
4726-726: Is offered at the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine, and there is a nursing and paramedical school at the Tubman National Institute of Medical Arts. Kindergarten through twelfth grade education is provided by the Monrovia Consolidated School System , which serves the greater Monrovia area. Schools include Monrovia Central High School, Bostwain High School, D. Twe High School, G. W. Gibson High School and William V. S. Tubman High School. The American International School of Monrovia
4865-428: Is often exported to neighboring Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, despite a ban on the cross-border sale of wild animals. Bushmeat is widely eaten in Liberia, and is considered a delicacy. A 2004 public opinion survey found that bushmeat ranked second behind fish amongst residents of the capital Monrovia as a preferred source of protein. Of households where bushmeat was served, 80% of residents said they cooked it "once in
5004-401: Is particularly vulnerable to climate change . Like many other countries in Africa , Liberia both faces existing environmental issues , as well as sustainable development challenges. Because of its location in Africa, it is vulnerable to extreme weather , the coastal effects of sea level rise , and changing water systems and water availability. Climate change is expected to severely impact
5143-490: Is primarily centered on its harbor and its role as the seat of Liberian government. The city's economy is largely based on its position as chief Atlantic port of Liberia, with the Freeport of Monrovia based in the city being the largest and main port in the country. The land in which the city resides was traditionally the land of the Vai People , a West African ethnic group. It was founded on April 5, 1822, by members of
5282-429: Is the large suburb of Paynesville . Other suburbs, such as Chocolate City , Gardnersville , Barnesville , Kaba Town , Dandawailo , and New Georgia lie to the north, across the river. On Bushrod Island , north of Monrovia, are the neighborhoods of Clara Town , Logan Town and New Kru Town . To the far east are the suburbs of Stockton Creek Bridge , Caldwell , Louisiana , and Cassava Hill . Monrovia's economy
5421-514: The 1997 presidential election , which was won by Charles Taylor . She won the 2005 presidential election and took office on 16 January 2006. She was re-elected in 2011 . She was the first woman in Africa elected as president of her country. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011, in recognition of her efforts to bring women into the peacekeeping process. She has received numerous other awards for her leadership. In June 2016, Sirleaf
5560-502: The 2011 Libyan civil war , Sirleaf added her voice to the international community who asked the previous Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi to cease the use of violence and tactics of political repression. However, she criticized the international military intervention in Libya, declaring that "violence does not help the process whichever way it comes". Her government later severed diplomatic ties with Libya, stating that "The Government took
5699-472: The American Colonization Society (ACS) as an organization to return former slaves born in the United States to Africa. Monrovia is named in honor of U.S. President James Monroe , a prominent supporter of the colonization of Liberia and the ACS. Along with Washington, D.C. , it is one of two world capitals to be named after a U.S. President. The original name of Monrovia was Christopolis before being changed to its current name in 1824, only two years after
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - Misplaced Pages Continue
5838-681: The Cestos River , all of which flow into the Atlantic. The Cavalla is the longest river in the nation at 320 miles (510 km). The highest point wholly within Liberia is Mount Wuteve at 4,724 feet (1,440 m) above sea level in the northwestern Liberia range of the West Africa Mountains and the Guinea Highlands . Mount Nimba , near Yekepa , is higher at 1,752 metres (5,748 ft) above sea level , but
5977-594: The G-8 headed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel provided $ 324.5 million to paying off 60% of Liberia's debt to the International Monetary Fund , crediting their decision to the macroeconomic policies pursued by the Sirleaf administration. In April 2009, the government successfully wrote off an additional $ 1.2 billion in foreign commercial debt in a deal that saw the government buy back
6116-626: The Lend-Lease program before its entry into the Second World War. After the war, President William Tubman encouraged foreign investment, with Liberia achieving the second-highest rate of economic growth in the world during the 1950s. In international affairs, it was a founding member of the United Nations , a vocal critic of South African apartheid , a proponent of African independence from European colonial powers, and
6255-558: The Liberia Broadcasting System nationwide and constructing a new campus for the University of Liberia . Sirleaf is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders , an international network of current and former women presidents and prime ministers whose mission is to mobilize the highest-level women leaders globally for collective action on issues of critical importance to women and equitable development. During
6394-851: The Liberian National Museum , the Masonic Temple , the Waterside Market, and several beaches. The city also houses Antoinette Tubman Stadium and the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex , with seats for 22,000. The newspaper industry in Monrovia dates back to the 1820s, with the founding of the Liberia Herald , one of the first newspapers to be published in Africa. Today, numerous tabloid -style newspapers are printed daily or bi-weekly, most are 20 pages or less. The Daily Talk
6533-626: The Mesurado River , whose mouth forms a large natural harbor. The Saint Paul River lies directly north of the city and forms the northern boundary of Bushrod Island , which is reached by crossing the "New Bridge" from downtown Monrovia. Monrovia is located in Montserrado County and is Liberia's largest city as its administrative, commercial and financial center. According to the Köppen climate classification , Monrovia's climate
