Anthropological research shows the region of Liberia was inhabited at least as far back as the 12th century, perhaps earlier. Between 1461 and the late 17th century, Portuguese, Dutch and British traders had contacts and trading posts in Liberia. The Portuguese had named the area Costa da Pimenta, later translated as Grain Coast, because of the abundance of grains of melegueta pepper.
In 1822 the American Colonization Society, which was the primary organization for returning former Caribbean slaves to greater freedom in Africa, established Liberia as a destination for those formerly enslaved. This movement of black people by the ACS had broad support nationwide among white people in America. While the institution of slavery in America grew, reaching almost four million slaves by the mid 1800s, a growing population in the U.S. chose to emigrate to Liberia as well. African-Americans gradually migrated to the colony and became known as Americo-Liberians, from whom many present day Liberians trace their ancestry. On 26 July 1847, Americo-Liberian settlers declared independence of the Republic of Liberia. The Americo-Liberians at that time soon formed a distinct upper class that dominated local politics and oppressed the native Africans for nearly a century.
Liberia retained its independence during the Scramble for Africa, but lost its claim to extensive territories that were annexed by Britain and France. Economic development was hindered by the decline of markets for Liberian goods in the late 19th century and by indebtedness on a series of loans, payments on which drained the economy.
William Tubman, an Americo-Liberian who became president in 1944, successfully secured American infrastructure investment by joining the Allied Power, and continued to attract foreign investment in Liberia. It was during his tenure that Liberia allowed foreign shipping companies to register their ships in Liberia, such that shipping companies may enjoy less taxation and regulation. Liberia continues to hold the world's second largest flag-of-convenience merchant ship registry.
Liberia's economy flourished during the 1940s to the 1960s. Although his administration was authoritarian, Tubman also pursued a policy of national unification that aimed to reduce marginalization of the native Africans, though its effects were limited and simmering dissatisfaction continued.
On 12 April 1980, a successful military coup was staged by a group of non-commissioned army officers led by Master Sergeant Samuel Doe. The soldiers were a mixture of the various indigenous ethnic groups that claimed marginalization at the hands of the minority Americo-Liberian settlers, and the entire Liberian government leadership was wiped out by mass executions. Marred with incompetence and corruption, the newly-formed military junta quickly turned into a tyranny for almost a decade. Frequent political purges, even more frequent coup attempts and anti-government demonstrations and human sacrifice in the president's office were the norm in Liberia at that time.
In late 1989, the First Liberian Civil War began when warlord Charles Taylor staged an insurrection, dragging the country into a state of war to varying degrees and spreading to neighbouring countries like Sierra Leone. The war was devastating. Almost all infrastructure from the Tubman era was obliterated, illicit drug usage became widespread, and nearly 20,000 children were conscripted as child soldiers. Liberia is still recovering from the civil war that ended with a ceasefire in August 2003. Hampered with the nearly destroyed healthcare system, an outbreak of Ebola caused around 4,000 deaths in 2014. With an improving political situation, UN sanctions aiming to supress destabilization were lifted in 2016, and the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia ended in 2018.
While the country is now on the mend, it has not yet redeveloped the necessary infrastructure to sustain a large increase in tourism, with little for the average visitor outside Monrovia. Towns like Buchanan and Ganta are little more than a collection of shanty houses with no decent hotels or food. Monrovia in general is calmer than the more far-flung areas although the situation countrywide is improving with the presence of UN Peacekeepers. Like in the rest of Africa, Chinese influence has also grown in Liberia in the 21st century, with substantial Chinese investment in Liberian infrastructure under the auspices of the Belt and Road initiative. Fear should not stop you enjoying your visit but act with caution. Travel outside Monrovia is very difficult and not advisable on your own.
