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56-600: Created in 1847 at the foundation of the Liberian republic, the county is the oldest in Liberia. Previously, it had been the site of the colony of Kentucky in Liberia. Montserrado’s County Superintendent is Nyenekon Beauty Snoh-Barcon. The county is bordered by Bomi County to the west, Bong County to the north, and Margibi County to the east. The southern part of Montserrado lies on the Atlantic Coast . Located on

112-413: A population density of 113 persons per square mile (44 persons per km ). Bomi contains five chiefdoms and 18 clans . The County's principal ethnic groups are Gola , Dei, Mandinka and Kpelle . Bomi County's resources include diamond, rubber, timber, iron ore, gold, water, stone, sand, and fertile agricultural land. Seventy percent of the population engages in agricultural activities, including

168-539: A Joint Presidential Transition Team, due to the fact that Liberia had "not experienced the transfer of power from one democratically elected president to another democratically elected president for over 70 years". The presidency of Liberia is largely modeled on the presidency of the United States . The 1986 Constitution gives the president the power to appoint all cabinet ministers , judges, ambassadors, sheriffs , county officials and military officers with

224-602: A governor running the borough, mayors in charge of cities, commissioners administering townships, and superintendents controlling districts. Commonwealth's population is 11,876. Careysburg’s population is 29,712. The main ethnic groups are Kpelle, Bassa, Mano, Kissi, Loma, and Gola. Both the White Plains Water Treatment Plant and the Mount Coffee Hydropower Project are in the district. Todee District’s population

280-675: A peace deal to end the Second Liberian Civil War . His successor, Moses Blah , ceded executive power on October 13 of that year to Gyude Bryant , the chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia. The presidency was resumed on January 16, 2006, following the 2005 election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as the first female president. George Weah was elected in 2017 as the 25th president of Liberia. Incumbent president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf signed Executive Order No. 91, thus establishing

336-485: A two-thirds majority. Otherwise, the president must repeal the state of emergency. The president must sign all legislation passed by the House of Representatives and Senate. The president may choose to veto any legislation, which may be overturned by a two-thirds majority in both houses. Additionally, the president may exercise a pocket veto by refusing to sign legislation when the end of the twenty-day deadline for signing

392-521: A vocational education. Enrollment for school-age children is 70%, with 76% for males and 65% for females. The Liberian National Museum is located in Monrovia, while the city also hosts two football stadiums, the National Complex and Antoinette Tubman Stadium . Media include STAR radio , The Daily Talk news boards, and The Analyst newspaper. The majority of the county’s population

448-507: Is 33,998 with farming the primary economic activity. The district is run by chiefdoms and clan systems, as the county contains a large number of native African communities. The most populous district in the county and the nation, Greater Monrovia District, is home to 970,824 people. Employment is mainly informal, small-scale trade and government employment through the national government or foreign governments. The population has members of each of Liberia’s 16 main tribes. St. Paul River District

504-499: Is 599.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,553/sq mi), the highest in Liberia. The county had a population of 491,078 at the 1984 Census. The average household size was 4.7 people, a decrease from 5.4 at the 1984 Census. The county capital of Bensonville has a population of 4,089. Males outnumber females in the county with 585,833 to 558,973. Christians compose an estimated 68.2% of the population, with Muslims totaling 31.8%. All of Liberia’s 16 main tribal groups are represented in

560-547: Is Christian. with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia serving as the head of the Catholic Church. The Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation provides water to some parts of the county. Prior to the civil wars it used water from the Mount Coffee Hydropower Project to supply water and some sewage disposal. There are approximately 13,000 wells in the county and 518 hand pumps. In health care,

616-617: Is a small Liberian flag in the upper left corner. The county contains the most and the largest markets in the entire country. One of these is the Red Light market in Paynesville where a variety of consumer goods are sold out of wheelbarrows and old intermodal containers . Markets include daily markets, primarily for food, and weekly markets. The Red Light market and the Duala markets serve as distribution markets for incoming goods from

