Grand Gedeh County
County of Liberia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Grand Gedeh County is a county in southeastern Liberia. Its capital is Zwedru. As of the 2022 census, the county had a population of 216,692.[1] Grand Gedeh has three electoral districts and eight administrative districts.[2] The county is bordered by Nimba County to the west, Sinoe County to the southwest, River Gee County to the southeast, and Côte d'Ivoire to the north.
History
Grand Gedeh County was established in 1964 during the presidency of William Tubman, when the Liberian government reorganized its interior provinces into new counties under the Unification Policy.[3]
In June 2025, Liberia held a state funeral in Zwedru for former president Samuel Doe and former first lady Nancy Doe, as part of a national reconciliation process. International reporting noted that the ceremony took place at Zwedru City Hall, near Doe's hometown of Tuzon.[4]
Geography
Grand Gedeh has lower tropical forests which have mid-size hills composed of various valleys and water courses. These forests receive a very high rainfall ranging from 3,000 mm (120 in) to 4,100 mm (160 in) per year in two distinct seasons. It has evergreen forests. While in the uplands it is conducive for rice cultivation, the low lying areas are conducive for yam, cocoa, plantains, potatoes, vegetables, rubber, coffee and sugarcane.[5] Grand Gedeh county has two community forest, namely Neezonnie, occupying an area of 42,424 ha (104,830 acres) and Blouquia, occupying an area of 43,796 ha (108,220 acres). There are three National plantation areas: the SIGA Reforestation project (247.2 ha (611 acres)), EAC Reforestation project (59.2 ha (146 acres)) and the WATRACE Reforestation project (58.4 ha (144 acres)). It also shares the National proposed reserve of Grebo Forest (97,136 ha (240,030 acres)) with River Gee County.[6]
Grand Gedeh contains part of Grebo-Krahn National Park, an important protected forest area shared with River Gee County. In 2025, reporting by Mongabay described rising deforestation and land conflict in and around Grand Gedeh linked to a cacao boom and migration from neighboring Côte d'Ivoire. The report stated that forest loss had increased sharply since early 2025 and that parts of Grebo-Krahn National Park had been cleared for cacao cultivation despite the park's protected status.[7]
Education
Grand Gedeh County University, located in Zwedru, is one of the county's principal higher-education institutions. In January 2026, Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung broke ground for a student center at the university, a project presented as part of broader infrastructure development in the county.[8]
Demographics
According to the 2022 Liberia Population and Housing Census, Grand Gedeh County had a population of 216,692.[9] The county remains one of the least densely populated areas of Liberia, reflecting its large land area and predominantly rural settlement pattern.
The population is composed primarily of Krahn-speaking communities, along with other ethnic groups from southeastern Liberia. The county has also experienced cross-border migration from neighboring Côte d'Ivoire, contributing to demographic changes in some areas.
As of the mid-2020s, local authorities and development partners have noted the presence of migrant populations, including Burkinabé communities engaged in agriculture.[10]
Economy
The economy of Grand Gedeh County is predominantly based on subsistence and smallholder agriculture. Major crops include rice, cassava, plantains, and vegetables, which are cultivated primarily for local consumption, along with limited commercial activity.
In the 2020s, agricultural development initiatives have supported the expansion of agribusiness in the county. In Zwedru, Imonik Business Centre expanded its poultry production with support from Liberia’s Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP). According to FrontPageAfrica, the business received a US$190,930 matching grant in 2023 for poultry-house renovation, feed-processing equipment, and power infrastructure, and added a new 2,000-bird poultry facility.[11]
The county has also been affected by increased cacao production in southeastern Liberia. Reporting in 2025 indicated that a cacao boom contributed to land-use change, migration, and deforestation pressures in and around Grand Gedeh, including areas near protected forests.[12]
Despite these developments, economic activity in Grand Gedeh remains constrained by limited infrastructure, including road access, electricity availability, and processing capacity, which affect market access and large-scale agricultural expansion. Recent national development policy under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST Agenda emphasizes infrastructure expansion, agricultural productivity, and economic diversification as key strategies to address constraints such as limited infrastructure, high unemployment, and low productivity.[13]
Administration
Grand Gedeh County is administered by a superintendent appointed by the President of Liberia. As of the mid-2020s, the superintendent is Alex C. Grant.[14]
For legislative representation, the county is divided into three electoral districts, each electing a member to the House of Representatives of Liberia.
Administratively, Grand Gedeh is subdivided into eight districts, which serve as local government units within the county.[15] These districts are further divided into clans and towns, forming the basis of local governance.