Grand Bassa is a county in the west-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 eight districts. Buchanan serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring 3,064 square miles (7,940 km2).[2] As of the 2022 Census, it had a population of 293,557, making it the sixth most populous county in Liberia.[3][2]
Grand Bassa County | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
 Location in Liberia | |
| Coordinates: 6°15′N 9°45′W / 6.250°N 9.750°W | |
| Country |  Liberia |
| Capital | Buchanan |
| Districts | 8 |
| Government | |
| • Superintendent | Julia Bono |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7,936 km2 (3,064 sq mi) |
| Population (2022 census) | |
| • Total | 293,557 |
| • Density | 37/km2 (96/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| HDI (2018) | 0.395[1] low · 13th of 15 |
Grand Bassa's County Superintendent is Julia Bono.[4] The county is bordered by Margibi County to the northwest, Bong County to the north, Nimba County to the east, and Rivercess County to the south and east. The western part of Grand Bassa borders the Atlantic Ocean.
History
editThe port of Buchanan was constructed by LAMCO to serve the export of iron ore carried through the railway from Nimba. The civil war destroyed the port, railway, and township built by LAMCO. In 2005, LAMCO's facilities were taken over by Arcelor-Mittal, which has begun a gradual reconstruction. The once bustling port became a ghost town until the arrival of Arcelor-Mittal and the consequent prospects of employment. Under terms of a 2005 agreement with the national government, Arcelor-Mittal will give USD$1 million each year to the county for iron ore exploitation,[5] though these terms were revised in 2007.[6]
Notable people
edit- Stephen Allen Benson, President of Liberia (1856–1864)
- Joseph James Cheeseman, President of Liberia (1892–1896)
- Lewis Penick Clinton, Bassa prince, and missionary
- Gbehzohngar Findley, Minister of Foreign Affairs (2018–Present) and Former Senate Pro-Tempore (2005–2014)
- Anthony Gardiner, President of Liberia (1878–1883)
- Jonathan Lambort Kaipay, Senator (2015–Present)
- James Skivring Smith, President of Liberia (1871–1872)
- James Skivring Smith Jr., Vice President of Liberia (1930–1944)
- Etweda Cooper, peace activist and superintendent of Grand Bassa (2012–2015)
- Faithvonic, singer and songwriter
- Sundaygar Dearboy, singer and songwriter
Districts
editDistricts of Grand Bassa County include (2008 population):[2]
- Commonwealth District (34,270)
- District #1 (25,180)
- District #2 (28,469)
- District #3 (47,721)
- District #4 (33,180)
- Neekreen District (32,058)
- Owensgrove District (13,687)
- St. John River District (10,274)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
- ^ a b c "2008 National Population and Housing Census: Preliminary Results" (PDF). Government of the Republic of Liberia. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-13. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ "Liberia: Counties, Major Cities, Towns & Urban Areas - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
- ^ "President Boakai Nominates and Appoints Additional Officials To Government". The Executive Mansion. 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-07-20.
- ^ "Liberia: Mittal Steel Cruises Through Finally". The Analyst. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
- ^ "Better iron ore deal for Liberia". Mining Exploration News. Retrieved 2008-09-15.