Bong County

Bong County
County

Flag

Location in Liberia
Coordinates: 07°00′00″N 09°40′00″W / 7.00000°N 9.66667°W / 7.00000; -9.66667
Country  Liberia
Capital Gbarnga
Districts 12
Established 1964
Government
 • Superintendent Beau Griffith
Area
 • Total 8,754 km2 (3,380 sq mi)
Population (2008)
 • Total 328,919
 • Density 37.5/km2 (97/sq mi)
Time zone GMT (UTC+0)
ISO 3166 code LR-BG

Bong is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has twelve districts. Gbarnga serves as the capital. The area of the county measures 8,772 square kilometres (3,387 sq mi).[1] As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 328,919, making it the third-most populous county in Liberia.[1] The county was organized in 1964 and is important for its mining industry.

Named after Mount Bong in the southern portion of the county, it is bordered by Lofa and Gbarpolu counties to the north, Margibi and Montserrado counties to the west, Grand Bassa County to the south, and Nimba County to the east. The northeast part of Bong borders the nation of Guinea. In 2008, the County Superintendent was Ranney Jackson.[2] Bong County’s flag is purple, signifying the dawn, and orange, signifying the County’s newness. The two geological instruments in the white field portion of the flag symbolize Bong County’s mining industry.

Geography

Bong County is situated in the central part of Liberia. The main paved road that runs from Monrovia to Sanniquellie in Nimba County traverses Bong County.

Districts

Bong County has twelve districts (2008 population):[1]

Demographics

The population of Bong from the 1984 Census was 255,813 for the 8,772 square kilometres (3,387 sq mi) county.[1] In July 2005, the population was estimated to be around 804,000.[3] In 2008, the Census placed the figure at 328,919, ranking it third in Liberia after Montserrado and Nimba.[1] The main ethnic groups include the Kpelle, Mandingo (who are mostly Muslim), and Mano.[4]

Education

Politics

Bong County is represented in the Senate by Jewel Taylor, the ex-wife of the former President Charles Taylor, and Franklin Siakor, a widely respected independent candidate with a strong background in community development.[4]

History

Bong County was created in 1964, along with Nimba, Lofa and Grand Gedeh, when the administrative sub-divisions of Liberia were increased to a total of thirteen. The capital is Gbarnga, named after an old farm in the location.[5]

Gbarnga was used by Charles Taylor as the base for his rebellion against the Presidency of Samuel Doe in the early 1990s. Having failed to capture Monrovia, in early 1991, he established an unofficial provisional government (the (National Patriotic Reconstruction Assembly Government, or NPRAG) after ECOMOG forces arrived for peacekeeping and were based in the Liberian capital.[6] NPRAG continued to operate out of Gbarnga until 1994.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "2008 National Population and Housing Census: Preliminary Results" (PDF). Government of the Republic of Liberia. 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  2. ↑ Dalieh, Jerome (September 8, 2008). "Liberia: Abuses, Wastes of Resources in Bong County". The NEWS (allAfrica.com). Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  3. ↑ Bong County: A profile by UNMIL Civil Affairs Section
  4. 1 2 A Profile of Members of the 52nd Legislature of Liberia
  5. ↑ Facts about Bong
  6. ↑ Conciliation Resources analysis of the Liberian war (1990-1996)

External links

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