^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Liberian Administrative Counties

About liberian county flags
About liberian counties

Counties:

See also:

About liberian county flags

Usage

Smith 1975 [smi75b] give this note to the presentation of those flags:

These flags were presented to the Liberian counties by President William V. S. Tubman on 29 November 1965, his seventieth birthday.

What happened whith those flags latter on? Were they “bunkered” in some county house safe, or hoisted in county official rooms, or whatever? Were they produced uniquely (only this once), or where there made more of such flags (even mass produced?). Were they used later on, say on stamps, tourist publications etc? And, finnally, what happened with the flags after the end of President Tubman rule?
Željko Heimer, 05 Jan 2000

These flags are officially in use but rarely used out of the provincial government hedquarters.
Jaume Ollé, 11 Jan 2000

Though that the related flags were created in 1965 and even if the number of provinces increased since then, it is unlikely, considering the political situation of Liberia, that any additional flag were created after about 1990.
António Martins, 02 Apr 2003

Given that for the past several years Liberia has been engaged in a particularly nasty civil war, it would be interesting to know whether any of these provincial flags have been used by any of the various parties to this conflict, or indeed if they have used or are using any flags at all.
Ron Lahav, 29 Jan 2004

Design

image by António Martins, 26 Jan 2004

Liberian county flag design includes always the national flag design on the upper hoist (about 1/4th size) and the remaining field filled with a particular design. While some show a particular element on the (lower) fly and an otherwise plain field (Bomi, Grand Bassa, Margibi), others use up the space in full. Sometimes the the national flag design on the upper hoist seems to be a part of the design (Rivercess, Grand Kru), others it appears to have been added as an afterthought (Nimba, Maryland). Grand Cape Mount is something of an exception, with the national flag design yes on the upper hoist but not touching the border for design reasons.
António Martins, 26 Jan 2004

About liberian counties

Some maps of Liberia show only nine divisions, instead of thirteen: Bomi, Grand Kru, Margibi and Rivercess missing.
António Martins, 15 Aug 1999

Derkwillem Visser in Flaggen, Wappen, Hymnen, 1998, [vis98] says that there are 13 counties (provinces) and 6 territories. It seems that the refered 9 counties changed a bit since 1965.
Željko Heimer, 08 Jan 2000

I tried to investigate what is behind this and till now I found only two (discordant) sources: The US-CIA 1996 map and the UNHCR 2002.04 map. They difine the provinces as (different) clusterings of 55 (apparently) concordant second level divisions, thus:

UNHCR 2002.04 (9 subdivisions)

Bong: Kokoyah, Salala, Sanoyea and Gbargna.
Grand Bassa: (?#4) (**), No.1 (*), No.2 (*), No.3 (*), No.4 (*), No.5B (*) and No.5A (*).
Grand Cape Mount: (?#2) (**), Tewor, Porkpaa and Garwela.
Grand Gedeh: Gbarzon, Tchien, Konobo, Webbo and Gbeapo.
Lofa: (?#1) (**), Kolahun, Voinjama, Zorzor, Bopolu and Gbarma.
Maryland: Harper, Lowe Kru Coast, Upper Kru Coast, Buah, Plebo and Sasstown Terr..
Montserrado: Careysburg, Mamba Kaba, St. Paul River, Monrovia, Marshall, (?#3) (**), Kakata, Firestone, Todee, Gibi and Mecca.
Nimba: Zoe Bahn Geh, Yarwein Mensonn., Sanniquellie, Sacleipea, Tappita and Karnplay Gbehlay.
Sinoe: Greenville, Juarzon Sub, Sinor River Sobo, Juarzon Sinoe and Bloni Sinoe.

US-CIA 1996 (13 subdivisions)

Bomi: (?#3) (**) and Mecca.
Bong: Kokoyah, Salala, Sanoyea and Gbargna.
Grand Bassa: (?#4) (**), No.1 (*), No.2 (*), No.3 (*) and No.4 (*).
Grand Cape Mount: (?#2) (**), Tewor, Porkpaa and Garwela.
Grand Gedeh: Zoe Bahn Geh, Yarwein Mensonn., Sanniquellie, Sacleipea, Tappita and Karnplay Gbehlay.
Grand Kru: Lowe Kru Coast, Upper Kru Coast and Sasstown Terr..
Lofa: (?#1) (**), Kolahun, Voinjama, Zorzor, Bopolu and Gbarma.
Margibi: Mamba Kaba, Marshall, Kakata, Firestone and Gibi.
Maryland: Harper, Buah and Plebo.
Montserrado: Careysburg, St. Paul River, Monrovia and Todee.
Nimba: Gbarzon, Tchien, Konobo, Webbo and Gbeapo.
River Cess: No.5B (*) and No.5A (*).
Sinoe: Greenville, Juarzon Sub, Sinor River Sobo, Juarzon Sinoe and Bloni Sinoe.

Notes: (*) "No.1" et c. are the names given in the UNHCR 2002.04 map to the countryside subsubdivisions around Buchanan city. (**) Labelled "(?#1)" et c. are four unnamed subsubdivisions.

António Martins, 02 Apr 2003

I hate to add another discordant source, but the current CIA World Factbook says there are 15 counties: Bomi, Bong, Gparbolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, and Sinoe. [additions highlighted]
Joe McMillan, 02 Apr 2003