6672-604: The Republic of Liberia , is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its northwest , Guinea to its north , Ivory Coast to its east , and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and southwest. It has a population of around 5.5 million and covers an area of 43,000 square miles (111,369 km ). The official language is English. Over 20 indigenous languages are spoken, reflecting
6811-541: The Second Liberian Civil War erupted against his own dictatorship, and Taylor was overthrown by the end of the war in 2003. The two wars resulted in the deaths of 250,000 people (about 8% of the population) and the displacement of many more, with Liberia's economy shrinking by 90%. A peace agreement in 2003 led to democratic elections in 2005 . The country has remained relatively stable since then. The presence of Oldowan artifacts in West Africa
6950-519: The Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. In November 2011, President Sirleaf was re-elected for a second six-year term. Following the 2017 Liberian general election , former professional football striker George Weah , considered one of the greatest African players of all time, was sworn in as president on January 22, 2018, becoming the fourth youngest serving president in Africa. The inauguration marked Liberia's first fully democratic transition in 74 years. Weah cited fighting corruption, reforming
7089-720: The Terminal Pleistocene / Holocene boundary (~12 ka) in both northern and southern zones of West Africa. This makes them the youngest examples of such MSA technology anywhere in Africa. The presence of MSA populations in forests remains an open question. Technological differences may correlate with various ecological zones . Later Stone Age (LSA) populations evidence significant technological diversification, including both microlithic and macrolithic traditions. The record shows that aceramic and ceramic LSA assemblages in West Africa overlap chronologically, and that changing densities of microlithic industries from
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#17327912517467228-652: The United States of America and Caribbean islands , an idea put forth as an alternative to abolishing the institution of slavery in America . In 1845 there was a constitutional convention in Monrovia, at this convention a document was drafted that would be adopted two years later as the constitution of the newly independent and sovereign Republic of Liberia . At the beginning of the 20th century 2,500 of Monrovia’s 4,000 residents were Americo-Liberian . At that time Monrovia consisted of two sectors: Monrovia proper and Krutown. The city's Americo-Liberian population resided in
7367-586: The University of Colorado Boulder , and Harvard University . She returned to Liberia to work in William Tolbert's government as Deputy Minister of Finance from 1971 to 1974. Later, she worked again in the West, for the World Bank in the Caribbean and Latin America . In 1979, she received a cabinet appointment as Minister of Finance, serving to 1980. After Samuel Doe seized power in 1980 in
7506-430: The economy of Liberia , especially agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. Liberia has been an active participant in international and local policy changes related to climate change. Forests on the coastline are composed mostly of salt-tolerant mangrove trees, while the more sparsely populated inland has forests opening onto a plateau of drier grasslands . The climate is equatorial , with significant rainfall during
7645-533: The status quo for gay rights in Liberia to be one of de facto tolerance until the recent controversy, and did not support decriminalization of homosexuality, but also refused to support further criminalisation of homosexual acts which was being attempted in Liberia. She reaffirmed this view during an interview with Tony Blair. Upon her election to office, Sirleaf made her first foreign trip as President to neighboring Ivory Coast , meeting with Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo in an attempt to repair relations between
7784-483: The 20th century, repeating patterns of European colonists in other nations in Africa. Competition for office was usually contained within the party; a party nomination virtually ensured election. Pressure from the United Kingdom, which controlled Sierra Leone to the northwest, and France, with its interests in the north and east, led to a loss of Liberia's claims to extensive territories. Both Sierra Leone and
7923-579: The African Regional Office of Citibank . She resigned from Citibank in 1985 following her involvement at the 1985 general election in Liberia. She went to work for Equator Bank, a subsidiary of HSBC . In 1992, Sirleaf was appointed as the director of the United Nations Development Programme 's Regional Bureau for Africa at the rank of assistant administrator and assistant secretary general (ASG). She
8062-703: The Agriculture Department and Sirleaf pursued a career in the Treasury Department (Ministry of Finance). They divorced in 1961 because of James' abuse. Sirleaf returned to college to finish her bachelor's degree. In 1970, she earned a BA in economics from the Economics Institute of the University of Colorado Boulder , where she also spent a summer preparing for graduate studies. Sirleaf studied economics and public policy at Harvard Kennedy School from 1969 to 1971, earning
8201-631: The Atlantic Ocean. The Dei , Bassa , Kru , Gola , and Kissi were some of the earliest documented peoples in the area. This influx of these groups was compounded by the decline of the Mali Empire in 1375 and the Songhai Empire in 1591. As inland regions underwent desertification , inhabitants moved to the wetter coast. These new inhabitants brought skills such as cotton spinning , cloth weaving , iron smelting , rice and sorghum cultivation, and social and political institutions from
