NTPowerHouse Countries

THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

Population: 3.6 million (UN, 2005)
Capital: Monrovia
Area: 99,067 sq km (38,250 sq miles)
Major languages: English, 29 African languages belonging to the Mande, Kwa or Mel linguistic groups
Monetary unit: Liberian dollar

Liberia means "Land of the Free" and was founded as an independent nation by free-born and former African Americans slaves. Liberia is Africa's oldest republic. Sadly, it became better known in the 1990s for its long-running, ruinous civil war.

Mr Liberia 2005 contest was held in December last year as an annual Weight-lifting and Body-building National Competition. It was sponsored by the American Electronics and took place in Monrovia at the Sports Commission, Broad Street.

The October 11, 2005 presidential and legislative elections and the subsequent November 8, 2005 presidential run-off were the most free, fair, and peaceful elections in Liberia's history. Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf defeated international soccer star George Weah 59.4% to 40.6% to become Africa's first democratically elected female president.

Kevin Topka, 33, is a Musclemania champion from Liberia. He won the Overall title at the Musclemania New England on October 11, 2003. He moved with his family to the United States when he was 13 years old. He's now a contest promoter and a personal trainer at his private fitness facility "Body Language Spoken" located in Seekonk, Massachusetts.

As in many other African countries, the most popular sport in Liberia is football. Soccer fans have their own website: www.liberiansoccer.com. Other sports activities include swimming and boating, very popular at Liberia's many sandy beaches. There is a private golf club in Monrovia.

Prinston Martyn won the light heavyweight at The Muscle Beach International Classic Bodybuilding and Figure competition. The show was held on May 29th, 2006 in Venice, California. Prinston Martyn fled in 1991 from his homeland Liberia to the United States as a refugee and he's now a model, personal trainer and director of POMJ Productions Inc. Check out his interview.