Short guide to Liberia
Liberia, positioned on the western bulge of Africa, is one of Africa's most poverty-stricken countries and one of its most troubled.
Although it is rich in natural beauty, Liberia has been torn by civil war and following the deaths of more than a quarter of a million Liberians, the country is only now beginning to regain a tenuous peace.
Infrastructure is almost non-existent and travellers are strongly advised to stay away as poverty and political instability have led to gang rule in most of the country, with robberies, murder and kidnapping commonplace crimes.
Paradoxically, Liberia was originally founded as a haven for freed slaves, at the behest of the United States, and the ties between these two countries can still be seen in the Liberian flag (very similar to the Stars and Stripes) and the capital city, Monrovia, whose namesake was US president James Monroe.
For the adventurous traveller who does visit Liberia, the capital city is the safest place to be. Slightly better facilities than the surrounding country mean that visitors have some semblance of the comforts they are used to, and more protection from the social and political turmoil.
It is outside of Monrovia though that the beauty of Liberia lies. Lack of development has meant that the people of Liberia suffer from unemployment and poor facilities but has also left the country with some of the most unspoiled rainforest and coastline in the world. Liberia has over five hundred and fifty kilometres of beaches, with innumerable private inlets made of turquoise waters and white sands.
Aside from the capital, the best places to visit are the town of Robertson, which is the preserve of Liberia's cultural history as well as a camp for those who want to spend the night (tents only), and Buchanan – one of the few areas that cater somewhat to tourists (accommodation and a few eateries are to be found here).
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