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672-471: Is bordered on the northwest by Grand Cape Mount County , on the northeast by Gbarpolu and Bong Counties, on the southeast by Montserrado County and on the southwest by the Atlantic Ocean . The Lofa River forms the boundary between Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Counties. A tributary of the river forms part of the boundary between Bomi and Gbarpolu Counties. The Saint Paul River forms part of

728-507: Is headed by a superintendent appointed by the Liberian President . Montserrado’s county superintendent is Beauty Barcon. Other executive office include commissioners for districts and townships, line ministries, and an assistant superintendent that focuses on development. The county is divided into five districts, seven cities, one borough, twenty-one townships, seven clans, and two chiefdoms. A district superintendent heads each of

784-664: Is located in Monrovia, with other commercial banks also operating in Montserrado County, including the International Bank . The main port is the Freeport of Monrovia , the country's busiest port. The port has one wharf and four piers, though one pier cannot be used due to a sunken ship. Air travel available at Spriggs Payne Airport in Monrovia and Roberts International Airport in Robertsfield. Roberts

840-1020: Is mainly pigs, chickens, and ducks. Commercial crops grown include cocoa, coconuts, sugarcane, pineapple, kola nuts, palm oil, and rubber. Some palm oil is produced on government-owned farms in Mt. Coffee and Fendell. Rubber plantations are located in the Todee and Careysburg districts. These include the Morris American Rubber Company in Todee which employs 600 and the Liberia Resources Corporation in Careysburg with 300 employees. Overall rubber production accounts for eight percent of household income in Montserrado County. Small scale mineral extraction occurs for gold and diamonds. Other resource extraction activities include logging and fishing. The Central Bank of Liberia

896-478: Is red and half is blue, split along a diagonal line running from the lower left-hand corner to the upper right-hand corner. Blue comprises the top half and symbolizes that Montserrado was the first county. Red is on the bottom and represents the bloodshed from wars between tribal members and the African-American settlers. In the center lies a circle with trees which celebrate agriculture and the soil. There

952-590: Is required under the Constitution to take a presidential oath promising to preserve and defend the Constitution and faithfully execute the law. The oath is administered by the chief justice of Liberia in front of a joint session of the legislature. In 2006, the Executive Mansion was under renovations due to a fire that damaged parts of the building in July of that year. The office of the president

1008-543: Is the only international airport in Liberia, and Payne along with Roberts have the only paved runways in the nation. Limited public transportation is available in the capital via the Monrovia Transit Authority . Passenger and freight rail service is available from the private company Geoservices between Monrovia and the Bong mines. The county had a total of 947 students enrolled in school in 1910. In 1948,

1064-488: Is the second most populous district in the county with 71,831 residents. Residents are primarily Christians and a member of the Bassa, Dey, or Kpelle tribes. Farming and fishing are the main economic activities along with some small-scale trading. The district has one paved road. Montserrado is the smallest county by size, but largest by population comprising approximately 33% of Liberia’s total population. The population density

1120-723: The American Colonization Society and other organizations. The first settlers who left the Caribbean islands were from Barbados . The second set of 345 settlers who came from the Caribbean were from Trinidad and Tobago , followed by 620 from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , another 350 from Saint Kitts and Nevis , and two groups from Grenada . The last group of settlers to arrive were from Saint Lucia . Bomi County, formerly known as Bomi Territory,

1176-603: The Mesurado River under the auspices of the American Colonization Society (ACS), and by April they had moved to the mainland. A Kentucky state affiliate of the ACS was formed in 1828, and members raised money to transport Kentucky blacks— freeborn volunteers as well as slaves set free on the stipulation that they leave the United States —to Africa. The Kentucky society bought a 40-square-mile (100 km) site along

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1232-611: The People’s Bridge crosses the Mesurado River . On December 11, 1821, officials from the United States arrived aboard the vessel Alligator under the command of Captain Robert F. Stockton at Mesurado Bay. Stockton and Dr. Eli Ayers negotiated to acquire the land in and around the bay from the native chiefs for a settlement by free people of color before sailing to Sierra Leone to pick up these colonists. On January 7, 1822, free people of color arrived and settled on Providence Island on

