Monrovia
Encyclopedia
Monrovia is the capital city
of the West Africa
n nation of Liberia
. Located on the Atlantic Coast
at Cape Mesurado
, it lies geographically within Montserrado County
, but is administered separately. The city is governed as a metropolitan city called Greater Monrovia District, which had a population of 1,010,970 as of the 2008 census, containing 29% of the total population of Liberia and is the country's most populous city. Monrovia is the cultural, political and financial hub for the entire country. The body that administers the government of Greater Monrovia District is the Monrovia City Corporation.
Founded in 1822, Monrovia is named in honor of U.S. President James Monroe
, a prominent supporter of the colonization of Liberia. Monrovia was founded thirty years after Freetown
, Sierra Leone
, the first permanent Black 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, brick
s and tile
s, furniture and chemicals
. Located near the confluence of the Mesurado
and Saint Paul
rivers, the harbor also has facilities for storing and repairing vessels.
The area was already inhabited when it was named Cape Mesurado
by Portuguese sailors in the 1560s.
In 1821, 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 arrived in Africa from the United States, under the auspices of the American Colonization Society
. 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, and a prominent supporter of the colony in sending freed Black slaves to Liberia, saw it as preferable than emancipation
in America.
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.
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 Bassa
s, Grebos and other tribes. 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.
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 First and Second Liberian Civil War
s, 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.
In 2002, Leymah Gbowee
organized the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace
with local women praying and singing in a fish market in Monrovia. This movement helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003 and the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Liberia, the first African nation with a female president.
. Monrovia is Liberia's financial centre
. The Central Bank of Liberia
is based in Monrovia.
Former mayors include:
, whose mouth forms a large natural harbor. The Saint Paul River
lies directly north of the city and forms the northern boundary of Bushrod Island, which is reached by crossing the "New Bridge" from downtown Monrovia. Monrovia is located at 6°19′N 10°48′W. Monrovia is Liberia's largest city and its administrative, commercial and financial center.
The city is located in Montserrado County
. However, the small town of Bensonville
is actually the capital of Montserrado County.
, Monrovia features a tropical monsoon climate
. During the course of the year Monrovia sees a copious amount of precipitation. Monrovia averages 5,140 mm (202.3 in.) of rain per year. The climate features a wet season
and a dry season
, but precipitation is seen even during the dry season. Temperatures remain constant throughout the year averaging around 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit).
Attractions in Monrovia include the Liberian National Museum
, the Masonic Temple, the Waterside Market, and several beaches. The city also houses Antoinette Tubman Stadium
and the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex
sports stadium
s. The arena at Samuel K. Doe is one of the largest stadiums in Africa, with seats
for 40,000.
The newspaper industry in Monrovia extends back to the 1820s, when the Liberia Herald
opened as one of the first newspapers published in Africa. Today, numerous tabloid style newspapers are printed on daily or bi-weekly basis, most of which are no more than 20 pages. The Daily Talk is a compilation of news items and Bible quotations written up daily on a roadside blackboard in the Sinkor
section of Monrovia.
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 of the population. The state-owned Liberia Broadcasting System
broadcasts nationwide from its headquarters in Monrovia. STAR radio
broadcasts at 104 FM.
, along with African Methodist Episcopal University
, Stella Maris Polytechnic
, and many other public and private schools. Medical education is offered at the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine, and there is a nursing and paramedical school at the Tubman National Institute of Medical Arts.
Kindergarten through twelfth grade
education is provided by the Monrovia Consolidated School System, which serves the Greater Monrovia area. Schools include Monrovia Central High School, Bostwain High School, D. Twe High School, G. W. Gibson High School and William V. S. Tubman High School.
