 Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form:Liberia
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name:Monroviageographic coordinates:6 18 N, 10 48 W time difference:UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe
Independence:
26 July 1847
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution:
previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revised version adopted by referendum 3 July 1984, effective 6 January 1986; amended 2011 (2011)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of common law (based on Anglo-American law) and customary law
International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); Vice President Joseph BOAKAI (since 16 January 2006); note - the president is both chief of state and head of governmenthead of government:President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006); Vice President Joseph BOAKAI (since 16 January 2006) cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate elections:president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held on 11 October and 8 November 2011 (next to be held in 2017) election results:Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF reelected president; percent of vote in second round - Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF 90.7%, Winston TUBMAN 9.3%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (73 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)elections:Senate - last held on 11 October 2011 (next to be held in 2014); House of Representatives - last held on 11 October 2011 (next to be held in 2017) election results:Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UP 10, NPP 6, CDC 3, APD 2, NUDP 2, LDP 1, LP 1, NDC 1, NDPL 1, independents 3; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UP 24, CDC 11, LP 7, NUDP 6, NDC 5, APD 3, NPP 3, MPC 2, LDP 1, LTP 1, NRP 1, independents 9
Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court (consists of a chief Justice and 4 associate justices)note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional cases judge selection and term of office:chief justice and associate justices appointed by the president of Liberia with consent of the Senate; judges can serve until age 70 subordinate courts:judicial circuit courts; special courts including criminal, civil, labor, traffic; magistrate and traditional or customary courts
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Marcus S. G. DAHN]Alternative National Congress or ANC [Orishil GOULD] Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH] Liberia Destiny Party or LDP [Nathaniel BARNES] Liberty Party or LP [J. Fonati KOFFA] Liberia Transformation Party or LTP [Julius SUKU] Movement for Progressive Change or MPC [Simeon FREEMAN] National Democratic Coalition or NDC [Dew MAYSON] National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [D. Nyandeh SIEH] National Patriotic Party or NPP [Theophilus C. GOULD] National Reformist Party or NRP [Maximillian T. W. DIABE] National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP [Victor BARNEY] Unity Party or UP [Varney SHERMAN]
| | Political pressure groups and leaders:
Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Marcus S. G. DAHN]Alternative National Congress or ANC [Orishil GOULD] Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH] Liberia Destiny Party or LDP [Nathaniel BARNES] Liberty Party or LP [J. Fonati KOFFA] Liberia Transformation Party or LTP [Julius SUKU] Movement for Progressive Change or MPC [Simeon FREEMAN] National Democratic Coalition or NDC [Dew MAYSON] National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [D. Nyandeh SIEH] National Patriotic Party or NPP [Theophilus C. GOULD] National Reformist Party or NRP [Maximillian T. W. DIABE] National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP [Victor BARNEY] Unity Party or UP [Varney SHERMAN]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Jeremiah Congbeh SULUNTEH (since 25 April 2012)chancery:5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone:[1] (202) 723-0437 FAX:[1] (202) 723-0436 consulate(s) general:New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Deborah R. MALAC (since 26 July 2012)embassy:U.S. Embassy, P.O. Box 98, 502 Benson Street, Monrovia mailing address:P.O. Box 98, Monrovia telephone:[231] 77-677-7000 FAX:[231] 77-677-7370
Flag description:
11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a white five-pointed star appears on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the stripes symbolize the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence; the blue square represents the African mainland, and the star represents the freedom granted to the ex-slaves; according to the constitution, the blue color signifies liberty, justice, and fidelity, the white color purity, cleanliness, and guilelessness, and the red color steadfastness, valor, and fervor
National symbol(s):
white star
National anthem:
name:'All Hail, Liberia Hail!'
lyrics/music:Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA note:lyrics adopted 1847, music adopted 1860; the anthem's author would become the third president of Liberia |