Monrovia, city in western Liberia, capital of the country, on the Atlantic Ocean, at the mouth of the Saint Paul River. Situated on Bushrod Island and Cape Mesurado, it is the nation's chief port and commercial center. It has extensive docks and is served by nearby Roberts International Airport. Iron ore and rubber are major exports; substantial quantities of imports are transshipped to neighboring countries. Manufactures include processed food, refined petroleum, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and building materials. The University of Liberia (founded in 1862), Cuttington University College (1889), and a college of technology (1978) are here.
Monrovia was founded in 1822 by the American Colonization Society as a refuge for freed slaves from North America; it was named in honor of United States president James Monroe. Large numbers of former slaves were resettled here in the 19th century. Monrovia became the scene of widespread looting and violence in the civil war following Liberian leader Samuel K. Doe's assassination in 1990; fighting among factions continued in the mid-1990s, sending many residents from the city. Population (1984) 421,058.