Boats link the city's Freeport of Monrovia
, the country's busiest port, with Greenville
and Harper
. The nearest airport is Spriggs Payne Airport
, located less than four miles from the city center. Roberts International Airport
, the largest international airport in Liberia, is 60 km (40 mi) away in Harbel
. 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.
section of Monrovia. Originally a suburban residential district, today Sinkor acts as Monrovia's bustling mid-town, hosting many diplomatic missions, as well as major hotels, businesses, as well as several residential neighborhoods, including informal communities such as Plumkor, Jorkpentown, Lakpazee and Fiamah. Sinkor is also home to the city's secondary airport, Spriggs Payne
, and the area immediately nearby, called Airfield, is a major nightlife district for the whole city. Further east of the Airfield is the Old Road section of Sinkor, which is predominantly residential, including informal settlements like Chugbor and Gaye Town.
At the southeasterly base of the peninsula is the independent township of Congo Town, and to its east is the large suburb of Paynesville
. Other suburbs such as Barnersville and New Georgia
lie to the north, across the river.
Other neighborhoods and suburbs of Monrovia include:
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Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
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...
. Located on the Atlantic Coast
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
at Cape Mesurado
Cape Mesurado
Cape Mesurado is a headland on the coast of Liberia near the capital Monrovia and the mouth of the Saint Paul River. It was named Cape Mesurado by Portuguese sailors in the 1560s...
, it lies geographically within Montserrado County
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...
, but is administered separately. The city is governed as a metropolitan city called Greater Monrovia District, which had a population of 1,010,970 as of the 2008 census, containing 29% of the total population of Liberia and is the country's most populous city. Monrovia is the cultural, political and financial hub for the entire country. The body that administers the government of Greater Monrovia District is the Monrovia City Corporation.
Founded in 1822, Monrovia is named in honor of U.S. President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, a prominent supporter of the colonization of Liberia. Monrovia was founded thirty years after Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, the first permanent Black 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
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the main exports include latex
Latex
Latex is the stable dispersion of polymer microparticles in an aqueous medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic.Latex as found in nature is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants . It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins,...
and iron ore. Materials are also manufactured on-site, such as cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
, refined petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, food products, brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s and tile
Tile
A tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, or even glass. Tiles are generally used for covering roofs, floors, walls, showers, or other objects such as tabletops...
s, furniture and chemicals
Chemical industry
The chemical industry comprises the companies that produce industrial chemicals. Central to the modern world economy, it converts raw materials into more than 70,000 different products.-Products:...
. Located near the confluence of the Mesurado
Mesurado River
Mesurado River is a river of Liberia. It flows through the capital of Monrovia and is crossed by the People’s Bridge, built in the 1970s..-External links:*...
and Saint Paul
Saint Paul River
The Saint Paul River is a river of western Africa. Its headwaters are in southeastern Guinea. Its upper portion in Guinea is known as the Diani River or Niandi River, and forms part of the boundary between Guinea and Liberia. The river then enters Liberia about north of Gbarnga and crosses...
rivers, the harbor also has facilities for storing and repairing vessels.
History
Cape Mesurado
Cape Mesurado is a headland on the coast of Liberia near the capital Monrovia and the mouth of the Saint Paul River. It was named Cape Mesurado by Portuguese sailors in the 1560s...
by Portuguese sailors in the 1560s.
In 1821, with the aim of establishing a self-sufficient colony for emancipated American survivors of slavery, something that had already been accomplished in Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
, the first settlers arrived in Africa from the United States, under the auspices of the American Colonization Society
American Colonization Society
The American Colonization Society , founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen...
. They landed at Sherbro Island
Sherbro Island
Sherbro Island, is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, located in Bonthe District off the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. The Sherbro make up by far the largest ethnic group in the island....
in present-day Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
. The undertaking was a shambles and many settlers died. In 1822, a second ship rescued the settlers and took them to Cape Mesurado
Cape Mesurado
Cape Mesurado is a headland on the coast of Liberia near the capital Monrovia and the mouth of the Saint Paul River. It was named Cape Mesurado by Portuguese sailors in the 1560s...
