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Liberia, with its population of 5.058 million (2020), is
located on the west cost of Africa bordered by Sierra Leone on its west, Guinea
to its north, the Ivory Coast
(Cote d'Ivoire) to its east and the Atlantic Ocean to its south. The land next to the
sea is a 350 mile strip of mangrove marshes and lagoons that
rises, as you venture inland, to plateaus of some 1500-2000 feet
that are covered in grasses and forests. Further north are
mountains dominated by the mile high Nimba Mountain that lies at
the intersection of the Ivory Coast, Guinea and Liberia.
The Saint John River is one of
Liberia's six main rivers. It forms in Guinea, then flows through the Nimba
Mountains into Liberia eventually flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Liberia's
other rivers include the Mano, Lofa, Saint Paul, Cestos, Cavalla, Mesurado
and the Ya River. Liberia also has a number of
lakes. One of the largest, Lake Piso, located fifty miles north-west of Monrovia, covers an area of some 40 square miles. In 1998 it burst
its banks flooding nineteen nearby villages, leaving 2000 homeless. During
the civil war many Liberian villagers made there way to Piso to seek refuge
on islands on the lake such as Massatin, named after a woman called Massa, a 15th
century farmer who lived alone on the island. Those visiting Liberia should
take time to visit the Sapo National park. Founded in 1983 and covering some
700 sq miles, its home to a variety of wildlife from chimpanzees
to pygmy hippos as well as forest elephants and leopards. The
park itself is a lowland forest and a virtually intact
eco-system.
Other places worth a visit are Providence Island (above), initially called Dozoa Island then renamed Perseverance Island
reflecting the challenges faced by returning slaves; Blue Lake
in Bomi County, named after the clear blue waters that have
filled a giant crater left behind after the Liberia Mining
Company closed in the late 1970s; and for those with a taste of
history, the town of Harper in south east Liberia which became
home to the first slaves who came back to Liberia who later
founded the country. The
town has many old mansions and relics reflecting the area's
past however was badly damaged in the civil war and many of the
building were burnt out and in a terminal state of decay. Nevertheless
worth a visit not least for the beaches there with their
undeveloped, natural beauty. The video (below)
shows images of Liberia set to traditional music and gives a
good look and feel of the country.
Liberia Images: Volunteer in Liberia
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Liberia Images: Liberia Map
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Liberia Images: Sponsor Children in Liberia
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Liberia Images: Liberia Country Profile
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