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Monrovia

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: African Geography

   CAPTION: Monrovia

        Satellite view of Monrovia.
      Location of Monrovia in Liberia
   Location of Monrovia in Liberia
   Mayor             Ophelia Hoff Saytumah
   Area
     –Land
     –Water
                     x   km²
                     y   km²
   Population
     –Total ( 2003)
     – Density       Metropolitan area
                     572,000 (2003)
   Latitude
   Longitude         6°19' N
                     10°48' W
             Official website:

   Monrovia, population 572,000 ( 2003 census), is the capital city of
   Liberia. The city's economy is dominated by its harbour, 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 harbour also has a large amount of
   storage and facilities for repairing ships.

History

   Monrovia in the 1800s.
   Enlarge
   Monrovia in the 1800s.
   A historical plan of the city of Monrovia from the 1800s.
   Enlarge
   A historical plan of the city of Monrovia from the 1800s.

   The area was already inhabited when it was named Cape Mesurado by
   Portuguese sailors in the 1560s. 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. The landing was not
   very successful 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 .

   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.

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 city is almost completely
   surrounded by the St. Paul River. Monrovia is located at 6°19′N
   10°48′W. Monrovia is Liberia's largest city and its administrative,
   commercial, and financial centre.

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, but 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

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monrovia"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