, establishing the settlement of Christopolis. In 1824, the city was renamed to Monrovia after James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, then President of the United States, and a prominent supporter of the colony in sending freed Black slaves to Liberia, saw it as preferable than emancipation
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
in America.
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.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Monrovia was divided into two parts: (1) Monrovia proper, where the city's 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...
population resided and was reminiscent of the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
in architecture; and (2) Krutown, which was mainly inhabited by ethnic Krus but also Bassa
Bassa (Liberia)
The Bassa are a people of Liberia, living in Grand Bassa, Rivercess,Margibi and Montserrado counties, who speak the Bassa language, a Kru language. They number about 350,000 . They have their own writing system, called "Bassa" or "Vah," which was developed around 1900. There are also about 5000...
s, Grebos and other tribes. 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.
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
Public housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
in Monrovia and decreased by 50% the tuition fees at the University of Liberia
University of Liberia
The University of Liberia is a publicly funded institution of higher learning located in Monrovia, Liberia. Authorized by the national government in 1851, the school opened in 1863 as Liberia College and became a university in 1951. The school is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning...
. A military coup led by 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...
ousted the Tolbert government in 1980, with many members being executed.
The city was severely damaged in the First and Second Liberian Civil War
Second Liberian Civil War
The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighbouring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy , emerged in northern Liberia. In early 2003, a second rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia, emerged in the south, and...
s, notably during the siege of Monrovia
Siege of Monrovia
The Siege of Monrovia, which occurred in Monrovia, Liberia between July 18 and August 14, 2003, was a major military confrontation between the Armed Forces of Liberia and LURD rebels during the Second Liberian Civil War. The shelling of the city resulted in the deaths of some 1,000 civilians....
, with many buildings damaged and nearly all the infrastructure destroyed. Major battles occurred between Samuel Doe's government and Prince Johnson
Prince Johnson
Prince Yormie Johnson is a Liberian politician and the current Senior Senator from Nimba County."Prince" is a common given name for males in Liberia, rather than a royal title...
'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.
In 2002, Leymah Gbowee
Leymah Gbowee
Leymah Roberta Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist responsible for leading a women's peace movement that brought an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. This led to the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Liberia, the first African nation with a female president...
organized the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace
Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace
Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace is a peace movement started by women in Liberia, Africa thatbrought an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. Organized by social worker Leymah Gbowee, the movement started with local women praying and singing in a fish market...
with local women praying and singing in a fish market in Monrovia. This movement helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003 and the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Liberia, the first African nation with a female president.
Economy
The city's economy is dominated by its harbour, the Freeport of MonroviaFreeport of Monrovia
Freeport of Monrovia is the main commercial port facility in the West African nation of Liberia. The port was artificially created on Bushrod Island near Monrovia in 1948. The port facility contains four piers and one main wharf with four berths. The port also has tanker facilities and a fishery...
. Monrovia is Liberia's financial centre
Financial Centre
A financial centre is a global city that is a company and business hub, as well as being home to many world famous banks and/or stock exchanges....
. The Central Bank of Liberia
Central Bank of Liberia
The Central Bank of Liberia is Liberia's central bank. Its current executive governor is Mr J Mills Jones.The offices of the bank are located in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia.-History:...
is based in Monrovia.
Government
The city is home to the Monrovia City Corporation, which runs many services inside the city.Former mayors include:
- W. F. Nelson, 1870s
- C. T. O. King, 1880s and served three terms
- H. A. Williams, 1890s
- Gabriel M. Johnson, 1920s
- Nathan C. Ross, 1956-1969
- Ellen A. Sandimanie, 1970s and first woman to hold the position
- Ophelia Hoff SaytumahOphelia Hoff SaytumahOphelia Hoff Saytumah is a politician in Liberia. She was the mayor of Liberia's capital city of Monrovia. President Charles Taylor appointed her in 2001 to the position. She used to be the head of Ophelia Travel Agency and has served on the Board of Directors for Roberts International Airport...
