Bong County
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Bong County | ||
County Flag | ||
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Image:Flag Bong (Liberian County).gif | ||
Location | ||
Statistics | ||
Capital | Gbarnga | |
Districts | 8 | |
ISO 3166-2 | LR-BG |
Bong is one of Liberia's fifteen counties, and is named after Mount Bong, in the south of the county. Gbarnga is the county's capital. Bong County like most counties in the Republic of Liberia faces many problems including health education, sanitation, clean drinking water and agriculture improvement. At the time of writing, the people in this county still drink open water, still use their muscles to do agricultural activities, still use the bushes surrounding their villages to toilet, still don't have access to health clinic and 90% of the kids don't have access to school.
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.
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[edit] 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.[1]
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) once ECOMOG had arrived as a peacekeeping force based in the Liberian capital.[2]. NPRAG continued to operate out of Gbarnga until 1994.
Bong County is represented in the Liberian senate by Jewel Taylor, the controversial ex-wife of the former President Charles Taylor, and Franklin Siakor, a widely respected independent candidate with a strong background in community development.[3]
[edit] Geography
Bong County is situated in the central part of Liberia, on the main paved road that runs from Monrovia to Sanniquellie in Nimba County.
[edit] Districts
Bong County has eight districts:
- Fuamah District
- Jorquelleh District
- Kokoyah District
- Salala District
- Sanayea District
- Suakoko District
- Panta-Kpa District
- Zota District
[edit] Demographics
The population of Bong in July 2005 was estimated to be around 804 000.[4] The main ethnic groups include the Kpelle, Mandingo and Mano.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ Facts about Bong
- ^ Conciliation Resources analysis of the Liberian war (1990-1996)
- ^ A Profile of Members of the 52nd Legislature of Liberia
- ^ Bong County: A profile by UNMIL Civil Affairs Section
- ^ A Profile of Members of the 52nd Legislature of Liberia
[edit] External links
- Student Newspaper located in Suakoko, Bong County
- US-based United Bong County Association website
- [1] Profile of Bong County produced in July 2005 by UNMIL
- Internet directory of place names in Bong County
- The Bong Town community on the web
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