• Official name: Republic of Liberia
• Location: West Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast, and the Atlantic Ocean
• Population: Approximately 5.5 million
• Area: 43,000 square miles (111,369 km2)
• Official language: English; over 20 indigenous languages
• Capital: Monrovia

• Founded in the early 19th century by the American Colonization Society
• More than 15,000 African Americans relocated to Liberia from 1822 to 1861
• Gained independence on July 26, 1847; U.S. recognition in 1862
• First African republic to gain independence and oldest continuously independent country

• Military coup in 1980 ended Americo-Liberian rule; Samuel Doe became first indigenous leader
• Two civil wars (1989-1997, 1998-2003) resulted in 250,000 deaths and severe economic decline
• Peace agreement in 2003 led to elections in 2005; stability has improved since

• Significant economic sector since the 1960s, affected by civil wars
• Recent emphasis on industrial mining; concerns about environmental impact and worker conditions
• Protests over wages and living conditions persist in the mining sector

List of newspapers published in Liberia.