, 2001–2009
Geography
Monrovia lies along the Cape Mesurado peninsula, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mesurado RiverMesurado River
Mesurado River is a river of Liberia. It flows through the capital of Monrovia and is crossed by the People’s Bridge, built in the 1970s..-External links:*...
, whose mouth forms a large natural harbor. The Saint Paul River
Saint Paul River
The Saint Paul River is a river of western Africa. Its headwaters are in southeastern Guinea. Its upper portion in Guinea is known as the Diani River or Niandi River, and forms part of the boundary between Guinea and Liberia. The river then enters Liberia about north of Gbarnga and crosses...
lies directly north of the city and forms the northern boundary of Bushrod Island, which is reached by crossing the "New Bridge" from downtown Monrovia. Monrovia is located at 6°19′N 10°48′W. Monrovia is Liberia's largest city and its administrative, commercial and financial center.
The city is located in Montserrado County
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...
. However, the small town of Bensonville
Bensonville
Bensonville is the capital city of Montserrado County, Liberia. The capital of Liberia, Monrovia, is also located in Montserrado County. Bensonville is located 20 miles from Monrovia. It is a commercial center for the surrounding agricultural area....
is actually the capital of Montserrado County.
Climate
Under the Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
, Monrovia features a tropical monsoon climate
Tropical monsoon climate
Tropical monsoon climate, occasionally also known as a tropical wet climate or tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate in climate classification, is a relatively rare type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category "Am."Tropical monsoon climates have monthly...
. During the course of the year Monrovia sees a copious amount of precipitation. Monrovia averages 5,140 mm (202.3 in.) of rain per year. The climate features a wet season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
and a dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
, but precipitation is seen even during the dry season. Temperatures remain constant throughout the year averaging around 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit).
Culture and media
Liberian National Museum
The National Museum of Liberia is a national museum in Monrovia, Liberia. Initially housed in the First Executive Mansion on Ashmond Street of the city which is now used as a library, it was established by an Act of the National Legislature in 1958 under the administration of Liberia's 18th...
, the Masonic Temple, the Waterside Market, and several beaches. The city also houses Antoinette Tubman Stadium
Antoinette Tubman Stadium
Antoinette Tubman Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Monrovia, Liberia. It is used mostly for football matches. It has a capacity of 10,000 people...
and the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex
National Complex (Liberia)
Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex is a multi-purpose stadium in Paynesville, Liberia built in 1986. It is used mostly for football matches and it also has an athletics track. Spectator capacity is 30,000 people. In September 2005 a 7.6 million dollars renovation project began...
sports stadium
Sports Stadium
Sports Stadium was an Irish television sport programme on Raidió Teilifís Éireann . Broadcast between 1973 and 1997, it was RTÉ's flagship sports programme and one of its longest-running shows....
s. The arena at Samuel K. Doe is one of the largest stadiums in Africa, with seats
Stadium seating
Stadium seating or theater seating is a characteristic seating arrangement that is most commonly associated with performing-arts venues, and derives its name from stadiums, which typically use this arrangement...
for 40,000.
The newspaper industry in Monrovia extends back to the 1820s, when the Liberia Herald
Liberia Herald
The Liberia Herald, founded in 1826 is the first newspaper ever published in Liberia which at the time was a colony. It was founded by Charles Force, an American freed slave who died shortly after....
opened as one of the first newspapers published in Africa. Today, numerous tabloid style newspapers are printed on daily or bi-weekly basis, most of which are no more than 20 pages. The Daily Talk is a compilation of news items and Bible quotations written up daily on a roadside blackboard in the Sinkor
Sinkor
Sinkor is a section of the Monrovia metropolitan area in Liberia. It is the location of the Spriggs Payne Airport. United Nations Mission in Liberia has its headquarters in Sinkor...
section of Monrovia.
Radio and TV stations are available, with radio being a more prominent source of news as problems with the electric grid
Grid (electricity)
An electrical grid is a vast, interconnected network for delivering electricity from suppliers to consumers. It consists of three main components: 1) generating plants that produce electricity from combustible fuels or non-combustible fuels ; 2) transmission lines that carry electricity from power...