8340-402: The Commission's recommendations. During an appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations in 2010, Sirleaf argued that the implementation of the TRC's recommended ban would unconstitutionally violate her right to due process . In October 2010, the chairman of Sirleaf's Unity Party, Varney Sherman , argued that implementation of the recommendation would be unconstitutional, as Article 21(a) of
8479-399: The Constitution prohibits ex post facto laws, and Sirleaf had broken no law by financially supporting Taylor that imposed a ban from public office as a penalty. In January 2011, the Supreme Court ruled in Williams v. Tah , a case brought by another person recommended for being banned from public office in the TRC report, that the TRC's recommendation was an unconstitutional violation of
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#17327912517468618-446: The Doe government by Thomas Quiwonkpa on 12 November 1985, Sirleaf was arrested and imprisoned again on 13 November by Doe's forces. Despite continuing to refuse to accept her seat in the Senate, she was released in July 1986. She secretly fled the country to the United States later that year. At the beginning of the First Liberian Civil War in 1989, Sirleaf supported Charles Taylor 's rebellion against Doe. She helped raise money for
8757-406: The European colonial " Scramble for Africa ". During World War II , Liberia supported the U.S. war effort against Nazi Germany and in turn received considerable American investment in infrastructure, which aided the country's wealth and development. President William Tubman encouraged economic and political changes that heightened the country's prosperity and international profile; Liberia
8896-522: The Executive Mansion on 26 July 2006, seriously damaging the structure. An independent panel formed to investigate the incident ruled out arson, attributing the fire to an electrical malfunction. Sirleaf's government called funding for the repair of the mansion a low priority in the face of more pressing needs, with Sirleaf transferring her office to the nearby Foreign Ministry building and choosing to live at her personal home in Monrovia. On 26 July 2007, Sirleaf celebrated Liberia's 160th Independence Day under
9035-459: The HIPC initiative, qualifying it for relief from its entire external debt. That same month, the World Bank and IMF agreed to fund $ 1.5 billion in writing off the Liberia's multilateral debt. On 16 September, the Paris Club agreed to cancel $ 1.26 billion, with independent bilateral creditors canceling an additional $ 107 million, essentially writing off Liberia's remaining external debt. Sirleaf vowed to prevent unsustainable borrowing in
9174-408: The Interim government headed by C. Gyude Bryant. In their final report, issued in June 2009, the TRC included Sirleaf in a list of 50 names of people that should be "specifically barred from holding public offices; elected or appointed for a period of thirty (30) years" for "being associated with former warring factions." The proposed ban stemmed from her financial support of former President Taylor in
9313-433: The Ivory Coast annexed territories. Liberia struggled to attract investment to develop infrastructure and a larger, industrial economy. There was a decline in the production of Liberian goods in the late 19th century, and the government struggled financially, resulting in indebtedness on a series of international loans. On July 16, 1892, Martha Ann Erskine Ricks met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle and presented her with
9452-564: The Liberian legislature to introduce tougher laws targeting homosexuality." The letter added "the status quo in Liberia has been one of tolerance and no one has ever been prosecuted under that [current] law," and went on to hint at future possible liberalization stating that "the President thinks that with the unprecedented freedom of speech and expression Liberia enjoys today, our budding democracy will be strong enough to accommodate new ideas and debate both their value and Liberia's laws with openness, respect and independence." The Guardian published
9591-414: The Mali and Songhai empires. Shortly after the Mane conquered the region, the Vai people of the former Mali Empire immigrated into the Grand Cape Mount County region. The ethnic Kru opposed the influx of Vai, forming an alliance with the Mane to stop further influx of Vai. People along the coast built canoes and traded with other West Africans from Cap-Vert to the Gold Coast . Between 1461 and
9730-423: The May–October rainy season and harsh harmattan winds the remainder of the year. Liberia possesses about forty percent of the remaining Upper Guinean rainforest . It was an important producer of rubber in the early 20th century. Four terrestrial ecoregions lie within Liberia's borders: Guinean montane forests , Western Guinean lowland forests , Guinean forest–savanna mosaic , and Guinean mangroves . It had
9869-597: The Montserrado County Superintendent. Municipally, Greater Monrovia District is subdivided into two city corporations and ten other local authorities (nine townships and one borough). Established by law in 1973 and operational since 1976, the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) is responsible for the city's administration. The MCC also provides services to the townships and borough through a revenue-sharing arrangement, but has no zoning or enforcement jurisdiction in them. City corporations Townships Borough Former mayors include: Cultural attractions in Monrovia include
10008-481: The Nobel Peace Prize to Sirleaf four days prior to the election sparked criticism from opposition parties, with Congress for Democratic Change candidate Winston Tubman calling the award "undeserved" and "a political interference in our country's politics." Sirleaf called the timing of the award a coincidence and avoided mentioning the award during the final days of campaigning. Sirleaf garnered 43.9% of
10147-512: The SCSL for trial in The Hague . In 2006, the government established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to address the causes and crimes of the civil war. In 2011, July 26 was proclaimed by President Sirleaf as National Independence Day. In October 2011, peace activist Leymah Gbowee received the Nobel Peace Prize in her work of leading a women's peace movement that brought to an end to
