Maryland County
county of Liberia
Maryland County is a county in the southeastern region of Liberia. One of the country’s 15 counties, it is bordered by Grand Kru County to the west, River Gee County to the north, and Ivory Coast to the east, with the Cavalla River forming part of the international boundary. The county’s capital is Harper, while Pleebo is its largest city. As of the 2022 census, Maryland County had a population of 172,202.
The area was established in 1834 as a colony of the Maryland State Colonization Society and later became the independent Republic of Maryland in 1854. Following conflict with indigenous groups, the republic was annexed by Liberia in 1857 and became Maryland County.
The county’s economy is primarily based on agriculture, with most residents engaged in subsistence farming. Other economic activities include fishing, small-scale trade, and cross-border commerce with Ivory Coast. Despite its economic potential, development in the county is constrained by limited infrastructure and high levels of poverty.
History
Maryland was first established as a colony of the Maryland State Colonization Society in 1834, but was not granted independence until 1854.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Maryland County” as county of Liberia. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as county of Liberia. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 7, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q870138. Authority coordinates are 4.750, -7.750. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2022, 1834, 1854 and 1857.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Maryland County”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Maryland County primary sources, Maryland County archive and Maryland research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Maryland County”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Maryland County” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.