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 of the population. The state-owned Liberia Broadcasting System
Liberia Broadcasting System
The Liberia Broadcasting System is a state-owned radio network in Liberia. Founded as the Eternal Love Broadcasting Corporation in 1960, the network was owned and operated by Rediffusion, London until 1968, when management passed to the Government of Liberia. The network began broadcasting...
broadcasts nationwide from its headquarters in Monrovia. STAR radio
STAR radio
STAR radio is a FM radio station in the West African nation of Liberia. Founded in 1997, it is independent of the country’s government. Headquartered in Monrovia, it broadcasts at the 104 FM frequency and via shortwave radio.-History:...
broadcasts at 104 FM.
Education
Monrovia is home to the University of LiberiaUniversity of Liberia
The University of Liberia is a publicly funded institution of higher learning located in Monrovia, Liberia. Authorized by the national government in 1851, the school opened in 1863 as Liberia College and became a university in 1951. The school is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning...
, along with African Methodist Episcopal University
African Methodist Episcopal University
The African Methodist Episcopal University is a private institution of higher learning located in Monrovia in the West African nation of Liberia. Located on Camp Johnson Road, the school is the second largest college in Liberia with nearly 3,500 students...
, Stella Maris Polytechnic
Stella Maris Polytechnic
Stella Maris Polytechnic is a post-secondary, private institution of higher learning in Monrovia in the West African nation of Liberia. Founded in 1988, the school is owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia. Located on Capitol Hill, the school has approximately 2,000...
, and many other public and private schools. Medical education is offered at the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine, and there is a nursing and paramedical school at the Tubman National Institute of Medical Arts.
Kindergarten through twelfth grade
K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
education is provided by the Monrovia Consolidated School System, which serves the Greater Monrovia area. Schools include Monrovia Central High School, Bostwain High School, D. Twe High School, G. W. Gibson High School and William V. S. Tubman High School.
Infrastructure
Freeport of Monrovia
Freeport of Monrovia is the main commercial port facility in the West African nation of Liberia. The port was artificially created on Bushrod Island near Monrovia in 1948. The port facility contains four piers and one main wharf with four berths. The port also has tanker facilities and a fishery...
, the country's busiest port, with Greenville
Greenville, Liberia
Greenville, also known as Sinoe, is the capital of Sinoe County in southeastern Liberia and lies on a lagoon near the Sinoe River and the Atlantic Ocean...
and 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....
. The nearest airport is Spriggs Payne Airport
Spriggs Payne Airport
-Accidents and incidents:*On 10 June 1978, Vickers Viscount 9G-AGL of West African Air Cargo was damaged beyond economic repair when the undercarriage collapsed on landing.-External links:* at GlobalSecurity.org...
, located less than four miles from the city center. Roberts International Airport
Roberts International Airport
-Accidents and incidents:*On 5 March 1967: Varig flight 837, a Douglas DC-8-33 registration PP-PEA flying from Rome-Fiumicino to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão via Roberts International Airport, caught fire after a mistaken approach to Monrovia, missing the threshold of the runway by 6,023 ft...
, the largest international airport in Liberia, is 60 km (40 mi) away in Harbel
Harbel
Harbel is a town in Margibi County, Liberia. It lies along the Farmington River, about 15 miles upstream from the Atlantic Ocean. It was named for the founder of The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, Harvey S. Firestone, and his wife, Idabelle...
. 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
Flag of convenience
The term flag of convenience describes the business practice of registering a merchant ship in a sovereign state different from that of the ship's owners, and flying that state's civil ensign on the ship. Ships are registered under flags of convenience to reduce operating costs or avoid the...
arrangements. Both private taxis and minibuses run in the city, and are supplemented by larger buses run by the Monrovia Transit Authority
Monrovia Transit Authority
The Monrovia Transit Authority is a publicly owned company started in Monrovia, Liberia, to provide timetabled bus services in the capital city. Operations ceased prior to the war. The Authority owns and runs a depot outside of Monrovia in Gardnersville. The general manager of the MTA is Obedia...