10286-675: The Southern states, which had strong political power in the American government, declared their secession and the formation of the Confederacy . The leadership of the new nation consisted largely of the Americo-Liberians , who at the beginning established political and economic dominance in the coastal areas that the ACS had purchased; they maintained relations with the United States and contacts in developing these areas and
10425-543: The Tolbert administration. She resigned after a disagreement about government spending. Subsequently, she was appointed as Minister of Finance a few years later, serving from 1979 to April 1980. Master Sergeant Samuel Doe , a member of the indigenous Krahn ethnic group, seized power in a military coup on 12 April 1980; he ordered the assassination of Tolbert and execution by firing squad of all but four members of his Cabinet. The People's Redemption Council took control of
10564-648: The United Nations Nathaniel Barnes . Sirleaf also appointed several women to high-level posts in her administration, with female ministers initially leading the Ministries of Finance, Law, Commerce and Industry, Gender and Development, and Youth and Sports. Sirleaf said that while she had planned on appointing an all-female cabinet, she had been unable to find qualified female candidates for every position. Liberia Liberia ( / l aɪ ˈ b ɪər i ə / ), officially
10703-663: The United States and the Caribbean to Liberia. These free African Americans and their descendants married within their community and came to identify as Americo-Liberians . Many were of mixed race and educated in American culture; they did not identify with the indigenous natives of the tribes they encountered. They developed an ethnic group that had a cultural tradition infused with American notions of political republicanism and Protestant Christianity. The ACS, supported by prominent American politicians such as Abraham Lincoln , Henry Clay , and James Monroe , believed "repatriation"
10842-566: The [current anti-gay] law it would be political suicide." In a letter to The Guardian, Sirleaf's press secretary challenged the portrayal of her remarks in the media saying that: "There currently exists no law referencing homosexuality in Liberia, and as such the President could not be defending a law on homosexuality. The President is on record as saying [...] that any law brought before her regarding homosexuality will be vetoed. This statement also applies to an initial attempt by two members of
10981-805: The backing of neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast . This triggered the First Liberian Civil War . By September 1990, Doe's forces controlled only a small area just outside the capital, and Doe was captured and executed in that month by rebel forces. The rebels soon split into conflicting factions. The Economic Community Monitoring Group under the Economic Community of West African States organized an armed intervention. Between 1989 and 1997, around 60,000 to 80,000 Liberians died, and, by 1996, around 700,000 others had been displaced into refugee camps in neighboring countries. A peace deal between warring parties
11120-457: The city in 1992. During these wars young children and youth, deprived of resources and schooling, were forced to involve themselves in the fighting. Afterwards, many of them were left homeless. In 2002 Leymah Gbowee organized the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace , a group consisting of local Monrovian women, who gathered in a fish market to pray and sing. This movement helped to end the war
11259-559: The city's founding. Before 1816, the area around Cape Mesurado and the mouth of the Mesurado River was called Ducor. It had long been established as a crossroads and a place of trade inhabited by fishing, trading and farming communities of various ethnicities, including the Dey , Kru , Bassa, Gola, and Vai. The French cartographer and enslaver Chevalier des Marchais visited Ducor and the Cape in 1723, conducted business there and later published
11398-470: The city's large natural harbor. Northwest of Waterside is the large, low-income West Point community. To the west and southwest of the downtown area is Mamba Point, traditionally the city's principal diplomatic quarter and home to the embassies of the United States and United Kingdom, as well as the European Union delegation. South of the city center is Capitol Hill, where the major institutions of
11537-540: The coast to the north are geographically structured. These features may represent social networks or some form of cultural diffusion allied to changing ecological conditions. Microlithic industries with ceramics became common by the Mid-Holocene , coupled with an apparent intensification of wild food exploitation. Between ~4–3.5 ka, these societies gradually transformed into food producers, possibly through contact with northern pastoralists and agriculturalists, as
11676-419: The country after Liberia declared war on Germany during World War I . Cecilia Dunbar, a member of a prominent Americo-Liberian family in the capital, adopted and raised Sirleaf's mother. Sirleaf was born in Monrovia in 1938. She attended the College of West Africa , a preparatory school, from 1948 to 1955. She married James Sirleaf when she was seventeen years old. The couple had four sons together, and she
11815-599: The country and led a purge against the previous government. Sirleaf initially accepted a post in the new government as the President of the Liberian Bank for Development and Investment . She fled the country in November 1980 after publicly criticising Doe and the People's Redemption Council for their management of the country. Sirleaf initially moved to Washington, D.C., and worked for the World Bank . In 1981, she moved to Nairobi , Kenya to serve as Vice President of
