20 November 2006
Liberia and Sierra Leone: The Basics
It's time to play ... WHERE'S! THAT! COUNTRY!!!???
Sierra Leone and Liberia are on the West African hump -- kind of the western "shoulder" of Africa. If you look at the African bulge (western side of the northern half) and follow it from the bottom (southern) coast of the bulge west, Liberia is the country on the corner where the south coast turns north, and Sierra Leone is the country immediately north of that.
With more information straight from the CIA's handy World Factbook for those of us who are new to West African geography, here are the basics on where we're going and the situation we expect to encounter...
LIBERIA (January 4 to January 11 or so)
History: Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE assassinated President William TOLBERT (1971-80) and ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule followed by a prolonged civil war, in which DOE himself was killed. In August 2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years of intermittent fighting and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF to power.
Size: Slightly larger than Tennessee
Population: About 3 million
Religious Orientation: 40% Christian, 40% Muslim, 20% Traditional/Animist
Official Language: English
Where We'll Be: Monrovia, the capital. Ganta, way up-country past Gbarnga.
SIERRA LEONE (January 11 or so to January 23)
History: The government is slowly reestablishing its authority after the 1991 to 2002 civil war that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third of the population). The last UN peacekeepers withdrew in December 2005, leaving full responsibility for security with domestic forces, but a new civilian UN office remains to support the government. Mounting tensions related to planned 2007 elections, deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the tenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may present challenges to continuing progress in Sierra Leone's stability.
Size: Slightly smaller than South Carolina
Population: About 6 million
Religious Orientation: 60% Muslim, 30% Traditional/Animist, 10% Christian
Official Language: English
Where We'll Be: Freetown, the capital. Jaiama, way up-country near Koidu.
Sierra Leone and Liberia are on the West African hump -- kind of the western "shoulder" of Africa. If you look at the African bulge (western side of the northern half) and follow it from the bottom (southern) coast of the bulge west, Liberia is the country on the corner where the south coast turns north, and Sierra Leone is the country immediately north of that.
With more information straight from the CIA's handy World Factbook for those of us who are new to West African geography, here are the basics on where we're going and the situation we expect to encounter...
LIBERIA (January 4 to January 11 or so)
History: Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE assassinated President William TOLBERT (1971-80) and ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule followed by a prolonged civil war, in which DOE himself was killed. In August 2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years of intermittent fighting and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON-SIRLEAF to power.Size: Slightly larger than Tennessee
Population: About 3 million
Religious Orientation: 40% Christian, 40% Muslim, 20% Traditional/Animist
Official Language: English
Where We'll Be: Monrovia, the capital. Ganta, way up-country past Gbarnga.
SIERRA LEONE (January 11 or so to January 23)
History: The government is slowly reestablishing its authority after the 1991 to 2002 civil war that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third of the population). The last UN peacekeepers withdrew in December 2005, leaving full responsibility for security with domestic forces, but a new civilian UN office remains to support the government. Mounting tensions related to planned 2007 elections, deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the tenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may present challenges to continuing progress in Sierra Leone's stability.Size: Slightly smaller than South Carolina
Population: About 6 million
Religious Orientation: 60% Muslim, 30% Traditional/Animist, 10% Christian
Official Language: English
Where We'll Be: Freetown, the capital. Jaiama, way up-country near Koidu.