. Prior to the wars, the Mount Coffee Hydropower Project
Mount Coffee Hydropower Project
The Mount Coffee Hydropower Project is a hydroelectric project in the West African nation of Liberia on the Saint Paul River. Built in 1966 with additional phases completed later, the project had a maximum generating capacity of 64 MW. The Walter F...
provided electricity and drinking water to the city.
Neighborhoods
The city of Monrovia consists of several districts, spread across the Mesurado peninsula, with the greater Metropolitan area encircling the marshy Mesurado river's mouth. The historic downtown, centered around Broad Street, is at the very end of the peninsula, with the major market district, Waterside, immediately to the north, facing the city's large natural harbor. Northwest of Waterside is the large, low-income West Point community. To the west/southwest of downtown lies Mamba Point, traditionally the city's principal diplomatic quarter, and home to the Embassies of the United States and United Kingdom as well as the European Union Delegation. South of the city center is Capitol Hill, where the major institutions of national government, including the Temple of Justice and the Executive Mansion, are located. Further east down the peninsula is the SinkorSinkor
Sinkor is a section of the Monrovia metropolitan area in Liberia. It is the location of the Spriggs Payne Airport. United Nations Mission in Liberia has its headquarters in Sinkor...
section of Monrovia. Originally a suburban residential district, today Sinkor acts as Monrovia's bustling mid-town, hosting many diplomatic missions, as well as major hotels, businesses, as well as several residential neighborhoods, including informal communities such as Plumkor, Jorkpentown, Lakpazee and Fiamah. Sinkor is also home to the city's secondary airport, Spriggs Payne
Spriggs Payne Airport
-Accidents and incidents:*On 10 June 1978, Vickers Viscount 9G-AGL of West African Air Cargo was damaged beyond economic repair when the undercarriage collapsed on landing.-External links:* at GlobalSecurity.org...
, and the area immediately nearby, called Airfield, is a major nightlife district for the whole city. Further east of the Airfield is the Old Road section of Sinkor, which is predominantly residential, including informal settlements like Chugbor and Gaye Town.
At the southeasterly base of the peninsula is the independent township of Congo Town, and to its east is the large suburb of Paynesville
Paynesville, Liberia
Paynesville is a suburb east of Monrovia, located in Liberia. Paynesville was the location of the Paynesville Omega Transmitter, the highest structure of Africa, until the tower's demolition in 2011. It is also known for the Redlight Market commercial district, one of the largest market areas in...
. Other suburbs such as Barnersville and New Georgia
New Georgia, Liberia
New Georgia is a township in Montserrado County, Liberia that was first settled by Africans who had been taken from slave ships seized or wrecked near the United States and then sent to Liberia after several years had passed....
lie to the north, across the river.
Other neighborhoods and suburbs of Monrovia include:
- Bakoi
- Banjoa
- Barekling
- Bassa Community
- Buzzi Quarters
- Clara TownClara TownClara Town is a suburb of Monrovia, located on Bushrod Island in Liberia. It is mainly known as the birthplace of soccer star George Weah.- References :...
- Crown Hill
- Dixville
- Doin Town
- Dwahn Town
- Fanti Town
- Gardnersville
- Jatuja
- Jacob Town
- Jallah Town
- Logan Town
- Mateley
- New Kru Town
- Old Road
- Point Four
- Red Light
- Slipway
- Snapper Hill
- South Beach
- Toe Town
- Tomo
- Topoe Village
- Vai Town
- VirginiaVirginia, LiberiaVirginia is a western suburb of Monrovia, located near the Atlantic Ocean and Saint Paul River in Liberia. It was the birthplace of Angie Brooks, the first African female president of the United Nations General Assembly....
External links
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