Basic information
Liberia is located in West Africa and has a coastline along the North Atlantic Ocean.
The Republic of Liberia borders Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Ivory Coast.
Name: Liberia” is actually Latin and translated means “land of the free”. This means that the country was founded as a home for freed African American slaves.
Capital: Monrovia (population 2.5 million as of early 2023). Monrovia takes its name from James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States and a proponent of the colonization of Liberia by freed slaves.
Population of Liberia: 5,380 million as of early 2023
Main languages: English, various regional languages
Flag
The Liberian flag is similar to the flag of the United States. The main difference is that the Liberian flag has one large white star instead of 50 small stars and 11 stripes instead of 13 stripes.
Presidents
Liberia is the first country in Africa to have a female president. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, known as the “Iron Lady of Africa,” took office in 2006.
In 2018, George Weah (born in 1966). President of Liberia. He used to play soccer for Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea FC, Manchester City and Marseille and is therefore very well known all over the world.
William S. Tubman: William Vacanarat Shadrach Tubman (1895-1971) was the 19th president of Liberia from 1944 to 1971. With 27 years in office, he ruled the country longer than any president before him – and after him. You can see his portrait on the gold coins we present below.
Liberia economy
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
Local farmers practice mixed farming of rice, cassava and vegetables. Farmers also raise ducks, goats, sheep and chickens. Cultivation of crops such as coffee, cocoa, oil palm, sugar cane and swamp rice is also common.
Production
Iron ore is mined in open-pit mines, while gold and diamonds are extracted in placer mines. Traditional small-scale mining of gold and diamonds continues in the country.
Vereinte Nationen/United Nations
In 1960, Liberia became the first black African country to be elected to the United Nations Security Council.
Flora and fauna of Liberia
Liberia has year-round evergreen vegetation. Typical trees that grow there are red ironwood, redwood, teak, mahogany, and cacao, coffee, and the raffia palm. In the past there were many animals like small antelopes, monkeys, chimpanzees and anteaters. These animals, as well as the already endangered leopards, elephants, bush cows were hunted for food during the civil war and their populations are currently recovering. There are also many reptiles, such as crocodiles and poisonous snakes.
Liberian cuisine
Most dishes are served with these staples: Rice and fermented cassava/tapioca = fufu. The dishes are prepared with various green leafy vegetables: Spinach, collard greens, cassava leaves, jute leaves and cabbage. Liberian cuisine is spicy, sweet and salty, starchy, but rich in various meats.
Dumboy is the national dish of Liberia. To prepare, fresh cassava is peeled and boiled, with the fibers removed from the center. The cooked roots are placed in a large mortar and pounded with a heavy pestle, then formed into balls.
Gold coins from Liberia – our favorites
There are many coins from Liberia that are of interest to collectors worldwide. These are our favorites:
Liberia – 25 Dollar Gold – 1965 B – Tubman – 70th Birthday
This gold coin was minted in Bern, you can tell by the mint mark “B”, which stands for Bern in Switzerland.
and
Liberia – 30 Dollar Gold – 1965 – Tubman – 70. birthday
Both $25 and $30 gold coins are from 1965 and were minted as commemorative issues in honor of President William Tubman’s 70th birthday.
The phrase on the obverse of the coins, “The love of liberty brought us here,” or translated into German, “Die Liebe zur Freiheit hat uns hier gebracht.” reflects the history of Liberia.
