 CULTURE AND TRADITIONS |
The assimilation of two cultures - the one brought by the settlers from the United States and that of the tribal people they met on the soil - has often left many pondering the true and actual culture of the Liberian people. The two groups have, however, been able to portray the joint cultures, albeit difficult for others to adopt. Traditional practices, like the Masonic Craft of the settlers or the Poro/Sande societies of the natives, remain yet somewhat exclusive to their kind alone.
Intermarriages between the two groups have served to bridge the cultural gap. The Liberian system allows for two types of marriages - the statutory and the customary, the latter giving room for indulgence into polygamy, while the former upholds the one man, one wife concept. Customary laws are still respected to the extent that they do not contravene the Constitution.
| LANGUAGE |
The official language of Liberia is English. A peculiar sort of pidgin English is generally spoken by many in the cities and towns. There are, however, about 28 tribes speaking some four dozens dialects, but 16 of the tribes are considered the major ones.
| | RELIGION |
Christianity, Islam and paganism dominate the religious beliefs of the people. The Liberian Constitution provides freedom of worship so many new and upcoming religious beliefs are practiced without official repression.
| POPULATION |
Liberia has a population estimated at nearly three million inhabitants. About one-third of that number is reported to be residing in the capital, Monrovia, due to mass rural-urban migration. Life expectancy is put at 47 years, while adult literacy rate is 48%, according to statistics. |
