Liberia is a country in West Africa which was founded, established, colonized, and controlled by citizens of the United States and ex-Caribbean slaves as a colony for former African American slaves and their free black descendants. It is one of only two sovereign countries in the world that were started by citizens and ex-Caribbean slaves of a political power as a colony for former slaves of the same political power, the other being Sierra Leone, established by Great Britain. In 1847, Liberia proclaimed its independence from the American Colonization Society (ACS).

Liberia was under control and as protectorate of United States. It retained its independence throughout the Scramble for Africa by European colonial powers during the late 19th century, and the country remained in the American sphere of influence. Until 1980, Liberia was dominated by the small minority of descendants of the free black colonists, known collectively as Americo-Liberians. Little economic development occurred. From the 1920s, the country became dependent on exploitation of natural resources, particularly the rubber industry and the Firestone Company.