11954-620: The country's ethnic and cultural diversity. The capital and largest city is Monrovia . Liberia began in the early 19th century as a project of the American Colonization Society (ACS), which believed that black people would face better chances for freedom and prosperity in Africa than in the United States. Between 1822 and the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, more than 15,000 freed and free-born African Americans , along with 3,198 Afro-Caribbeans , relocated to Liberia. Gradually developing an Americo-Liberian identity,
12093-579: The coup, were buried in a mass grave in Palm Grove Cemetery. The First Liberian Civil War (1989 to 1997) and Second Liberian Civil War (1999 to 2003) severely damaged the infrastructure of the city. Much of the damage occurred during the siege of Monrovia . Major battles included clashes between Samuel Doe's government forces and Prince Johnson 's forces in 1990 and the National Patriotic Front of Liberia 's assault on
12232-531: The crisis. Sirleaf also forged close relations with the United States, Liberia's traditional ally. Following the establishment of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) by the United States military , Sirleaf offered to allow the US to headquarter the new command in Liberia, the only African leader to do so. The command was eventually headquartered in Stuttgart , Germany. On 15 March 2006, President Sirleaf addressed
12371-585: The debt at a 97% discounted rate through financing provided by the International Development Association , Germany, Norway , the United States, and the United Kingdom. The discounted rate was the largest ever for a developing country. The country was deemed eligible to participate in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative in 2008. In June 2010, the country reached the completion point of
12510-752: The decision after a careful review of the situation in Libya and determined that the Government of Colonel Gaddafi has lost the legitimacy to govern Libya." On 27 February 2015, President Sirleaf was expected to make a visit to U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington, D.C., according to an official online statement from the Office of the White House Press Secretary . Among other issues, they planned to discuss
12649-512: The early years of the First Liberian Civil War. On 26 July 2009, Sirleaf apologized to Liberia for supporting Charles Taylor, saying: "When the true nature of Mr. Taylor's intentions became known, there was no more impassioned critic or strong opponent to him in a democratic process" than she. On 28 August, the legislature announced they must "consult our constituents for about a year" before deciding whether or not to implement
12788-604: The economy, combating illiteracy, and improving living conditions as the main targets of his presidency. Opposition leader Joseph Boakai defeated Weah in the tightly contested 2023 presidential election . On 22 January 2024, Boakai was sworn in as Liberia's new president. Liberia is situated in West Africa , bordering the North Atlantic Ocean to the country's southwest. It lies between latitudes 4° and 9°N , and longitudes 7° and 12°W . The landscape
12927-514: The end of the Second Liberian Civil War and the establishment of a transitional government, Sirleaf was proposed as a possible candidate for chairman of the government. Ultimately, Gyude Bryant , a political neutral, was chosen as chairman, while Sirleaf served as head of the Governance Reform Commission. Sirleaf stood for president as the candidate of the Unity Party in the 2005 general election . She placed second in
13066-508: The environment became more arid. Hunter-gatherers have survived in the more forested parts of West Africa until much later, attesting to the strength of ecological boundaries in this region. The Pepper Coast , also known as the Grain Coast, has been inhabited by indigenous peoples of Africa at least as far back as the 12th century. Mande -speaking people expanded from the north and east, forcing many smaller ethnic groups southward toward
13205-484: The first round of voting behind George Weah , a former footballer . In the subsequent run-off election, Sirleaf earned 59% of the vote versus 40% for Weah, though Weah disputed the results. The announcement of the new leader was postponed until further election investigations were carried out. On 23 November 2005, Sirleaf was declared the winner of the Liberian election and confirmed as the country's next president and
13344-410: The first woman to be elected as president of an African country. Her inauguration took place on 16 January 2006. It was attended by many foreign dignitaries, including United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and First Lady Laura Bush . In January 2010, Sirleaf announced that she would run for a second term in office in the 2011 presidential election while speaking to a joint session of
13483-410: The following October. The subsequent 2005 elections were internationally regarded as the freest and fairest in Liberian history. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , a US-educated economist, former Minister of Finance and future Nobel Prize for Peace winner, was elected as the first female president in Africa. Upon her inauguration, Sirleaf requested the extradition of Taylor from Nigeria and transferred him to
13622-475: The following year and to bring about the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as president of Liberia, which made it the first African nation to have a female president . In 2014 the city was affected by the 2014 West Africa Ebola outbreak . The Ebola virus epidemic in Liberia was declared to be over on 3 September 2015. Monrovia lies along the Cape Mesurado peninsula, between the Atlantic Ocean and
13761-602: The forested plateau off the inland mountain range of Guinée Forestière , in Guinea . Cape Mount near the border with Sierra Leone receives the most precipitation in the nation. Liberia's main northwestern boundary is traversed by the Mano River while its southeast limits are bounded by the Cavalla River . Liberia's three largest rivers are St. Paul exiting near Monrovia , the river St. John at Buchanan , and
