Liberia is a relatively small area of Africa. Prior to the arrival of freed slaves from the United States, the area was inhabited by a relatively large indigenous population. Like the rest of Africa, there were a lot of people who were kidnapped from Liberia and forcibly taken to the new world, where they worked as slaves. Eventually, slavery ended in the new world, with the United States ending the practice of slavery during the American Civil War.
It was obvious that there were still significant tensions between individuals of African descent in the United States and white citizens, particularly in the Southeast. As a result, the United States decided that something had to be done to fix the issue.
The American Colonization Society was founded, and individuals of African American descent who desired to return to Africa were eventually transported to Liberia. Even though the mortality rate was high, there were several thousand people who took the government up on its offer. That is where Liberia came from.
Yes, Liberia is considered a free country. The emigration took place in the middle of the 19th century. Then, in 1846, the very first black governor of Liberia requested that the local legislature declare its independence from the United States. On the other hand, he still wanted to maintain close contact with the American Colonization Society, as the country was still growing.
A referendum was called in 1847, and in July of that year, the country was declared to be an independent nation. That being said, the American Colonization Society still remained in close contact with the country. It continued to provide money to help emigrants make the journey until the end of the 19th century. The United States did not make any effort to force Liberia to maintain its status as a colony, but it did exercise moral protection over the area, making sure that it was safe.
Even as the rest of the continent was carved up, Liberia was left independent by the European powers. The rest of the continent eventually fell under the control of various European countries, but the United States made very certain that Liberia would maintain its independence even as the Scramble for Africa took place.
Overall, the country is still developing. It does not have a lot of money at its disposal, and most of its economy comes from the exploitation of its natural resources. For example, rubber is one of the biggest natural resources in the country, and it is responsible for a significant amount of its revenue.
The country has also gone through a few civil wars during the past few decades. It is still relatively unstable, and it remains to be seen whether the country will rise to the status of the other African countries. The most recent Civil War took place from 1999 to 2003, resulting in significant loss of life.
The country of Liberia is 177 years old, founded in the year 1847.