Monrovia

Monrovia (/mənˈroʊviə/)[4][5] is the administrative capital and largest city of Liberia. Founded in 1822, it is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic coast and as of the 2022 census had 1,761,032 residents, home to 33.5% of Liberia’s total population.[6] Its largely urbanized metro area, including Montserrado and Margibi counties, was home to 2,225,911 inhabitants as of the 2022 census.

As the nation's primate city, Monrovia is the country's economic, financial and cultural center; its economy is primarily centered on its harbor and its role as the seat of Liberian government. The city's economy is largely based on its position as chief Atlantic port of Liberia, with the Freeport of Monrovia based in the city being the largest and main port in the country.

The land in which the city resides was traditionally the land of the Vai People, a West African ethnic group. It was founded on April 5, 1822, by members of the American Colonization Society (ACS) as an organization to return former slaves born in the United States to Africa.