<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> Liberia is a country in West Africa which was founded, established, colonized, and controlled by citizens of the United States and ex-Caribbean slaves as a colony for former African American slaves and their free black descendants . It is one of only two sovereign countries in the world that were started by citizens and ex-Caribbean slaves of a political power as a colony for former slaves of the same political power, the other being Sierra Leone, established by Great Britain . In 1847, Liberia proclaimed its independence from the American Colonization Society (ACS). </P> <P> Liberia was under control and as protectorate of United States . It retained its independence throughout the Scramble for Africa by European colonial powers during the late 19th century, and the country remained in the American sphere of influence . Until 1980, Liberia was dominated by the small minority of descendants of the free black colonists, known collectively as Americo - Liberians . Little economic development occurred . From the 1920s, the country became dependent on exploitation of natural resources, particularly the rubber industry and the Firestone Company . </P>

Why was the african country of liberia formed