13900-443: The former sector. Because of American settlers' influence the architectural style of its buildings was reminiscent of that of the southern United States . Krutown was inhabited mainly by ethnic Krus , but also by Bassas , Grebos and members of other ethnic groups. By 1926 ethnic groups from Liberia's interior began to migrate outwards toward Monrovia in search of jobs. By 1937 Monrovia’s population had grown to 10,000. At this time
14039-456: The future by restricting annual borrowing to 3% of GDP and limiting expenditure of all borrowed funds to one-off infrastructure projects. In 2006, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission began work with a mandate to "promote national peace, security, unity and reconciliation" by investigating more than 20 years of civil conflict in the country. The TRC was formed through a legislation in 2005 under
14178-554: The healthcare infrastructure and the country's other difficulties in the wake of the massive outbreak's morbidity and mortality toll and impact on the area, as well as review progress that had been made and efforts to continue it. Following her victory in the 2005 election, Sirleaf pledged to promote national reconciliation by bringing in opposition leaders into her administration. Opposition politicians who joined her initial administration included Minister of Transport Jeremiah Sulunteh, Minister of Education Joseph Korto , and Ambassador to
14317-511: The hope to expeditiously close the recent 2013–2015 Ebola virus epidemic , which heavily affected Liberia , Sierra Leone , and Guinea , and other areas in West Africa (and beyond in other countries due to importation of cases for treatment and some new infections), down to an ideal of zero reported cases in Liberia and nearby areas in the near future, with continuing monitoring and reporting, care, support, and fiscal and professional assistance. They also planned to discuss how to sustain and rebuild
14456-941: The indigenous peoples they encountered, especially those in communities of the more isolated " bush ". The colonial settlements were raided by the Kru and Grebo from their inland chiefdoms. Encounters with tribal Africans in the bush often became violent. Believing themselves different from and culturally and educationally superior to the indigenous peoples, the Americo-Liberians developed as an elite minority that created and held on to political power. The Americo-Liberian settlers adopted clothing such as hoop skirts and tailcoats and generally viewed themselves as culturally and socially superior to indigenous Africans. Indigenous tribesmen did not enjoy birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904. Americo-Liberians encouraged religious organizations to set up missions and schools to educate
14595-540: The indigenous peoples. On July 26, 1847, the settlers issued a Declaration of Independence and promulgated a constitution . Based on the political principles of the United States Constitution , it established the independent Republic of Liberia. On August 24, Liberia adopted its 11-striped national flag . The United Kingdom was the first country to recognize Liberia's independence. The United States did not recognize Liberia until 1862, after
14734-539: The late 17th century, Portuguese , Dutch , and British traders had contacts and trading posts in the region. The Portuguese named the area Costa da Pimenta ("Pepper Coast") but it later came to be known as the Grain Coast , due to the abundance of melegueta pepper grains. The traders would barter commodities and goods with local people. In the United States, there was a movement to settle African Americans , both free-born and formerly enslaved, in Africa. This
14873-479: The legislature. Opposition leaders noted that in doing so, she had broken a promise made during her 2005 campaign to only serve one term if elected. Sirleaf was renominated as the Unity Party's presidential candidate at the party's national convention on 31 October 2010. That same day, Vice President Joseph Boakai was nominated by Sirleaf and confirmed by the delegates as Sirleaf's running mate. The awarding of
15012-818: The listed individuals' right to procedural due process , and that it would be unconstitutional for the government to implement the proposed bans. Following a speech made by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in December 2011 that America's foreign aid would be used to promote the protection of gay rights, the issue of LGBT rights became a significant political topic in Liberia. According to The Guardian , "Since Clinton's remarks, Liberian newspapers have published numerous articles and editorials describing homosexuality as 'desecrating', 'abusive' and an 'abomination'." Liberian law made " voluntary sodomy " punishable by up to one year in prison, although it has not been used to prosecute anyone in several years. In February 2012, Bong County Senator Jewel Taylor proposed
15151-473: The mouths of the Mesurado and Saint Paul rivers, the harbor also has facilities for storing and repairing vessels. Boats link the city's Freeport of Monrovia, the country's busiest port, with Greenville and Harper . The nearest airport is Spriggs Payne Airport , located less than four miles (6.4 km) from the city center. Roberts International Airport , the largest international airport in Liberia,
15290-576: The national government, including the Temple of Justice and the Executive Mansion, are located. Further east along the peninsula is the Sinkor section of Monrovia. Originally a suburban residential district, today Sinkor is the bustling midtown section of the city. It includes many diplomatic missions, major hotels, businesses, and residential neighborhoods, including informal communities such as Plumkor, Jorkpentown, Lakpazee and Fiamah. Sinkor
15429-579: The northwest of the country, launched an armed insurrection against Taylor. In March 2003, a second rebel group, Movement for Democracy in Liberia , began launching attacks against Taylor from the southeast. Peace talks between the factions began in Accra in June of that year, and Taylor was indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) for crimes against humanity the same month. By July 2003,
