<P> Founded on April 25, 1822, Monrovia was the second permanent Black American settlement in Africa after Freetown, Sierra Leone . Monrovia's economy is shaped primarily by its harbour and its role as the location of Liberia's government offices . The Freeport of Monrovia registers 10--15% of the world's shipping . </P> <P> Monrovia is named in honor of U.S. President James Monroe, a prominent supporter of the colonization of Liberia and the American Colonization Society . Along with Washington, D.C., it is one of two national capitals to be named after a U.S. President . </P> <P> In 1816, with the aim of establishing a self - sufficient colony for emancipated American slaves, something that had already been accomplished in Freetown, the first settlers arrived in Africa from the United States, under the auspices of the American Colonization Society . They landed at Sherbro Island in present - day Sierra Leone . </P> <P> Many settlers died in the landing . In January 7, 1822, a second ship rescued the settlers and took them to Cape Mesurado, establishing the settlement of Christopolis . In 1824, the city was renamed Monrovia after James Monroe, then President of the United States, who was a prominent supporter of the colony in sending freed Black slaves and ex-Caribbean slaves from the United States of America and Caribbean islands to Liberia and who saw it as preferable to emancipation in America . </P>

Where are cairo and monrovia situated in relation to the equator