$Unique_ID{COW02217}
$Pretitle{238}
$Title{Liberia
Glossary}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Frederick Ehrenreich}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{countries
international
group
ibrd
developing
loans

}
$Date{1984}
$Log{}
Country:     Liberia
Book:        Liberia, A Country Study
Author:      Frederick Ehrenreich
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date:        1984

Glossary

     Americo-Liberian-A term used to designated descendants of Liberia's early
settlers from the Western Hemisphere, particularly the United States, and
their descendants. Although still used by most Liberians, the designation no
longer has official governmental approval and is regarded as expressing an
obsolete and divisive concept.

     Congoes-Africans landed in Liberia from slave ships captured during the
suppression of the slave trade in the nineteenth century.

     descent group-A human unit whose members are commonly accepted as having
descended from a common ancestor.

     fiscal year (FY)-An annual period established for accounting purposes.
Since 1976 the Liberian fiscal year has extended from July 1 through the
following June 30; previously it was the same as the calendar year.

     gross domestic product (GDP)-The total value of goods and services
produced within a country's borders during a fixed period, usually one year.
Obtained by adding the value contributed by each sector of the economy in the
form of compensation of employees, profits, and depreciation (consumption of
capital). Subsistence production is included and consists of the imputed value
of production by the farm family for its own use and the imputed rental value
of owner-occupied dwellings.

     gross national product (GNP)-GDP (q.v.) plus the income received from
abroad by residents, less payments remitted abroad to nonresidents.

     Group of 77-A grouping of developing countries that functions as a caucus
on economic matters in the United Nations and other international formus;
membership has increased to well over 100 countries since its organization in
1964.

     Hinterland-Term formerly used by the Liberian government to designate the
area of the country not included in the coastal counties. In 1963 the
Hinterland was divided into counties, but the term is still sometimes used in
an all-encompassing generic sense to describe the rural mass of the country.

     International Monetary Fund (IMF)-Established along with the World Bank
(q.v.) in 1945, the IMF is a specialized agency affiliated with the United
Nations and is responsible for stabilizing international exchange rates and
payments. The main business of the IMF is the provision of loans to its
members (including industrialized and developing countries) when they
experience balance of payments difficulties. These loans frequently carry
conditions that require substantial internal economic adjustments by the
recipients, most of which are developing countries.

     lineage-A descent group (q.v.), the members of which can, in principle,
trace their descent from a common ancestor; lineages of great generational
depth may include lineages of lesser depth.

     Nonaligned Movement-A grouping of countries that have deliberately chosen
not to be associated politically or militarily with either the West or the
communist states. Member countries are expected to pursue independent foreign
policies, support national liberation movements, and refrain from
participating in multilateral or bilateral military alliances with the major
powers. The movement's seventh summit meeting, held in New Delhi in March
1983, was attended by 97 nations.

     parastatal-An autonomous, government-owned enterprise.

     Poro-A tribal secret society for males that has political, juridical,
religious, and educational functions. Its so-called bush schools initiate
young men into the lore and disciplines of the community.

     Sande-The counterpart of Poro (q.v.) for females.

     to nuu (pl., to nuwai)-A Kpelle term for a wealthy man of high status.

     tribe-Official and widely used designation in Liberia for an indigenous
ethnic group; a group of people sharing a common culture and language but not
necessarily politically unified.

     World Bank-Informal name used to designate a group of three affiliated
international institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), and the
International Finance Corporation (IFC). The IBRD, established in 1945, has
the primary purpose of providing loans to developing countries for productive
projects. The IDA, a legally separate loan fund but administered by the staff
of the IBRD, was set up in 1960 to furnish credits to the poorest developing
countries on much easier terms than those of conventional IBRD loans. The IFC,
founded in 1956, supplements the activities of the IBRD through loans and
assistance designed specifically to encourage the growth of productive
private enterprises in the less developed countries. The president and certain
senior officers of the IBRD hold the same positions in the IFC. The three
institutions are owned by the governments of the countries that subscribe
their capital. To participate in the World Bank group, member states must
first belong to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)-q.v.).

     zo-Traditional magico-religious healer who diagnoses and treats illness,
often resorting to divination and ritual appeasement of unseen forces that are
thought to be malevolent.