New Kru Town
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New Kru Town | |
|---|---|
Borough | |
  New Kru Town Location in Liberia | |
| Coordinates: 6°22′24″N 10°47′34″W / 6.37333°N 10.79278°W | |
| Country |  Liberia |
| County | Montserrado County |
| District | Greater Monrovia |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Robert B. Teah[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.13 km2 (1.98 sq mi) |
| Population (2014[3]) | |
• Total | 84,399 |
| • Density | 16,500/km2 (42,600/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
New Kru Town is a northwestern coastal suburb of Monrovia, Liberia.
New Kru Town is a northwestern coastal suburb of Monrovia, located on the north end of Bushrod Island, near the mouth of the Saint Paul River, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is the only borough in Liberia.[4]
The town grew as a planned "transplant" town of Old Kru Town after World War II when "Old Kru Town was evacuated for the development of a new breakwater for the new port with assistance from the Liberian government".[5] Being located where the Saint Paul River estuary meets the Atlantic Ocean, sea-fishing is an important source of income.[6]
A slum area, it has been subject to ethnic tensions.[7] Squatted houses are built in precarious zones and in 2013, 200 homes were washed away by a high tide.[8] In 2019 President George Weah appointed Tarpeh D. Carter as governor of New Kru Town, replacing Alice Weah.[9] New Kru Town constitutes the Montserrado-16 electoral district.[3] As of 2025, the governor is Robert B. Teah, who has overseen local security and community-policing initiatives in the borough.[10]
Landmarks
An "imposing" church was built in New Kru Town in about 1975 by American missionaries.[11] It also contains the Redemption Hospital and the multi-million dollar D. Tweh Memorial High School, originally named in honor of William Tolbert before the 1980 coup.[12][13] An avenue, Botoe Avenue, is named after Thomas Nimene Botoe.
Demographics
New Kru Town (or Zone Z100) is divided into 14 communities:
| Community | Inhabitants (2014 est.) | No. of households (2014 est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Bong Mines Bridge | 5,573 | 1,359 |
| Central New Kru Town | 5,880 | 1,434 |
| Crab Hole | 7,532 | 1,837 |
| Duala Market | 6,405 | 1,562 |
| Duala Mombo Town-East | 8,752 | 2,135 |
| Fundaye | 4,259 | 1,039 |
| Lagoon East | 5,405 | 1,318 |
| Lagoon West | 5,575 | 1,360 |
| Monboe Town West | 3,475 | 848 |
| Nyuan Town | 6,692 | 1,632 |
| Point Four | 7,317 | 1,785 |
| Popo Beach A | 5,938 | 1,448 |
| Popo Beach B | 2,913 | 710 |
| Tweh Farm | 8,683 | 2,118 |
| Total: | 84,399 | 20,585 |
Coastal development and climate resilience
In 2021, President George Weah launched a coastal defense and community resilience project in New Kru Town aimed at mitigating coastal erosion, flooding, and climate-related risks affecting residents. The initiative, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), included shoreline protection measures, drainage improvements, and livelihood support for vulnerable households in the borough.[15]
United Nations officials have identified coastal communities such as New Kru Town as being among the most exposed to rising sea levels and extreme weather events in Liberia, underscoring the need for long-term urban planning and climate adaptation strategies.[16]
