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Revision as of 00:26, 13 March 2009
- For alternate meanings, see Monrovia (disambiguation).
Monrovia | |
|---|---|
City | |
| City of Monrovia | |
 Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia. The Old Ducor Hotel is visible in the background. | |
| Country |  Liberia |
| County | Montserrado County |
| Established | April 25, 1822 |
| Named for | James Monroe -U.S. President |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ophelia Hoff Saytumah |
| Population (2008)[1] | |
| • Metro | 1,010,970 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies within Montserrado County, the most populous county in Liberia. The metropolitan area, with a population of 1,010,970 in the Greater Monrovia District as of the 2008 census, contains 29% of the total population of Liberia and is the country's most populous city.[2]
Founded in 1822, Monrovia is named in honor of U.S. President James Monroe. Monrovia was founded thirty years after Freetown, Sierra Leone, the first permanent African American settlement in Africa. The city's economy is dominated by its harbor, and government offices. Monrovia's harbor was significantly expanded by U.S. forces during the Second World War and the main exports include latex and iron ore. Materials are also manufactured on-site, such as cement, refined petroleum, food products, bricks and tiles, furniture and chemicals. Located near the confluence of the Mesurado and Saint Paul rivers, the harbor also has facilities for storing and repairing vessels.
History
The area was already inhabited when it was named Cape Mesurado by Portuguese sailors in the 1560s. With the aim of establishing a self-sufficient colony for emancipated American survivors of slavery, something that had already been accomplished in Freetown, the first settlers from the United States under the auspices of the American Colonization Society arrived in Africa in 1821. They landed at Sherbro Island in present-day Sierra Leone. The undertaking was a shambles and many settlers died. In 1822, a second ship rescued the settlers and took them to Cape Mesurado, establishing the settlement of Christopolis. In 1824, the city was renamed to Monrovia after James Monroe, then President of the United States. It is the only non-American capital city named after a U.S. President.
In 1845, Monrovia was the site of the constitutional convention held by the American Colonization Society which drafted the constitution that would two years later be the constitution of an independent and sovereign Republic of Liberia [3].
At the beginning of the 20th century, Monrovia was divided into two parts: (1) Monrovia proper, where the city's Americo-Liberian population resided and was reminiscent of the Southern United States in architecture; and (2) Krutown, which was mainly inhabited by ethnic Krus but also Bassas, Grebos and other tribes.[4] Of the 4,000 residents, 2,500 were Americo-Liberian. By 1926, ethnic groups from Liberia's interior began migrating to Monrovia in search of jobs.[5]
In 1979, the Organisation of African Unity held their conference in the Monrovia area, with then president William R. Tolbert as chairman. During his term, Tolbert improved public housing in Monrovia and decreased by 50% the tuition fees at the University of Liberia. A military coup led by Samuel Doe ousted the Tolbert government in 1980, with many members being executed.
The city was severely damaged in the Liberian Civil War, notably during the siege of Monrovia, with many buildings damaged and nearly all the infrastructure destroyed. Major battles occurred between Samuel Doe's government and Prince Johnson's forces in 1990 and with the NPFL's assault on the city in 1992. A legacy of the war is a large population of homeless children and youths, either having been involved in the fighting or denied an education by it.
Economy
The city's economy is dominated by its harbour. Monrovia is Liberia's financial centre. The Central Bank of Liberia is based in Monrovia.
Government
The city is home to the Monrovia City Corporation, which runs many services inside the city.
Geography
Monrovia lies on a peninsula, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mesurado River and is a major port. The Saint Paul River lies directly North of the city. Monrovia is located at 6°19′N 10°48′W / 6.317°N 10.800°W. Monrovia is Liberia's largest city and its administrative, commercial and financial centre.
The city is located in Montserrado County however the small town of Bensonville is actually the capital of Montserrado County.
Culture and media
Attractions in Monrovia include the Liberian National Museum, the now ruined Masonic Temple, the Waterside Market (currently closed), cultural centre on Providence Island and several beaches. It is also home to a zoo. The city also houses Antoinette Tubman Stadium and the National Complex sports stadiums. The National Complex is one of the largest stadiums in Africa, with seats for 40,000.[citation needed]
Numerous tabloid style newspapers are printed on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, most of which are no more than 20 pages. Radio and TV stations are available, with radio being a more prominent source of news as problems with the electric grid make watching television more difficult. UNMIL Radio has been broadcasting since October 1, 2003. It is the first radio station in Liberia to broadcast 24 hours a day, and reaches an estimated 2/3rds of the population.[6] STAR radio broadcasts at 104 FM.[7]
The Daily Talk is a compilation of news items and Bible quotations written up daily on a roadside blackboard in the Sinkor region of Monrovia.
Education
Monrovia is home to the University of Liberia, along with Cuttington College and Divinity School and many public and private schools.
Infrastructure
Boats link the city's Freeport of Monrovia, the country's busiest port, with Greenville and Harper.[8] The nearest airport is Roberts International Airport (the only international airport in Liberia), 60 km (40 mi) away at Robertsfield.[8] The city is connected with the rest of the country via a network of roads and railways. Monrovia is listed as the home port by between ten and fifteen percent of the world's merchant shipping, registered in Liberia under Flag of Convenience arrangements. Both private taxis and minibuses run in the city, and are supplemented by larger buses run by the Monrovia Transit Authority. Prior to the wars, the Mount Coffee Hydropower Project provided electricity and drinking water to the city.[9]
Sister Cities
Taipei, Republic of China 
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Various cities in Minnesota, USA- Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Staten Island, New York, USA
- East Orange, New Jersey, USA
- Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- North Trenton, New Jersey, USA
- Rhode Island, USA
- Dayton, Ohio, USA
See also
Notes
- ^ 2008 National Population and Housing Census, accessed November 09, 2008
- ^ GeoHive: Global Statistics
- ^ Robin Dunn-Marcos, Konia T. Kollehlon, Bernard Ngovo, and Emily Russ (2005) in Donald A. Ranard (ed.) Liberians: An introduction to their history and culture (Washington: Center for Applied Linguistics) available online here
- ^ Tiyambe Zeleza, Dickson Eyoh et al, Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century African History
- ^ Tiyambe Zeleza, Dickson Eyoh et al, Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century African History
- ^ [1]
- ^ About us. STAR radio. Retrieved on October 13, 2008.
- ^ a b Timberg, Craig (March 12, 2008). "Liberia's Streets, Spirits Brighten; Four Years After War's End, Battered W. African Nation Begins a Slow Reawakening". The Washington Post. pp. A8.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ "Montserrado County Development Agenda" (PDF). Republic of Liberia. 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
