Liberia Flag

The flag of Liberia closely resembles the flag of the US. The flag consists of the famous horizontally alternating red and white stripes and a blue square with a five-pointed white star in the upper-hoist side corner. The red stripes are six in number while the white stripes are five with the red stripe at the top and also the bottom. The red and white stripes are of equal proportions. The flag of Liberia is in the proportion of 10:19. The flag was officially adopted on July 26, 1847.

The eleven stripes (six red and five white stripes) represent the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence. The red and white colors represent the courageous people and the moral excellence of the Liberians. The five-sided white star on the blue square represents Liberia as the freedom the ex-slaves were granted. The blue square represents the continent of Africa.

The flag of Liberia was designed to resemble the flag of the US, with the only difference being the 50 stars and the 13 red and white stripes. The modeling of the Liberian flag was influenced by the founding, colonization, establishing, and controlling of Liberia by freed Africa-America and Caribbean slaves with the assistance of the American Colonization Society. Upon arrival in Liberia in 1822, the freed slaves referred to themselves as Americo-Liberian to distinguish themselves from the natives. To completely distinguish themselves, and to identify with the Americans, the slaves designed their flag to resemble the American flag.

Following the settlement of freed slaves in Liberia, there was a growing need for a flag due to the gradual expansion and population growth. The first distinctive flag was acquired on April 9, 1827. The first flag also resembled the US flag, having 13 equal red and white stripes and a blue square with a single white cross. The white cross represented the Christian sentiments of the freed slaves. In 1847, the local freed slaves proclaimed Liberia’s independence, leading to a need for a national flag. The star was substituted for the cross while the number of stripes was reduced to 11 from 13.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Monrovia
Languages	English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence
Ethnic Groups	Kpelle 20.3%, Bassa 13.4%, Grebo 10%, Gio 8%, Mano 7.9%, Kru 6%, Lorma 5.1%, Kissi 4.8%, Gola 4.4%, other 20.1% (2008 Census)
Religion	Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.4% (2008 Census)
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	26 July 1847
Area	111,369.00 km²
Water Area	15,049.00 km²
Land Area	96,320.00 km²
Population	4,299,944.00
Location	Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
No. Bordering Countries	3
Bordering Countries	Guinea 590 km, Cote d'Ivoire 778 km, Sierra Leone 299 km
GDP(PPP)	$3,787,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$900.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Poland, China, and India.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, and coffee.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Singapore, China, and South Korea.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include fuels, chemicals, machinery, and transportation equipment.
Climate	Tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain	Mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Learn More	Liberia

Liberia Flag

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