Long-form name: Republic of Liberia

Type: republic

Capital: Monrovia

Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Jide, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, Rivercess, Sino

Independence: 26 July 1847

Constitution: 6 January 1986

Legal system: judicial powers invested in People's Supreme Court and lower courts

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Branches: executive powers held by president, assisted by appointed Cabinet; legislative powers held by bicameral legislature; independent judiciary

Leader: @m5Chief of State and Head of Government--President Gen. Dr. Samuel Kanyon DOE (since 12 April 1980); Vice President Harry F. MONIBA (since 6 January 1986)

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections: presidential and legislative elections held October 1985; Doe was proclaimed winner of presidential election and took office in January 1986

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party of Liberia, Nicholas Biddle, chairman; Liberian Action Party, Jackson Doe, chairman; Liberian Unity Party, Gabriel Kpolleh, chairman; Unity Party, Edward Kesselly, chairman; United Peoples Party, Gabriel Baccus Matthews, chairman

Communists: no Communist party and only a few sympathizers

Member of: AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, Mano River Union, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Eugenia A. WORDSWORTH-STEVENSON; Chancery at 5201 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20011; telephone (202) 723-0437 through 0440; there is a Liberian Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador James K. BISHOP; Embassy at 111 United Nations Drive, Monrovia (mailing address is P. O. Box 98, Monrovia, or APO New York 09155); telephone �231� 222991 through 222994

Flag: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

NOTE: The information regarding Liberia on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Liberia Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Liberia Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.