Bomi County | |
|---|---|
 Bomi Lake | |
 Flag | |
 Location in Liberia | |
| Coordinates:6°45′N10°45′W / 6.750°N 10.750°W /6.750; -10.750 | |
| Country |  Liberia |
| Capital | Tubmanburg |
| Districts | Dewoin District Klay District Senjeh District Seuhn Mecca District |
| Established | 1984 |
| Government | |
| • Superintendent | Haja Washington |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,932 km2 (746 sq mi) |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 133,668 |
| • Density | 69/km2 (180/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| ISO 3166 code | LR-BM |
| HDI (2018) | 0.427[1] low ·6th of 15 |
Bomi is acounty in the northwestern portion of theWest African nation ofLiberia. The county was established in 1984. The county's area is 746 square miles (1,900 km2).
Bomi is one of 15 counties that comprise thefirst-level of administrative division in the nation.Tubmanburg serves as the county's capital. The County has fouradministrative districts.
Bomi is bordered on the northwest byGrand Cape Mount County, on the northeast byGbarpolu andBong Counties, on the southeast byMontserrado County and on the southwest by theAtlantic Ocean. As of the 2022 Liberian census, Bomi had a population of 133,668, making it the nation's eleventh most populous county.[2]
From 1822 until theLiberian Declaration of Independence from theAmerican Colonization Society on July 26, 1847, some 3,198 freed people of color from the United States and theLesser Antilles came to Liberia with the help and support from theAmerican Colonization Society and other organizations. The first settlers who left the Caribbean islands were fromBarbados. The second set of 345 settlers who came from theCaribbean were fromTrinidad and Tobago, followed by 620 fromSaint Vincent and the Grenadines, another 350 fromSaint Kitts and Nevis, and two groups fromGrenada. The last group of settlers to arrive were fromSaint Lucia.[citation needed]
Bomi County, formerly known as Bomi Territory, was first part of Montserrado County. The military regime ofSamuel Doe established Bomi County in 1983. A legislative act later confirmed the County as being a separate entity. Bomi means “LIGHT” in theGola language, recognizing the County's status as the first site for iron ore mining in Liberia.[3]
The Liberia Mining Company extracted iron ore in the territory during the 1950s and 1960s. The company closed its operations in 1979.[4]
Bomi County has an area of 746 square miles (1,900 km2).[5] The County is bordered on the northwest byGrand Cape Mount County, on the northeast byGbarpolu andBong Counties, on the southeast byMontserrado County and on the southwest by theAtlantic Ocean.[3][6][7]
TheLofa River forms the boundary between Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Counties. A tributary of the river forms part of the boundary between Bomi and Gbarpolu Counties. TheSaint Paul River forms part of the boundary between Bomi and Montserrado Counties.[8]
Bomi County's climate is generally warm throughout the year. There are two seasons in the year - the rainy season which begins in April and ends in October and the dry season from November to March.[3]
The 2008 Liberian census showed that Bomi County had a population of 84,119, making it the eleventh most populous county in Liberia.[5] The County had at that time apopulation density of 113 persons per square mile (44 persons per km2).[5]
Bomi contains five chiefdoms and 18clans.[9] The County's principalethnic groups areGola, Dei,Mandinka andKpelle.[4]
Bomi County's resources include diamond, rubber, timber, iron ore, gold, water, stone, sand, and fertile agricultural land. Seventy percent of the population engages in agricultural activities, including the production or exploitation of rice (thestaple food),cassava,sweet potatoes,eddoes,plantains, vegetables, rubber,palm oil, and livestock or in fisheries. 20% participate in business and trading. Local governments employ 10%. TheSime Darbyrubber plantation, the second largest in Liberia, is located within the county.[4]
Bomi is divided into four administrative districts:[3][6]
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6°45′N10°45′W / 6.750°N 10.750°W /6.750; -10.750
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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