Liberia, with its population of some three and a half million people, is located on the west cost of Africa bordered by Sierra Leone on its west, Guinea to its north, the Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) to its east and the Atlantic Ocean to its south. The land next to the sea is a 25-50 mile strip of mangrove marshes and lagoons that rises, as you venture inland, to plateaus of some 1500-200 feet that are covered in grasses and forests. Further north are mountains dominated by the mile high Nimba Mountain that lies at the intersection of the Ivory Coast, Guinea and Liberia.

The Saint John River is one of Liberia's six main rivers. It forms in Guinea, then flows through the Nimba Mountains into Liberia eventually flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Liberia's other rivers include the Mano, Lofa, Saint Paul, Cestos, Cavalla, Mesurado and the Ya River.

Liberia also has a number of lakes. One of the largest Lake Piso, located fifty miles north-west of the capital Monrovia, covers an area of some 40 square miles. In 1998 it burst its banks flooding nineteen nearby villages, leaving 2000 homeless. During the civil war many Liberian villagers made there way to Piso to seek refuge on islands on the lake such as Massatin, named after a woman called Massa, a 15th century farmer who lived alone on the island.

Those visiting Liberia should take time to visit the Sapo National park. Founded in 1983 and covering some 700 sq miles, its home to a variety of wildlife from chimpanzees to pygmy hippos as well as forest elephants and leopards. The park itself is a lowland forest and a virtually intact eco-system. This video shows pictures of Liberia set to traditional music and gives a good look and feel of the country.