Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, lies on the continent of Africa. It is situated on Liberia’s Atlantic coast in West Africa, on the Cape Mesurado peninsula near the mouths of the Mesurado and Saint Paul rivers.
The city was founded in 1822 by the American Colonization Society as a settlement for formerly enslaved and freeborn African Americans. It was first called Christopolis, then renamed Monrovia in honor of U.S. President James Monroe. Liberia declared independence in 1847, and Monrovia became the capital of the new republic.
Monrovia is Liberia’s largest city and its main political, commercial, cultural, and transport center. The Freeport of Monrovia is the country’s principal seaport. A common mix-up is confusing Liberia with Libya: Liberia is on Africa’s western coast, while Libya is in North Africa along the Mediterranean.