1288-629: The Saint Paul River and named it Kentucky in Africa . Clay-Ashland was the colony's main town. Within the next two decades, approximately 3,200 free people of color arrived in the Montserrado County area from Trinidad and Tobago , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Saint Kitts and Nevis , Grenada , Saint Lucia , and Jamaica . As opportunities increased, these people moved through Grand Cape Mount , Bomi County , Montserrado , and Margibi County to seek employment and prosperity. Many of

1344-521: The advice and consent of the Senate . Additionally, the president has the power to dismiss all appointees from office at his or her discretion. The president may also grant pardons or revoke sentences and fines. The president conducts all matters of foreign policy, though any treaties or international agreements must be ratified by both houses of the Legislature . Furthermore, the president serves as

1400-468: The 1986 Constitution, presidential elections utilize a two-round system , wherein a second round of voting is held between the two candidates with the highest number of votes if no single candidate obtains a majority in the first round. Each term begins and ends at noon on the third working Monday in January of the year immediately following the elections. At the time of their inauguration, each president

1456-606: The Republic of Liberia is the head of state and government of Liberia . The president serves as the leader of the executive branch and as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia . Prior to the independence of Liberia in 1847, executive power in the Commonwealth of Liberia was held by the governor of Liberia , who was appointed by the American Colonization Society . The 1847 Constitution transferred

1512-586: The beginning of 102 years of one-party rule by the True Whigs. Following a coup d'état by disgruntled army NCOs and soldiers led by Samuel Doe in 1980, one-party rule of the True Whigs ended and the presidency was vacated until the election of Doe in the 1985 general election . After his overthrow and murder in 1990, the presidency was again vacated for seven years during the First Liberian Civil War and again for two years following

1568-415: The bill falls during a recess of the legislature. The president may extend a legislative session past its adjournment date or call a special extraordinary session when deemed necessary for the national interest. The president must also give an annual report to the legislature on the state of the country. To be eligible for office under the current Constitution, a presidential candidate must: Additionally,

1624-525: The boundary between Bomi and Montserrado Counties. Bomi County's climate is generally warm throughout the year. There are two seasons in the year - the rainy season which begins in April and ends in October and the dry season from November to March. The 2008 Liberian census showed that Bomi County had a population of 84,119, making it the eleventh most populous county in Liberia. The County had at that time

1680-459: The coast grow palm trees, mangrove woods, and savanna grasslands with tropical forest covering the interior hills and valleys. Rivers include the St. Paul , Mesurado , Du , and Po . The climate is tropical with dry and wet seasons. Annual precipitation measures approximately 75 inches (190 cm). From May to November is the rainy season, followed by the dry season from December through April. During

1736-407: The coast in the northwestern third of Liberia, Montserrado County is bordered by three counties. The Atlantic Ocean makes up the county’s southern border, while Bomi County lies on the western border. Bong County is to the north and Margibi County to the east. The land is mainly alluvial soils, primarily clay, washed seaward from the streams and rivers of the interior valleys. In the lowlands on

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1792-526: The colony declared its independence and Montserrado was the first of the Republic of Liberia's counties to sign the Declaration of Independence on July 26, 1847. At the time of creation, the county was composed of three administrative districts in Bomi, Gibi, and Marshall with Monrovia as the county capital. In 1885, the first municipal water supply system was completed in Monrovia. The first County Inspector

1848-562: The commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia. The Constitution also grants the president the power to declare a state of emergency during times of war or civil unrest and suspend civil liberties during the emergency as necessary, with the exception of habeas corpus . Within seven days of the declaration, the president must state to the Legislature the reasons for the declaration, which both houses must then approve by

1904-573: The communities in the county are named for the pioneers who settled the area and their former homes in America. The Liberian Herald began printing in 1830 in Monrovia and was the first newspaper in Liberia. In 1832, the Dey-Golah War erupted between the colonists and the native tribes. There was one battle, with the colonists from Monrovia defeating the Dey and Golah (Gola) combined group. In 1847,

