Bong County
Encyclopedia
Bong is a county
in the north-central portion of the West Africa
n nation of Liberia
. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division
in the nation, it has twelve districts
. Gbarnga
serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring 8772 square kilometre. As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 328,919, making it the third most populous county in Liberia.
Named after Mount Bong in the southern portion of the county, it is bordered by Lofa
and Gbarpolu
counties to the north, Margibi
and Montserrado
counties to the west, Grand Bassa County
to the south, and Nimba County
to the east. The northeast part of Bong borders the nation of Guinea
. Created in 1964, the County Superintendent is Ranney Jackson. Bong County’s flag is purple, signifying the dawn, and orange, signifying the County’s newness. The two geological instruments in the white field portion of the flag symbolize Bong County’s mining
industry.
to Sanniquellie
in Nimba County
.
and Nimba
. The main ethnic groups include the Kpelle, Mandingo
and Mano.
, the ex-wife of the former President Charles Taylor, and Franklin Siakor
, a widely respected independent candidate with a strong background in community development.
, Lofa
and Grand Gedeh
, when the administrative sub-divisions of Liberia
were increased to a total of thirteen. The capital is Gbarnga
, named after an old farm in the location.
Gbarnga was used by Charles Taylor as the base for his rebellion against the Presidency of Samuel Doe
in the early 1990s. Having failed to capture Monrovia, in early 1991, he established an unofficial provisional government (the (National Patriotic Reconstruction Assembly Government
, or NPRAG) once ECOMOG had arrived as a peacekeeping force based in the Liberian capital. NPRAG continued to operate out of Gbarnga until 1994.
Counties of Liberia
||There are 15 counties in Liberia, as of 2008.-External links:** Comprehensive resource about counties and districts of Liberia....
in the north-central portion of the West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
n nation of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division
Administrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
in the nation, it has twelve districts
Districts of Liberia
The counties of Liberia are subdivided into districts.*Bomi County**Dewoin District**Klay District**Mecca District**Senjeh District*Bong County**Fuamah District**Jorquelleh District**Kokoyah District**Panta-Kpa District**Salala District...
. Gbarnga
Gbarnga
Gbarnga is the capital city of Bong County, Liberia, lying north east of Monrovia. Bong County is one of the over 13 political subdivisions of Liberia known as counties. During the First Liberian Civil War, it was the base for Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia...
serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring 8772 square kilometre. As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 328,919, making it the third most populous county in Liberia.
Named after Mount Bong in the southern portion of the county, it is bordered by Lofa
Lofa County
Lofa is a county in the northernmost portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Voinjama serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
and Gbarpolu
Gbarpolu County
Gbarpolu is a county in the northern portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Bopulu serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
counties to the north, Margibi
Margibi County
Margibi is a county on the north to central coast of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has four districts. Kakata serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
and Montserrado
Montserrado County
Montserrado County is a county in the northwestern portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has four districts. Bensonville serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the smallest...
counties to the west, Grand Bassa County
Grand Bassa County
Grand Bassa is a county in the west-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has eight districts. Buchanan serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
to the south, and Nimba County
Nimba County
Nimba is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Sanniquellie serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the largest in the nation...
to the east. The northeast part of Bong borders the nation of Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
. Created in 1964, the County Superintendent is Ranney Jackson. Bong County’s flag is purple, signifying the dawn, and orange, signifying the County’s newness. The two geological instruments in the white field portion of the flag symbolize Bong County’s mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
industry.
Geography
Bong County is situated in the central part of Liberia, on the main paved road that runs from MonroviaMonrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
to Sanniquellie
Sanniquellie
Sanniquellie is a city and the capital of Nimba County and Sanniquellie-Mah District, Liberia. It is located in the north-east of the country at coordinates 07°21'49" N 008°42'40" W...
in Nimba County
Nimba County
Nimba is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Sanniquellie serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the largest in the nation...
.
Districts
Bong County has twelve districts (2008 population):- Boinsen District (8,352)
- Fuamah DistrictFuamah DistrictFuamah District is one of eight districts located in Bong County, Liberia....
