TBlahyi is a member of the Sarpo tribe in Liberia.[2] At age 11, he claims, he was initiated as a tribal priest and participated in his first human sacrifice. During the course of the three day ritual that followed, Blahyi says that he had a vision in which he was told by the Devil that he would become a great warrior and that he should continue to practice human sacrifice and cannibalism to increase his power.[3] The Krahn elders later appointed him as high priest, a position that would later lead him to become the spiritual advisor to Liberian President Samuel Doe.[4] Blahyi adhered to a complex traditional belief system as a Krahn Priest, and like many in Africa he has mixed those beliefs fluidly with Christianity. Blahyi himself explains: "I was a high priest for the biggest god under the Krahn tribe, and the late Samuel K. Doe being a fellow tribesman, was automatically placed under my jurisdiction... I also placed nyanbe-a-weh amongst the first three high ranking deities in the West Africa’s black-witch coastal line division."[5] Nyanbe-a-weh was Blahyi’s protecting deity who (according to Blahyi) demanded ritual sacrifice; Blahyi would come to believe that Nyanbe-a-weh was the devil.[6] He explains that the Krahn tribe selects leaders based upon physical prowess rather than birthright. The selection process takes place through an annual fight: "The traditional fight was a no holds barred affair. The eventual victor was allowed to kill and maim to show his strength and bravery. The strongest or last man standing after the bloody contest will take over the birthright and the headship of the tribe."[7]his is a never before seen confession of one of Liberia most feared warlord and his time under the control of satan. He talks about how he became introduced into the satanic realm when he was a boy. This video was recently made and publish in Liberia. I hope you enjoy it and share the links with others.PAGE LAST UPDATED ON NOVEMBER 17, 2011
(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)
CLICK FLAG OR MAP TO ENLARGE
CLICK MAP TO ENLARGE
NO PHOTOS AVAILABLE OF LIBERIA
EXPAND ALL | COLLAPSE ALL
Introduction ::LIBERIA
Geography ::LIBERIA
People and Society ::LIBERIA
Nationality:
noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian
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)The Kru are an ethnic group who live in interior of Liberia. Their history is one marked by a strong sense of ethnicity and resistance to occupation. In 1856 when part of Liberia was still known as the independent Republic of Maryland, the Kru along with the Grebo resisted Maryland settlers' efforts to control their trade. They were also infamous amongst early European slave raiders as being especially averse to capture.
They are distinct from the Krumen (sometimes called Kru), a subgroup of the Grebo who live along the coast.
Their reputation was such that their value as slaves was less than that of other African peoples, because they would so frequently attempt to escape or to take their own lives upon being captured.[1]
Kru is one of the many ethnic groups in Liberia, comprising 7% of the population. It is also one of the main languages spoken. The Kru are one of the three main indigenous group players in Liberia's socio-political activities along with the Krahn and Mano.
Notable ethnic Krus include former soccer star George Weah and Christian Evangelist Samuel Morris who was originally known as Kaboo.[2] Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is of mixed Kru, Gola, and German ancestry.[3][4] Mary Broh, the current mayor of Monrovia, is of mixed Kru and Bassa ancestry.
Languages:
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence
Religions:
Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.4% (2008 census)
Population:
3,786,764 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.3% (male 843,182/female 834,922)
15-64 years: 52.7% (male 989,623/female 1,007,577)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 56,189/female 55,271) (2011 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.3 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 18.3 years (2011 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.663% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Birth rate:
37.25 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Death rate:
10.62 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Urbanization:
urban population: 48% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 3.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major cities - population:
MONROVIA (capital) 882,000 (2009)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:
990 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 5
Infant mortality rate:
total: 74.52 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 19
male: 78.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 69.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 57 years
country comparison to the world: 194
male: 55.44 years
female: 58.6 years (2011 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.13 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
Health expenditures:
3.9% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 167
Physicians density:
0.014 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 191
Hospital bed density:
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 160
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 79% of population
rural: 51% of population
total: 68% of population
unimproved:
urban: 21% of population
rural: 49% of population
total: 32% of population (2008)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 25% of population
rural: 4% of population
total: 17% of population
unimproved:
urban: 75% of population
rural: 96% of population
total: 83% of population (2008)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
37,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,600 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
20.4% (2007)
country comparison to the world: 35
Education expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 144
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.5%
male: 73.3%
female: 41.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 13 years
female: 9 years (2000)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 4.7%
country comparison to the world: 123
male: 5.7%
female: 3.7% (2007)
Government ::LIBERIA
Economy ::LIBERIA
Economy - overview:
Liberia is a low income country heavily reliant on foreign assistance for revenue. Civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businesses fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them, but with the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically-elected government in 2006, several have returned. Liberia has the distinction of having the highest ratio of direct foreign investment to GDP in the world. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products, primarily raw timber and rubber and is reviving those sectors. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment. Embargos on timber and diamond exports have been lifted, opening new sources of revenue for the government and Liberia shipped its first major timber exports to Europe in 2010. The country reached its Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative completion point in 2010 and nearly $5 billion of international debt was permanently eliminated. This new status will enable Liberia to establish a sovereign credit rating and issue bonds. Liberia's Paris Club creditors agreed to cancel Liberia's debt as well. Rebuilding infrastructure and raising incomes will depend on generous financial and technical assistance from donor countries and foreign investment in key sectors, such as infrastructure and power generation.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.691 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
$1.608 billion (2009 est.)
$1.537 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$974 million (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
4.6% (2009 est.)
7.1% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$500 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 226
$400 (2009 est.)
$400 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 76.9%
industry: 5.4%
services: 17.7% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
1.372 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 133
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry: 8%
services: 22% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
85% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
Population below poverty line:
80% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 30.1% (2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
38.2 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 74
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA
Taxes and other revenues:
34.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-0.7% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
7.4% (2009 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.3% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
14.183% (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$289 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
$260.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of broad money:
$398.6 million
country comparison to the world: 179
$343.6 million
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.334 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
$1.269 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Industries:
rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
335 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Electricity - consumption:
311.6 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2009 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
Oil - consumption:
4,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Oil - exports:
23 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Oil - imports:
4,552 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Current account balance:
-$692.5 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
-$541.1 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$207 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
$180 million (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee
Exports - partners:
South Africa 26.9%, US 18.1%, Spain 7.8%, Denmark 5.4%, Venezuela 4.8%, Malaysia 4.3% (2010)
Imports:
$726.7 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
$559 million (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
South Korea 37.2%, China 26.3%, Singapore 17.3%, Japan 11.5% (2010)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$399.8 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
$372.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.66 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
$3.2 billion (2005 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar -
NA (2007)
59.43 (2006)
53.098 (2005)
54.906 (2004)
59.379 (2003)