:''For alternate meanings, see
Monrovia (disambiguation).''
A historical plan of the city of Monrovia from the 1800s.
'Monrovia', population 572,000 (
2003 census), is the
capital city of
Liberia. The city's economy is dominated by its
harbor, which was significantly expanded by
U.S. forces during the
second World War. Main exports include
latex and
iron ore. Materials are also manufactured on-site, such as
cement, refined
petroleum, food products,
bricks and
tiles,
furniture and
chemicals. The harbor also has a large amount of storage and facilities for repairing ships.
History
The area was already inhabited when it was named ''Cape Mesurado'' by
Portuguese sailors in the
1560s. With the aim of establishing a self-sufficient colony for emancipated slaves, something that the British had already accomplished in Freetown, the first settlers from the United States under the auspices of the
American Colonization Society arrived in Africa in
1821. 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. It is the only non-American capital city named after a U.S. President.
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 [1].
In
1979, the
Organisation of African Unity held their conference in Monrovia, 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
Liberian Civil War, 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.
Economy
The city's
economy is dominated by its harbour. Monrovia is Liberia's
financial centre. The
Central Bank of Liberia is based in Monrovia.
Government
The city is home to the
Monrovia City Corporation, which runs many services inside the city.
Geography
Monrovia lies on a
peninsula, between the
Atlantic Ocean and the
Mesurado River and is a major
port. The
Saint Paul River lies directly North of the city. Monrovia is located at . Monrovia is Liberia's largest city and its administrative, commercial and financial centre.
The city is located in
Montserrado County; it is not the capital of Montserrado County.
Culture and media
Attractions in Monrovia include the
Liberian National Museum, the now ruined
Masonic Temple, the
Waterside Market, (currently closed)
cultural centre on Providence Island and several
beaches. It is also home to a
zoo. The city also houses one of the biggest
sports stadiums in Africa, with seats for 40,000.
Numerous
Tabloid style newspapers are printed on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, most of which are no more than 20 pages. Radio and TV stations are available, with radio being a more prominent source of news as problems with electricity supply make watching television more difficult.
UNMIL Radio has been broadcasting since
October 1, 2003. It is the first radio station in Liberia to broadcast 24hrs a day, and covers an estimated 2/3rds of the population.
[1]
The
Daily Talk is a compilation of news written up daily on a roadside blackboard in the Sinkor region of Monrovia. In addition to news items, it prominently features quotations from the
Bible.
Education
Monrovia is home to the University of Liberia, along with
Cuttington College and Divinity School and many public and private schools.
Infrastructure
Boats link the city with
Greenville and
Harper, and the nearest airport is
Roberts International Airport, 60 km (40 mi) away at
Robertsfield. 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.
Twinned with
★
Taipei,
Taiwan
★
Dayton, Ohio,
USA
See also
★
History of Liberia
★
Monrovia Transit Authority
Notes
1. Robin Dunn-Marcos, Konia T. Kollehlon, Bernard Ngovo, and Emily Russ (2005) in Donald A. Ranard (ed.) ''Liberians: An introduction to their history and culture'' (Washington: Center for Applied Linguistics) available online here
External links
★
Photos of Monrovia
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