Land area

111,370 sq km

Population

4.1m (IMF mid-2010 estimate)

Main town

Monrovia (capital) 1.1m (2010 estimate)

Climate

Tropical

Weather in Monrovia (altitude 23 metres)

Hottest month, March, 24-32°C; coldest month, July, 22-27°C; driest month, January, 30 mm average rainfall; wettest month, July, 996 mm average rainfall

Language

English (official) and 16 other languages, including the lingua franca "Liberian English" (Creole)

Measures

UK imperial and US systems

Currencies

Liberian dollar (L$) = 100 cents, and US dollar (notes); Liberian coins and notes trade at a large discount against the US dollar, fluctuating according to the security situation and cash shortages

Time

GMT

Public holidays

January 1st; February 11th (Armed Forces Day); March 12th (Decoration Day); March 15th (birthday of J J Roberts, the first Liberian president); Good Friday-Easter Sunday; May 14th (National Unification Day); July 26th (Independence Day); August 24th (Flag Day); November 8th (Thanksgiving Day); November 12th (National Memorial Day); November 29th (birthday of the late president, William Tubman); December 25th-26th (Christmas)