Virginia, Liberia
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Virginia | |
|---|---|
Town | |
  Virginia Location within Liberia | |
| Coordinates: 6°29′30″N 10°48′4″W / 6.49167°N 10.80111°W | |
| Country |  Liberia |
| County | Montserrado County |
| Elevation | 77 m (253 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
Virginia is a town in Montserrado County, a western suburb of Monrovia near the northern bank of the Saint Paul River in Liberia. It was originally called New Virginia and was established by the American Colonization Society as a settlement for African American emigrants from the United States. The town was the site of the historic 1979 Organisation of African Unity conference at Hotel Africa, hosted by President William R. Tolbert, Jr. just months before he was overthrown by Samuel Doe. During the Second Liberian Civil War, rebels used Virginia as a launch point in the 2003 assault on Monrovia.
Virginia was first settled under the name New Virginia by the American Colonization Society as part of Liberia’s early settlement program for freed African Americans. The community was named for the state of Virginia, where many of its settlers originated.[1][2]
In 1979, the town hosted the Organisation of African Unity conference at Hotel Africa under the leadership of President Tolbert, marking a major international event in Liberia’s prewar history.[3]
During the Second Liberian Civil War, Virginia figured in military operations as forces used its location to approach and attack central Monrovia in 2003.
Geography
Virginia lies in western Montserrado County near the northern bank of the Saint Paul River, on Liberia’s coastal plain. The terrain is generally low and close to sea level, characteristic of western Liberia’s riverine and coastal lowlands.[4] The area experiences a tropical monsoon climate with a rainy season from May through October and a drier season from November through April, with seasonal rainfall contributing to occasional localized flooding.[5]
