Liberia is a West African country that is home to over 5 million people. Liberia was founded in 1847 and became an independent republic in 1945. The country was then placed under the control of the United States until 1971, when it became a democratic republic. Liberia is bordered by Sierra Leone to the west, Guinea to the north, and Côte d'Ivoire to the east. The country has a population of about 4 million. Liberia is ranked 116th out of 187 countries on the Human Development Index. Liberia's economy is largely subsistence based, with the bulk of its revenue coming from forestry and fishing.