15568-526: The number of eligible voters. (The loser actually received around 60% of the eligible vote.) Soon after, allegations of modern slavery in Liberia led the League of Nations to establish the Christy Commission . Findings included government involvement in widespread "forced or compulsory labour". Minority ethnic groups especially were exploited in a system that enriched well-connected elites. As
15707-531: The presidential oath for her second presidency on 16 January 2012. Sirleaf crossed party lines to support George Weah in the 2017 presidential campaign. In the late evening hours of 13 January 2018, she along with some officials of the Unity Party were expelled by the National Executive Committee of the party, for failing to support Unity Party presidential candidate, and Sirleaf's Vice President, Joseph Boakai . A fire broke out at
15846-609: The rebels had launched an assault on Monrovia . Under heavy pressure from the international community and the domestic Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace movement, Taylor resigned in August 2003 and went into exile in Nigeria . A peace deal was signed later that month. The United Nations Mission in Liberia began arriving in September 2003 to provide security and monitor the peace accord, and an interim government took power
15985-412: The remark had been an April Fools' prank . From the beginning of her presidency, Sirleaf vowed to make reduction of the national debt , which stood at approximately US$ 4.9 billion in 2006, a top priority for her administration. The United States became the first country to grant debt relief to Liberia, waiving the full $ 391 million owed to it by Liberia in early 2007. In September of that year,
16124-482: The resulting trade. Their passage of the 1865 Ports of Entry Act prohibited foreign commerce with the inland tribes, ostensibly to "encourage the growth of civilized values" before such trade was allowed in the region. By 1877, the True Whig Party was the country's most powerful political entity. It was made up primarily of Americo-Liberians, who maintained social, economic and political dominance well into
16263-754: The roads on many streets in Monrovia have been rebuilt by the World Bank and the Liberian Government. Private and public infrastructures are being built or renovated as reconstruction takes place. Monrovia is situated in the district of Greater Monrovia in Montserrado County . Instead of being divided into clans like other districts of Liberia, Greater Monrovia is divided into 16 "zones". Like clans, these zones are subdivided into 161 communities . Greater Monrovia does not have an organized district administration like other districts, with all lower-level local authorities being directly supervised by
16402-406: The rule of William R. Tolbert resulted in a military coup , marking the end of Americo-Liberian rule and the seizure of power of Liberia's first indigenous leader, Samuel Doe . Establishing a dictatorial regime, Doe was assassinated in 1990 in the context of the First Liberian Civil War which ran from 1989 until 1997 with the election of rebel leader Charles Taylor as president. In 1998,
16541-474: The settlers carried their culture and tradition with them while colonizing the indigenous population. Led by the Americo-Liberians, Liberia declared independence on July 26, 1847, which the U.S. did not recognize until February 5, 1862. Liberia was the first African republic to proclaim its independence and is Africa's first and oldest modern republic. Along with Ethiopia , it was one of the two African countries to maintain its sovereignty and independence during
16680-463: The theme "Liberia at 160: Reclaiming the future." She took an unprecedented and symbolic move by asking 25-year-old Liberian activist Kimmie Weeks to serve as National Orator for the celebrations, where Weeks called for the government to prioritize education and health care. A few days later, President Sirleaf issued an Executive Order making education free and compulsory for all elementary school aged children. On 4 October 2010, Sirleaf signed into law
16819-545: The ticket of the Liberian Action Party in the 1985 elections . However, Sirleaf was placed under house arrest in August 1985 and soon after sentenced to ten years in prison for sedition , as a consequence of a speech in which she insulted the members of the Samuel Doe regime. Following international calls for her release, Samuel Doe pardoned and released her in September. Due to government pressure, she
16958-456: The town had 30 police officers. In 1979 the Organisation of African Unity , chaired by the then president of Liberia, William Tolbert , held its conference near Monrovia. During his term, Tolbert improved public housing in Monrovia and slashed tuition fees at the University of Liberia in half. In 1980 a military coup led by Samuel Doe overthrew the Tolbert government and executed many of its members. Tolbert, and others who were killed in
17097-624: The trade of Liberia. This was a cause for concern among the British colonial authorities of Sierra Leone and the French colonial authorities of French Guinea and the Ivory Coast as tensions with Germany increased. Liberia remained neutral during World War I until August 4, 1917, when it declared war on Germany. Subsequently, it was one of 32 nations to take part in the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919, which ended
17236-520: The two countries following Côte d'Ivoire's support of the Movement for Democracy in Liberia during the Second Liberian Civil War . During the 2010–2011 Ivorian crisis , Sirleaf, as chairperson of the Mano River Union , supported ECOWAS's recognition of Gbagbo's opponent, Alassane Ouattara , as the winner of the disputed presidential election , but rejected calls for a military solution to
17375-605: The two international experts selected by UNIFEM to investigate and report on the effect of conflict on women and women's roles in peace building. She was the initial Chairperson of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and a visiting Professor of Governance at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). While working at Citibank, Sirleaf returned to Liberia in 1985 to run for Vice President under Jackson Doe on
