Part 483

Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of rivers from the dumping of iron ore tailings and of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

@Liberia:People

Population: 2,602,068 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 584,918; female 579,728) 15-64 years: 52% (male 689,376; female 657,029) 65 years and over : 3% (male 43,868; female 47,149) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 6.92% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 42.3 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 11.53 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 38.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) note: until domestic peace is restored, many Liberian refugees will not return from exile

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population : 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 105.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.02 years male : 56.43 years female: 61.69 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun : Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella), Americo-Liberians 5% (descendants of former slaves)

Religions: traditional 70%, Muslim 20%, Christian 10%

Languages: English 20% (official), about 20 tribal languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy: definition : age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.3% male : 53.9% female: 22.4% (1995 est.)

@Liberia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia

Data code: LI

Government type: republic

National capital: Monrovia

Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe

Independence: 26 July 1847

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution: 6 January 1986

Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector