Grand Kru County

Grand Kru is one of Liberia's 15 counties. It was created in 1984/1985 by the merger of Sasstown Territory and Kru Coast Territory which had previously been part of Maryland County.

Grand Kru County is located along the coast of south eastern Liberia bordered by Sinoe County to the northwest, River Gee County in the north east and Maryland County to the southeast. Barclayville is the county capital. The county is divided into four districts: Sasstown, Buah, Upper Kru Coast and Lower Kru Coast. The primary language is Grebo which is spoken in several significantly different dialects around the county with some areas identifying their language as Kru. Liberian English is the language of school instruction.

A UN Mission in Liberia report issued in April 2005 estimates that 71,000 resident remain in the county. The area has few roads which partially explains the relatively low population density. In June 2005 the UN Integrated Regional Information Network reported that the roads in Grand Kru had decayed and become overgrown by dense bush, rendering them impassable, except on foot, and that the bridge across the Nu River at Barclaville had been destroyed.

The primary industry is subsistence, largely slash and burn, farming. The most important crops are upland rice, cassava, palm nuts, and along the coast, fishing. Feed corn is grown at higher elevations farther inland. Sugar cane and several varieties of bananas grow in the wetland areas. Cash crops include coffee, cocoa and kola. Locally grown bamboo and piassava palm are widely used for construction, mats and baskets. Many tropical fruits, domestic and wild, grow in the region including oranges, limes, mangos, soursop, breadfruit and coconut.

Poultry, cattle, sheep and goats are found in and around most villages. Most animals are of pygmy variety as larger varieties die quickly due to the heat and humidity. Prior to the civil war the region's extensive rainforests contained a wide variety of wildlife including wild pigs, bongo, dik-dik, pangolin, civet, pygmy hippo, African buffalo and colobus monkey all of which are hunted for food and hides. Also found are snakes, and very small populations of forest elephants and leopards.

External links

* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Liberia More information on Grebo and Liberian languages]