17514-440: The verge of cutting off the main road" out of Monrovia to Kakata . Flooding brings additional environmental problems to residents: flood water picks up the waste that has been deposited in swamps at the edge of residential areas, and spreads it around. In 2009, only one-third of Monrovia's 1.5 million people had access to clean toilets. Those without their own toilets defecate in the narrow alleyways between their houses, or on
17653-438: The vote in the first round, more than any other candidate but short of the 50% needed to avoid a run-off. Tubman came in second with 32.7%, pitting him against Sirleaf in the second round. Tubman called for a boycott of the run-off, claiming that the results of the first round had been fraudulent. Sirleaf denied the allegations, and international observers reported that the first round election had been free, fair and transparent. As
17792-543: The war and established the League of Nations ; Liberia was among the few African and non-Western nations to participate in the conference and the founding of the league. In 1927, the country's elections again showed the power of the True Whig Party, with electoral proceedings that have been called some of the most rigged ever; the winning candidate was declared to have received votes amounting to more than 15 times
17931-421: The war and founded the National Patriotic Front of Liberia with Taylor and Tom Woewiyu . Because of this, Doe's government recommended that Sirleaf be banned from politics in Liberia for 30 years. But, she later opposed Taylor's handling of the war and his treatment of rival opposition leaders such as Jackson Doe . By 1996, the presence of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) peacekeepers led to
18070-473: The winter and near 90 °F (32 °C) in the summer, with lows being around 22–24 year-round. Monrovia comprises several districts spread across the Mesurado peninsula; the greater metropolitan area encircles the mouth of the marshy Mesurado River. The historic downtown area, centered on Broad Street, is at the very end of the peninsula; the major market district, Waterside, immediately to its north, faces
18209-514: Was a founding member of the League of Nations , United Nations , and the Organisation of African Unity . The Americo-Liberian settlers did not relate well to the indigenous peoples they encountered. Colonial settlements were raided by the Kru and Grebo from their inland chiefdoms. Americo-Liberians formed into a small elite that held disproportionate political power, while indigenous Africans were excluded from birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904. In 1980, political tensions from
18348-459: Was because they faced racial discrimination in the form of political disenfranchisement and the denial of civil, religious, and social rights. Formed in 1816, the American Colonization Society (ACS) was made up mostly of Quakers and slaveholders. Quakers believed black people would face better chances for freedom in Africa than in the U.S. While slaveholders opposed freedom for enslaved people, some viewed "repatriation" of free people of color as
18487-565: Was confirmed by Michael Omolewa , attesting to the presence of ancient humans. Undated Acheulean (ESA) artifacts are well documented across West Africa . The emerging chronometric record of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) indicates that core and flake technologies have been present in West Africa since at least the Chibanian (~780–126 thousand years ago or ka ) in northern, open Sahelian zones, and that they persisted until
18626-543: Was elected as the Chair of the Economic Community of West African States , making her the first woman to hold the position since it was created. Sirleaf's father was Gola and her mother had mixed Kru and German ancestry. While not in fact Americo-Liberian in terms of ancestry, because of her parents' upbringing and her own education in the West, Sirleaf is considered to be culturally Americo-Liberian, or assumed to be Americo-Liberian. Her parents both grew up in Monrovia,
18765-551: Was preferable to having emancipated slaves remain in the United States. Similar state-based organizations established colonies in Mississippi-in-Africa , Kentucky in Africa , and the Republic of Maryland , which Liberia later annexed. Lincoln in 1862 described Liberia as only "in a certain sense...a success", and proposed instead that free people of color be assisted to emigrate to Chiriquí , today part of Panama. The Americo-Liberian settlers did not relate well to
18904-597: Was primarily occupied as a homemaker . Early on in their marriage, James worked for the Department of Agriculture, and Sirleaf worked as a bookkeeper for an auto-repair shop. She traveled with her husband to the United States in 1961 to continue her education and earned an associate degree in Accounting at Madison Business College , in Madison, Wisconsin . When they returned to Liberia , James continued his work in
19043-467: Was raised by an Americo-Liberian family with the surname McCritty. He later entered politics; he was the first Liberian from an indigenous ethnic group to be elected to the country's national legislature. Sirleaf's mother was also born into poverty, in Greenville . Her grandmother, Juah Sarwee, sent Sirleaf's mother to the capital, Monrovia, when her German husband (Sirleaf's grandfather) had to flee
19182-554: Was reached in 1995, leading to Taylor's election as president in 1997 . Under Taylor's leadership, Liberia became a pariah state due to its use of blood diamonds and illegal timber exports to fund the Revolutionary United Front in the Sierra Leone Civil War . The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy , a rebel group based in
19321-524: Was removed from the presidential ticket and instead ran for a Senate seat in Montserrado County . In the 1985 elections, Samuel Doe and the National Democratic Party won the presidency and large majorities in both houses. The elections were widely condemned as neither free nor fair. Sirleaf was declared the winner of her Senate race, but she refused to accept the seat in protest of the election fraud. After an attempted coup against
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