1960-444: The conclusion of the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. Under the 1986 Constitution , the president is directly elected by eligible voters to a six-year term, which may be renewed once. Overall, 25 individuals have served as president, including Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , the first elected female head of state in Africa. On January 22, 2024, Joseph Boakai was sworn in as the twenty-sixth and current president of Liberia. Following

2016-429: The county has eight hospitals , nine health centers, and approximately 93 medical clinics functioning as of 2008. Montserrado County has limited access to electricity, with the majority of power being generated by privately owned generators. The county is not served by any public communications, though cellular communications are available through four private companies. Ashmun Street is the main street in Monrovia, while

2072-457: The county totaled 314,409 students, which was 35% of the total number for the nation as a whole. Students attended a total of 1,096 schools in the county. Thirty-three percent of county residents had no formal education, while 27% had attended some elementary school. Seven percent completed elementary school, 19% had some high school education, and 11% completed high school. One percent of residents completed college, attended college, or have received

2128-672: The dry season winds from the Sahara Desert called the Harmattan create wild temperature fluctuations from December to the beginning of March. Careysburg District and Todee District are the two statutorily created districts in the county. Commonwealth District, Greater Monrovia District and St. Paul River District are also recognized, but are not officially recognized as administrative districts. There are 21 townships, seven cities, one borough, and two chiefdoms contained within these districts. Administration varies by subunit with

2184-582: The east. Virginia saw the construction of the Unity Conference Center and Hotel Africa in 1979. During the civil strife of the 1980s into the early 2000s much of the county’s infrastructure was looted and left unmaintained. In July 2008, parts of the county received the worst flooding in its recorded history. Bomi County Bomi is a county in the northwestern portion of the West African nation of Liberia . The county

2240-430: The establishment of the Commonwealth of Liberia in 1838, executive power was vested in the governor of Liberia, who was appointed and served at the pleasure of the American Colonization Society . The first governor, Thomas Buchanan , served from 1838 until his death in 1841. He was succeeded by Joseph Jenkins Roberts , the first person of African descent to serve as governor of Liberia. Upon independence in 1847, Roberts

2296-644: The ethnic make up of the county. Kpelle speaking groups represent 52% of the population while Bassa speakers comprise 21%, followed by Lorma with 6%, Kru with 4%, and all others with 3% or less each. In the county 10% of the population was considered food insecure, with 35% listed as highly vulnerable, 43% as moderately vulnerable, and 13% were listed as food secure regarding access to sustenance as of October 2006. Residents lived mainly in owner occupied dwellings, which made up 61% of households. Seventeen percent rented their homes with an average cost of 341 LD, and 22% lived rent free in their home. Each county in Liberia

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2352-560: The executive powers of the governorship to the presidency, which was largely modeled on the presidency of the United States . Between 1847 and 1980, the presidency was exclusively held by Americo-Liberians , the original American settlers of Liberia and their descendants. The original two-party system , with the Republican Party and the True Whig Party , ended in 1878, when the election of Anthony W. Gardiner marked

2408-576: The head of the People's Redemption Council . Doe was later elected president in the 1985 general election , making him the first president outside of the Americo-Liberian elite. Doe was later overthrown and murdered in 1990 following the commencement First Liberian Civil War , during which the presidency remained vacant. Following the 1997 general election , Charles Taylor held the presidency until his resignation on August 11, 2003, as part of

2464-889: The missionaries from the Pentecostal faith opened a school in Mein Clan in Todee District. Additional primary schools were built in the 1970s, while in 1976 the University of Liberia opened the Fendall branch campus in Louisiana. Bentol City added a high school in 1978. The University of Liberia ’s main campus is located in Monrovia and includes the country’s only law school in the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law . Enrollment in primary schools in

2520-404: The president may not be from the same county as the vice president of Liberia . Under the original 1847 Constitution, the president was elected to a two-year term, which was increased to four years on May 7, 1907. Under this amendment, a new president would serve for eight years and could be re-elected to unlimited four-year terms. During the presidency of William Tolbert , the Constitution

