The capital of Liberia is Monrovia. Monrovia, the capital of the West African country of Liberia, is also the center of culture, politics, and finance of the country. The first settlements started with the former Caribbean slaves coming to Liberia in order to live a better life, with free and self-governance. With its establishment on April 25, 1822, Monrovia became the second African-American enclave in Africa after Freetown in Sierra Leone.
Where is Monrovia?
The city is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, on the Mesurado Peninsula.
When did Monrovia Become the Capital?
Liberia was first founded in 1822 by slaves from America. The first settlers came to Africa from the United States under the auspices of the American Colonization Society (ACS). The ACS representatives first came to the Mesurado River in 1821. The real name of Monrovia was Christopolis. In 1824 it was renamed as Monrovia.
The indigenous communities of the regions surrounding Monrovia claimed that the land of Monrovia belonged to them, and in 1822 they began to attack Monrovia. These attacks continued until the middle of the nineteenth century.
In 1822, Monrovia, the capital of the country which was not independent, won the title of official capital after the independence in 1848. In 1848, London was the first country to sign a trade and friendship agreement with Monrovia and recognize the new republic. Because of the slavery issue in the US, Washington did not recognize the nation in which he played a role. Meanwhile, African-Americans never came to Liberia. The US finally established diplomatic relations with Liberia in 1862 and continued to maintain strong ties until the 1990s.
Features of Monrovia
According to 2008 data, Monrovia has a population of 1,010,970. Monrovia has an area of 194 square kilometers. In Monrovia, the highest annual temperature is 31-32 degrees and the lowest temperature is 21-23 degrees. Monrovia, which has a warm and humid climate in general, has an annual rainfall of 5-6 mm. Petroleum refining, pharmaceutical, cement, paint, food, building materials are major industries. From the port, the export of iron, rubber, and oil is done. The University of Monrovia, founded in 1862, the country’s principal institution of higher education and became a university in 1951, is located in the city.
Monrovia’s economy is based on trade. The port of Monrovia, the largest artificial port in West Africa, sends rubber, iron ore, coffee, cocoa, rice and timber from Liberia to the rest of the world. Monrovia’s main industry is rubber and palm oil processing, food products, furniture, and chemicals. However, these industries employ relatively few workers. Most residents of Monrovia lack stable employment and 80% of the population live below the poverty line.
Going out at night in the city can be a bit dangerous. Liberia is not a very safe country due to internal turmoil. In general, it is advisable to inform the embassy of your location. If you are staying for a long period of time and your place of residence will change, you should also inform the embassy on this matter. If you are shopping, you should keep in mind that the stores are open until 12:30 on Friday.
In 2014 the city was affected by the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic. The epidemic of Ebola virus in Liberia was announced on September 3, 2015.
Important Places to See in Monrovia
Liberia has been called a country of poverty, but it has left behind its bad past and has recently become one of the developing countries. This country, which is the coast of the Atlantic, is also a peninsula. In this country with its unique and unique natural beauty, the tropical climate prevails. Although it does not have a very sweltering air, the winter has almost the same temperature values. It is a city that has attracted the attention of tourists with its natural beauties in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. Places to visit in Monrovia are the Centennial Pavilion, the Liberian National Museum and the Wulki farms.