(27,784) - Jorquelleh DistrictJorquelleh DistrictJorquelleh District is one of eight districts of Bong County, Liberia....
(78,803) - Kokoyah DistrictKokoyah DistrictKokoyah District is one of eight districts located in Bong County, Liberia....
(3,707) - Kpaai DistrictPanta-Kpa DistrictPanta-Kpa District is one of eight districts located in Bong County, Liberia....
(25,127) - Panta DistrictPanta-Kpa DistrictPanta-Kpa District is one of eight districts located in Bong County, Liberia....
(16,326) - Salala DistrictSalala DistrictSalala District is one of eight districts located in Bong County, Liberia....
(41,982) - Sanayea DistrictSanayea DistrictSanayea District is one of eight districts located in Bong County, Liberia....
(30,932) - Suakoko DistrictSuakoko DistrictSuakoko District is one of eight districts located in Bong County, Liberia. Moreover, it is located in the south central portion of Bong County. majority of the residents in this district are employers with the Phebe hospital and Cuttington University . others within the area are local laborers...
(28,277) - Tukpahblee (11,767)
- Yeallequellah (36,919)
- Zota DistrictZota DistrictZota District is one of eight districts located in Bong County, Liberia....
(18,943)
Demographics
The population of Bong from the 1984 Census was 255,813 for the 8772 square kilometre county. In July 2005, the population was estimated to be around 804,000. In 2008, the Census placed the figure at 328,919, ranking it third in Liberia after MontserradoMontserrado County
Montserrado County is a county in the northwestern portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has four districts. Bensonville serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the smallest...
and Nimba
Nimba County
Nimba is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Sanniquellie serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the largest in the nation...
. The main ethnic groups include the Kpelle, Mandingo
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
and Mano.
Politics
Bong County is represented in the Liberian senate by Jewel TaylorJewel Taylor
Jewel Cianeh Howard Taylor is a Liberian politician and the current senior senator from Bong County. The former wife of President Charles Taylor, she is a former First Lady of Liberia. In 2005, Taylor was elected to the Senate of Liberia in Bong County as a member of the National Patriotic Party...
, the ex-wife of the former President Charles Taylor, and Franklin Siakor
Franklin Siakor
Franklin Obed Siakor , currently Junior Senator for Bong County, and member of the Senate's Committee on Planning and Economic Affairs.-Life:...
, a widely respected independent candidate with a strong background in community development.
History
Bong County was created in 1964, along with NimbaNimba County
Nimba is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Sanniquellie serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the largest in the nation...
, Lofa
Lofa County
Lofa is a county in the northernmost portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Voinjama serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
and Grand Gedeh
Grand Gedeh County
Grand Gedeh is a county in the eastern portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has three districts. Zwedru serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
, when the administrative sub-divisions of Liberia
Counties of Liberia
||There are 15 counties in Liberia, as of 2008.-External links:** Comprehensive resource about counties and districts of Liberia....
were increased to a total of thirteen. The capital is Gbarnga
Gbarnga
Gbarnga is the capital city of Bong County, Liberia, lying north east of Monrovia. Bong County is one of the over 13 political subdivisions of Liberia known as counties. During the First Liberian Civil War, it was the base for Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia...
, named after an old farm in the location.
Gbarnga was used by Charles Taylor as the base for his rebellion against the Presidency of Samuel Doe
Samuel Doe
Samuel Kanyon Doe was the 21st President of Liberia, serving from 1986 until his assassination in 1990. He had previously served as Chairman of the People's Redemption Council from 1980 to 1986. He was the first indigenous head of state in Liberian history.Doe was a part of a rural tribe in inland...
in the early 1990s. Having failed to capture Monrovia, in early 1991, he established an unofficial provisional government (the (National Patriotic Reconstruction Assembly Government
National Patriotic Reconstruction Assembly Government
The National Patriotic Reconstruction Assembly Government was a self-declared, alternative administration established in early 1991 in areas held by the rebel National Patriotic Front of Liberia during the country's civil war. It was formed in opposition to the internationally recognized Interim...
, or NPRAG) once ECOMOG had arrived as a peacekeeping force based in the Liberian capital. NPRAG continued to operate out of Gbarnga until 1994.