A West African country with an American-style flag
Liberia is a West African country of 111,370 km² with an estimated 5,437,249 people in 2024. The capital and largest city is Monrovia, the official language is English, and the Liberian dollar is the main currency, with the US dollar also legal tender.
The American Colonization Society began settling free people of color on the Pepper Coast in 1822. Liberia declared independence on 26 July 1847, although the United States did not recognise it until 1862. Its flag was adopted on 24 August 1847 and has 11 stripes, a design that echoes the American flag.
Liberia, together with Ethiopia, is described as one of the only African countries never fully colonised. The climate has heavy rainfall during a May to October rainy season, followed by dry harmattan winds from November to March.
For a visit, the practical points are simple. Monrovia has the widest choice of places to stay, the dry season from November to March is easier for roads and beaches, and both currencies are accepted, though notes should be clean and undamaged. Check your government’s travel advice before you book, carry insurance that covers evacuation and ask a travel clinic about malaria prevention well before you go.
Firestone operates the world’s largest rubber plantation at Harbel in Margibi County, and Roberts International Airport was built by the United States under the Lend-Lease program during the Second World War.
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