Nimba County

Nimba county is in the north region of Liberia, sharing borders with Ivory Coast and Guinea. The county capital is Ganta.

The majority of people in the region belong to the Mano tribe. English is spoken generally in towns but not in villages. Usually the younger population in Liberia speak English, which is the official language. During the late 1960´s iron ore was found in "the iron mountain" Mount Nimba. In a joint venture between the Liberian Government, US Bethlehem Steel Corp and the Swedish mining company Granges a huge project was set up, LAMCO (LIBERIAN American Co.). The project contributed to economic and social development in Liberia for 30 years. Corruption was minimal and political stability good. Liberia was amongst the most progressive countries in Africa during this period. History itself cought up with the past and ironically the usual tribal war mentality erupted in 1980 (see Liberia facts). The Nimba region was devistated by the civil war that followed. The iron ore had been degrading in quality, and world prices plunged. The combination led to a dismantle of the LAMCO project. After the civil war (which lasted for more than a decade), Nimba is finally getting better. Schools built and financed by LAMCO, are receiving funding from aid organizations (mostly Swedish as Dujar). The Nimba hospital is barely open. The houses which were built by LAMCO are overgrown by the rain-forest.

In 2005, the very high price of iron ore is seeing a lot of interest in reopening the mines and rebuilding the standard gauge railway to the port of Buchanan.