Maryland County
Encyclopedia
Maryland County is a county
in the southeastern 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 two districts
. Harper
serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring 2297 square kilometre. As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 136,404, making it the seventh most populous county in Liberia.
Named after the State of Maryland
in the United States, it joined Liberia in 1857. The most populous city in the county is Pleebo with 22,963 residents, while Maryland's County Superintendent is Sie Teba Neufville. The county is bordered by Grand Kru County
to the west and River Gee County
to the north. The eastern part of Maryland borders the nation of Côte d'Ivoire
, separated by the Cavalla River
.
and Kru
peoples who were resisting the Maryland settlers' efforts to control their trade in slaves. President Roberts assisted the Marylanders, and a joint military campaign by both groups of Americo-Liberian
colonists resulted in victory. On February 28, 1857, the Republic of Maryland
joined Liberia as Maryland County. As of the 1984 Census, the county had a population of 69,267. As of May 2004, a DRC census
estimated the county's population
to be 107,100.
of Maryland County include (2008 population):
and cassava
are the main crops raised in the county. The flag of Maryland County, Liberia, consists of a drawing of a tree and a lighthouse on a cliff with a small Liberian flag in the upper left corner.
In 2007 WBAL-TV
in Baltimore
produced a special titled Africa's Maryland, which focused on this region and its cultural roots to the state Maryland.
Counties of Liberia
||There are 15 counties in Liberia, as of 2008.-External links:** Comprehensive resource about counties and districts of Liberia....
in the southeastern 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 two 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...
. Harper
Harper, Liberia
Harper, situated on Cape Palmas, is the capital of Maryland County in Liberia. It is a coastal town situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Hoffman River. Harper is Liberia's 11th largest town, with a population of 17,837....
serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring 2297 square kilometre. As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 136,404, making it the seventh most populous county in Liberia.
Named after the State of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in the United States, it joined Liberia in 1857. The most populous city in the county is Pleebo with 22,963 residents, while Maryland's County Superintendent is Sie Teba Neufville. The county is bordered by Grand Kru County
Grand Kru County
Grand Kru is a county in the southeastern 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 eighteen districts. Created in 1984, Barclayville serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
to the west and River Gee County
River Gee County
River Gee is a county in the southern 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. Fish Town serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
to the north. The eastern part of Maryland borders the nation of Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
, separated by the Cavalla River
Cavalla River
The Cavalla River is a river in West Africa running from north of Mount Nimba in Guinea, through Côte d'Ivoire, to Zwedru in Liberia, and back to the border with Côte d'Ivoire. It ends in the Gulf of Guinea 21 km east of Harper, Liberia...
.
History
Maryland was first established as a colony of the Maryland State Colonization Society 1834 but was not granted independence until 1854. The Maryland colony declared its independence from the Colonization Society but did not become part of the Republic of Liberia. It held the land along the coast between the Grand Cess and San Pedro Rivers. In 1856, the independent state of Maryland (Africa) requested military aid from Liberia in a war with the GreboGrebo (ethnic group)
The name Grebo is used to refer to an ethnic group or subgroup within the larger Kru group of West Africa, to certain of its constituent elements, or to the Grebo language. Within Liberia members of this group are found primarily in Maryland County and Grand Kru County in the southeastern portion...
and Kru
Kru
The Kru are an ethnic group who live in interior of Liberia. Their history is one marked by a strong sense of ethnicity and resistance to occupation. In 1856 when part of Liberia was still known as the independent Republic of Maryland, the Kru along with the Grebo resisted Maryland settlers'...
peoples who were resisting the Maryland settlers' efforts to control their trade in slaves. President Roberts assisted the Marylanders, and a joint military campaign by both groups of Americo-Liberian
Americo-Liberian
Americo-Liberians are a Liberian ethnicity of African American descent. The sister ethnic group of Americo Liberians are the Sierra Leone Creole people who are of African American, West Indian, and liberated African descent...
colonists resulted in victory. On February 28, 1857, the Republic of Maryland
Republic of Maryland
The Republic of Maryland was a small African American nation which existed from 1854 to 1857, when it was united into what is now Liberia....
joined Liberia as Maryland County. As of the 1984 Census, the county had a population of 69,267. As of May 2004, a DRC census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
estimated the county's population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
to be 107,100.
Districts
DistrictsDistricts 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...
of Maryland County include (2008 population):
- Gwelekpoken (9,875)
- Harper (37,289)
- Karluway #1 (7,539)
- Karluway #2 (18,017)
- Nyonken (11,161)
- Pleebo/Sodoken (43,580)
- Whojah (8,943)
Details
Farming is the main economic activity in Maryland County, accounting for the employment of approximately 60% of residents. RiceRice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
and cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
are the main crops raised in the county. The flag of Maryland County, Liberia, consists of a drawing of a tree and a lighthouse on a cliff with a small Liberian flag in the upper left corner.
In 2007 WBAL-TV
WBAL-TV
WBAL-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station in Baltimore, Maryland. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 11. It is one of the flagship stations of Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation, which also owns sister radio stations WBAL and...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
produced a special titled Africa's Maryland, which focused on this region and its cultural roots to the state Maryland.
External links
- CIA World Factbook
- Doctors without Borders in Harper, Liberia offers photos and one man's journal of the living conditions in Maryland County.
- WBAL-TV's documentary, "Africa's Maryland"
- County Development Agenda
- Place name codes