Monrovia was one of the worst hit areas. Businessmen fled the country, taking with them the infrastructure of Liberia's economy. Some would never return. Liberia has been a producer and exporter of basic products. It has the water, mineral resources, forests, and climate to support agriculture.
Manufacturing is only a small part, mainly foreign owned.
Liberia had huge foreign debt when the democratically elected government was installed in 1997. The government currently relies on money from its maritime registry. These figures are 1999 estimates. Liberia's major industries include rubber and palm oil processing and diamonds. Liberia imports much more than it exports.