2576-554: The production or exploitation of rice (the staple food ), cassava , sweet potatoes , eddoes , plantains , vegetables, rubber, palm oil , and livestock or in fisheries. 20% participate in business and trading. Local governments employ 10%. The Sime Darby rubber plantation , the second largest in Liberia, is located within the county. Bomi is divided into four administrative districts: 6°45′N 10°45′W  /  6.750°N 10.750°W  / 6.750; -10.750 President of Liberia The president of

2632-402: The rural parts of Liberia. Due to a lack of formal employment , many engage in informal businesses and trading. As of October 2006, employment in the county is primarily self-employment with only 17% of households having members that were salaried employees. The largest income generation activity was through petty trade or small business, with 46% of households engaged in these activities. This

2688-543: The southwest by the Atlantic Ocean . As of the 2022 Liberian census, Bomi had a population of 133,668, making it the nation's eleventh most populous county. From 1822 until the Liberian Declaration of Independence from the American Colonization Society on July 26, 1847, some 3,198 freed people of color from the United States and the Lesser Antilles came to Liberia with the help and support from

2744-685: The two statutory districts. Judicially, the county has eight total courts between probate, justice of the peace, and magisterial courts. The Liberian National Police have 844 officers spread across 33 stations in the county, as of October 2007. Additionally, the National Police Training Academy is in Montserrado County in Paynesville City . Other national government employees assigned to the county include tax collectors, revenue agents, and customs officials. The county flag contains green, brown, blue, and red. Half

2800-404: Was amended to restrict the president to a single eight-year term; by 1976, voices in the legislature were being raised in favor of returning to the previous system, but Tolbert proclaimed his support for the existing system and vowed to veto any constitutional amendments to remove term limits. Currently, the president is elected by popular vote to a six-year term and is limited to two terms. Under

2856-499: Was appointed in 1949 by President Tubman , followed by President Tolbert’s appointment of the first County Superintendent in 1973. A railroad was constructed in the mid-1960s from Monrovia's port to Todee District by the Bong Mining Company. The Mount Coffee Hydropower Project 's first phase was completed in 1966. Rubber and palm oil plantations were started in the 1960s and 1970s, while a factory for producing clothing

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2912-468: Was built in 1979 in Bentol City. In 1974, the county capital was moved by President Tolbert from Monrovia to his hometown of Bensonville. In 1976, an Assistant Superintendent was added to focus on development in Montserrado County. Bomi Territory in the western portion of the county became Bomi County in 1983. In 1984, Marshall and Gibi territories were combined and became neighboring Margibi County to

2968-437: Was elected as the first president of Liberia. The 1847 Constitution denied suffrage to the indigenous population by requiring voters to own real estate. As a result, the presidency was exclusively held by Americo-Liberians until 1980, when a military coup led by Samuel Doe , an ethnic Krahn , overthrew and murdered President William Tolbert . The presidency was vacant from 1980 to 1986, with executive power held by Doe as

3024-443: Was established in 1984. The county's area is 746 square miles (1,900 km ). Bomi is one of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation. Tubmanburg serves as the county's capital. The County has four administrative districts . Bomi is bordered on the northwest by Grand Cape Mount County , on the northeast by Gbarpolu and Bong Counties, on the southeast by Montserrado County and on

3080-621: Was first part of Montserrado County. The military regime of Samuel Doe established Bomi County in 1983. A legislative act later confirmed the County as being a separate entity. Bomi means “LIGHT” in the Gola language , recognizing the County's status as the first site for iron ore mining in Liberia. The Liberia Mining Company extracted iron ore in the territory during the 1950s and 1960s. The company closed its operations in 1979. Bomi County has an area of 746 square miles (1,900 km ). The County

3136-424: Was followed by 25% for making charcoal, 19% for temporary employment, and 18% for palm oil /nut production and sales. The national government is the county's single largest employer. Agriculture is a small part of the economy, with the main crops consisting of cassava (90% of all crops), rice (16%), other vegetables (18%), corn (16%), sweet potatoes or eddoes (8%), plantain or bananas (8%), and pulses (1%). Livestock

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